Land Classification Project: Stanislaus State's Cover Assessment & Tree Benefits

This presentation explores the Land Classification Project, a multi-year research initiative that began in 2022 as part of the Center for Applied Spatial Analysis (CASA) and continues through the collaborative work of students, researchers, and College Corps fellows. The presentation examines how urban forestry contributes to environmental sustainability and community well-being by analying the benefits of trees on the Stanislaus State campus. The research team classified land cover types and estimated the environmental impact of campus trees using the i-Tree software suite, GIS, and remote sensing methods such as satellite imagery. Findings highlight the role of trees in carbon storage, air and water purification, urban cooling, biodiversity support, and human health. The presentation also discusses the challenges of current tree assessment methods and introduces ongoing efforts to develop more scalable tools for urban forestry analysis.