ASSESSING STREET-LEVEL DISTRIBUTION OF TREE OF HEAVEN (AILANTHUS ALTISSIMA) IN ISTANBUL (TURKEY)

Abstract

Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) from the Simaroubaceae family is recognized as an invasive species within urban, rural, and natural ecosystems in many parts of the world. There is no regional or national strategy for the management and control of A. altissima in Turkey, where it is also accepted as an invasive plant species and occurs in many cities. Google Street View images were used in the study for virtual inventory of street trees. This study has been conducted to reveal the presence of the tree of heaven in the streets of Istanbul, 8 very large, 45 large, 110 medium, 155 small, 80 very small single plants were detected in 7720 sample plots with a length of 50 meters. The average ratio of tree of heaven to the total street tree species composition was 2%, while this rate is 0.5% in some districts, it rises up to 6% in some others. This indicated that A. altissima was widespread even though it was not planted as a street tree on the roadsides of Istanbul.