Opinion of tools

Name of the tool
Green Plot Ratio

Positive comments about the tool
• The end ratio is an understandable result.
• The author considers GPR “a more reasonable indication of the effectiveness of the greenery on a site than current metrics based on the extent of site coverage because it is directly related to the amount of photosynthetically active leaves on site”.
• GPR can be used “as part of an ecological masterplan requiring specific LAI values for greenery at various site”.
• GPR bridges the fields of ecology,. Biological sciences and urban planning
• Since GPR replicates the conventional planning instrument of BPR, it is easily understood by the design and planning professions (in the countries that use it) while maintaining a direct correlation to scientific measures.

Negative comments about the tool
• Different methods for calculating the Leaf Area Index exist – and therefore LAI values from different methods vary.
• “GPR alone cannot indicate species richness.”
• While seen as a fundamental and important metric, GPR is not in itself an indicator for all the ecological relationships between plants and cities. A larger set of related metrics need to be developed.