Correspondence between CO2 emission and sequestration by Dublins street trees

Fuel + Air Hydrocarbons + Nitrogen Oxides + Carbon Dioxide + Carbon Monoxide + Water

Tine Ningal & Dr. Gerald Mills

University College Dublin, Ireland
School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy

Framework
3D Urban form Sky View Factor Daily Shading Meteorology Traffic

Evaluate the Urban Environment at Street Level

Air Quality CO2

Urban Forest

Carbon storage & sequestration

School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy

Overview
1. Urban settlements 2. Transportation 3. Carbon dioxide emission 4. Urban trees 5. Carbon storage and sequestration 6. Correspondence with CO2 emission form traffic 7. Next steps in updating urban trees database.
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Objectives
Main research objective: To assess the environmental quality at street level in Inner City Dublin.

Sub-objective: To examine the correspondence between CO2 emission from traffic and carbon sequestration by street trees.
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World by night - urbanization

3% of global land area comprise urban settlements 50% global population lives in urban areas since 2008

Source: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/everydaylife/Growing_Cities_AGU.html
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Demographics of Ireland and Dublin

Ireland

Source: CSO

Population density (2006) Greater Dublin 25% Dublin City - 12% Land area (km2) Ireland 84,469 GDA - 922 (1% of Ireland) Dublin city - 118.2 (0.1% of Ireland, 12% of GDA) Study area - 14.2 (12% of Dublin city) 6
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Transportation in Ireland, 1984-2008

Up to 25% of all the vehicle registered in 2008 were in Dublin

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Transportation in Ireland, 1984-2008

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Daily trips Greater Dublin Area

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Daily trips - Dublin City Centre

Since the traffic flow remains generally constant through the daylight hours, it is assumed that traffic in both directions are similar.

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Traffic count and CO2 emission

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Traffic emission
Time resolution 24Hrs 1Week 1Month 12 Months

Traffic emission CO2 (kg)

21,822,398

152,756,791

611,027,166

733,232,6002

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Hourly traffic flow during a weekday

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Hourly traffic count, 2006 - Dublin

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Role of trees in mitigating CO2

Versatile and multiple benefits and services provided by trees to society Shade provision Noise/wind barrier Storm water runoff reduction Add values to properties Regulates temperature CO2 sequestration & storage Ecosystem services Health, therapeutic & quality of life Aesthetics Reduces air pollution Controls erosion Home and food source to animals, insects and birds
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Inventory of Dublins urban/street trees

Cataloguing and inventorying Dublins trees 1. Desktop heads-up digitizing of urban tree stands and canopies using Google Earth, Bing Maps and Dual Maps. 2. Carrying out fieldwork to gather street trees. a) Record species b) Measure circumference at breast height (CBH). c) Take photographs d) Document other details.
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Routes followed for fieldwork

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Trees in Dublin Inner City

Matured trees near residence

Lime tree on median lane

Trees along busy street

Vandalized tree

Young tree in commercial area

Matured London Plane

Damaged by Dublin Bus

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Results of tree survey

Digitized canopies
Total = 839,860 m2

Surveyed trees
Total = 2,552 trees

Digitized trees
Total = 10,488 trees Results 1 tree to every 50 residents or 684 trees km-2 Canopy = 1 km-2 or 6% of study area
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Street trees = 25% of total trees

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Carbon sequestration by street trees

London Plane - comprises 22% of total street trees - stores over 80% of Carbon - sequesters over 65% of carbon
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Geography of recorded street trees

Buffer distance of up to 5 meters from the kerbside (Approx. 85-90%)

Trees = Points Roads = Lines

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Carbon sequestered(kg) by street trees

Conversion Sequestered carbon was converted to CO2 before applying Map Algebra. That is by multiplying with the conversion factor 3.67.

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CO2 emission from traffic

High CO2 emissions along the Quays, North and South Circular Roads and a few major roads in the study area.

Traffic Data Source Irish Bulletin of Vehicle and Driver Statistics an Euro IV Emission Standards

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CO2 removed by trees

Annual CO2 Emission by Traffic (kg) Monthly 733,232,600 61,102,716

CO2 removed by Street Trees (kg) 7,047,526

587,294

Net CO2 (kg)

726,185,074

60,515,424

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Monetary estimates of removal by trees

At 20/tCO2, the cost avoided by the presence of street trees in the study area: 140,950.50 annually (Tim Callan et al. 2009). The cost of removing other pollutants such as CO, O3, NO2, PM10, SO2 etc. is 6,037.96. (i-Tree model) The total cost in saving from the presence of the surveyed street trees is 146,988.46.
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Concluding remarks
1. There was over 10,000 trees representing 684 trees/km2 or 1 tree to approximately every 50 residents in the study area. 2. There were 2,552 street trees recorded and which stored a total of 1,920,306 kg of carbon or 7,047,526 kg of CO2. 3. With the current stock of street trees, it would take over 210 years to sequester the CO2 emitted in one year. 4. The highest rate of CO2 removal by street trees correspond well with matured London Planes distributed along the main busy streets. Meanwhile, other streets exhibiting high CO2 emissions are devoid of trees. Yet other less busy streets have an abundance of street trees. 5. For effective mitigation of CO2 and other urban effects, considerations like types of tree species, its placement and management are important. 6. A trees functionality can be maximized by planting the right tree at the right place and at the right time.
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Next steps
Participatory updating of urban trees
Common activities 1. Identifying trees in private properties. 2. Take measurements like circumference at breast height and photographs and submit. 3. On-going updating of database of both fruit- and non-fruit trees. 4. Assist in updating Carbon sequestration and storage.
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Next steps

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Thank you

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