Ecosystem Services of Trees Jacinda Mainord, Inupiat Graduate Student School of the Environment Portland State University.

Ecosystem Services of Trees

Jacinda Mainord, Inupiat Graduate Student

School of the EnvironmentPortland State University

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Bonan 2008

Forests cover ~42 million sq. km andstore about half of the terrestrial carbon

Tropical and temporal forests responsible for most of the carbon sequestered

Approximately 33% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions are sequestered from forests (Bonan 2008)

Evolution of Climate Models

• Atmospheric modeling – Using energy fluxes, moisture, and atmospheric

physics and dynamics• Hydrologic cycle

– Effects of vegetation on energy and water fluxes• Incorporation of plant physiology theory

– Biological control of evapotranspiration coupled with hydrometeorology and biogeochemistry

Ecosystem Service-Benefits people obtain from ecosystems

Products

ie. Food, fuel, fiber

Regulation and Disease

Control

ie. Climate control

Supporting Services

ie. Nutrient cycling

Cultural and Aesthetic Benefits

MA, 2005

What are the Ecosystem Services of an Urban Forest?

Benefits

• Stormwater interception• Carbon sequestration• Air Quality• Aesthetics• Biodiversity• Psychological• Cultural• Reducing energy use due to

shading

Disbenefits

• Initial investment• Maintenance

– Pruning – Fertilizers & water– Leaf litter removal– Sidewalks

• Pests• Emissions of BVOCs and N2O• Property damage• Obscuring vistas & sunlight

What are the Cultural Ecosystem Services of a Forest?

Outline of Ecosystem Services

• Carbon Sequestration• Air Pollutant Removal• Rainwater Interception• Biogenic Volatile Organic

Compound Emissions

Carbon Sequestration and Storage

Atmospheric carbon fixed through photosynthesis Carbon is lost through

respiration and decomposition

Leaf and twig drop add carbon to soilsNutrient uptake of soil carbon

Air Pollutant Removal

Carlson 2003

• Uptake through leaf stomata• Deposition on tree surfaces

Biogenic Volatile Organic Carbon Emissions

• Trees emit isoprenes and monoterpenes

• Largest source of volatile organic compounds

• Role in ozone and carbon monoxide formation

• Role in haze formation

Stormwater Interception

http://www.co.henrico.va.us

Differences in Ecosystem Services

Species DistributionAge DistributionRegional Differences

Meteorological and pollutant variations

Available Software tools

CITYgreen

STRATUM

Eco

Streets

Streets

ArcGIS

i-Tree Software Suite

• i-Tree Eco• i-Tree Streets• i-Tree Vue• i-Tree Canopy• Beta Tools:

– i-Tree Hydro– i-Tree Design

•i-Tree Species•i-Tree Pest Detection•i-Tree Storm

Coming Soon:•i-Tree Forecast

Urban Forest Effects- UFORE

• Also known as i-Tree Eco • Peer-reviewed• Computer model to calculate forest ecosystem

services• Species composition, tree density, diameter

distribution, tree health, leaf and tree biomass, species diversity

Input to iTree Eco for carbon sequestration and pollutant removal:

RegionReference treesDiameter at Breast Height (DBH)

Crown widthCrown baseHeightMeteorological dataHourly Pollutant Data

i-Tree Eco at a Glance

• Sample output

i-Tree Streets

• Assessment of ecosystem services of street trees

• Basic inventory data on tree species and diameter

• Provides BVOC emissions and rainfall interception

• Use of Reference Cities

Input to iTree Streets for rainfall interception and BVOCs• Region• Reference trees• DBH

i-Tree Streets at a Glance

BVOC Emissions(lb)

-1.0 0.0-4.4-3.2 0.0

BVOC Emissions($)

-2 0-10-7 0

Total (lb)

29.122.123.316.28.3

Species

Norway mapleAshSugar mapleNorthern red oakElm

Ecosystem Services Valuation of Trees Plantings in Portland, OR

• Study in conjunction with Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Friends of Trees (FoT)

• Study Area: 16.5 mile Multi-Use Path along I-205 in Portland, OR

• 3837 tree saplings planted at 22 sites

Photo courtesy of FoT

Project Description

At 5, 10, and 20 Years from Planting, Project:• Carbon sequestration and carbon storage• Air pollutants removal (specifically NO2, SO2,

Particulate Matter (PM), and Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOC))

• Rainfall interception

Background Work

• Gather growth equations for trees planted• Develop database projecting crown width,

crown ratio, and height at DBH growth stages• Populate i-Tree Eco database with projected

tree metrics• Run projected tree scenarios

Species and Plot Distribution

 Plot Name 

 Tree Species

Bigleaf maple

Bigtooth maple

Bitter

cherry

Black hawthorn

Bur

oak

Chinkapin oak

Common

chokecherry

Douglas fir

Accolade

Elm

Grand fir

Incens

e cedar

Jeffery pine

Klamath plum

Lodgepole pine

Noble fir

Oregon ash

Oregon crabappl

e

Oregon white

oak

Pacific dogwood

Pacific madrone

Ponderosa

pine

Cascara

Scarlet oak

Sitka

spruce

Southern

magnoli

a

Washingt

on hawthorn

Wester

n redcedar

Wester

n white

pine

White oak

Grand

TotalAirport Way 13 15 1 1 10 19 10 5 16 7 15 18 130Alderwood 27 10 11 19 10 2 23 15 19 13 2 3 154

Boise 20 6 13 40 3 5 9 6 5 14 27 5 153Bush 16 3 4 41 1 7 19 2 5 15 8 4 20 11 7 163

Dean Creek 36 16 5 21 40 2 8 128Division 39 56 3 31 10 12 11 28 54 10 32 11 75 372Flavel 3 10 19 3 11 38 12 2 98

Gateway 7 10 14 4 9 2 46Gateway Transit N 20 25 10 20 20 20 20 135

Holman 39 17 17 11 35 12 7 14 16 1 43 14 34 39 19 5 323Johnson Creek 35 20 9 4 5 12 9 8 11 113

Lents  38 18 5 37 60 13 18 6 10 8 24 2 15 36 12 5 8 315Lents Ln Extension 20 20 10 5 20 10 25 20 130

Marx St. 10 20 15 15 5 10 20 25 20 140Mill 31 30 3 24 6 7 5 4 3 41 25 58 37 274

Montavilla 10 20 15 5 15 15 20 100North Pioneer 31 10 28 12 5 43 9 10 11 13 20 6 34 28 3 8 6 277

Parkrose Transit N 15 10 13 14 15 8 10 15 100Parkrose Transit S 13 20 15 24 25 13 20 30 160

Powell 15 15 25 10 15 25 15 15 135South Pioneer 23 19 7 10 5 15 38 8 15 9 1 4 6 25 3 20 21 2 9 2 5 247

Steel 23 11 21 15 18 1 3 9 35 5 3 144Grand Total 445 80 207 152 3 5 173 479 13 84 107 25 19 153 6 118 156 389 2 165 491 286 10 17 11 175 32 29 5 3837

Results at a Glance

Tree Scenario

Total Rainfall Interception (cu.m/yr)

Carbon Sequestration Rate (kg/yr)

Total Air Pollutant 

Removal (kg/yr)

 BVOC Emissions (kg/yr)

5 Year 1224 15309 183 -11610 Year 5074 28841 489 -42220 Year 15502 65571 1311 -1077

Tree Scenario

Total Rainfall Interception

($/yr)

Carbon Sequestration

Rate ($/yr)

Total Air Pollutant

Removal ($/yr)

BVOC Emissions

($/yr)

5 Year $10,897 $278 $1,516 ($77)

10 Year $36,220 $720 $4,362 ($280)

20 Year $111,956 $1,231 $10,388 ($853)

Rainwater Interception

Plot # Trees

5 Yr. Total Rainfall Interception (cu.m.)

10 Yr. Total Rainfall Interception (cu.m.)

20 Yr. Total Rainfall Interception (cu.m.)

Airport Way 130 35 183 524Alderwood 154 41 174 642Boise 153 79 226 696Bush 163 64 209 643Dean Creek 128 62 155 496Division 372 76 512 1430Flavel 98 31 166 317Gateway 46 23 69 205Gateway Transit N 135 30 189 525Holman 323 81 399 1320Johnson Creek 113 14 143 423Lents  315 140 432 1477Lents Ln Extension 130 35 180 495Marx St. 140 92 332 1096Mill 274 15 140 375Montavilla 100 40 205 570North Pioneer 277 97 365 1120Parkrose Transit N 100 23 86 337Parkrose Transit S 160 54 189 636Powell 135 25 170 495South Pioneer 247 91 340 1041Steel 144 78 210 639Total 3837 1224 5074 15502

2010-11 Portland Airport Rainfall: 1.136 m3

Total area of plantings: 343500 m2

Total Rain over Plantings: 390,000 m3

4.0% of Total Rainfall intercepted at 20 years after Planting

Car Equivalents of Carbon Sequestered

Years After Planting

Carbon Sequestration Rate (kg/yr)

Kg Emitted/Car over 16.5 mile stretch

Annual Car Equivalents of 

Carbon Sequestered

5 Yr.  15309 4.51 339110 Yr. 28841 4.51 638920 Yr. 65571 4.51 14526

Emissions calculated from Walsh et al 2008. Emission Factor: 0.17 kg CO2/km for passenger car

2008 Average Daily Traffic at Gladstone Exit off I-205:

143800 cars

Annual Air Pollutant Removal

Years after Planting 5 Yr CO (kg/yr) 5 Yr SO2 (kg/yr) 5 Yr NO2 (kg/yr) 5 Yr O3 (kg/yr) 5 Yr PM10 (kg/yr)  BVOC Emissions (kg/yr)5 Year 7.64 7.29 31.89 77.36 58.57 -11610 Year 20.44 19.5 85.37 207.07 156.76 -42220 Year 54.79 52.26 228.79 554.96 420.12 -1077

Photos courtesy of Friends of Trees

BenefitsTotal by Concordia

$/Tree Concordia

Total by PSU 20 Yr

$/Tree PSU 20 Yr

Carbon Sequestration $2,992 $0.65 $4855 $1.27Air Quality Improvement $4,822 $1.04 $9,535 $2.49Stormwater  $56,964 $12.29 $111,956 $29.18Total $64,778 $13.97 $126,346 $32.94

Scenario Valuation Average/Tree5 Yr. Grand Total $12,623 $3.2910 Yr. Grand Total $15,721 $4.1020 Yr. Grand Total $122,722 $31.98

Based on:

$20.30/ton C sequestered$7.34/cu. m rainfall intercepted$1407/ t CO$9906/ t O3$9906/ t NO2$6614/ t PM10$2425/t SO2

Valuation of Ecosystem Services

Plot

No. Trees Planted

5 Yr. Rainwater Interception Valuation

10 Yr. Rainwater Interception Valuation

20 Yr. Rainwater Interception Valuation

5 Yr. Net Air Quality Valuation

10 Yr. Net Air Quality Valuation

20 Yr. Net Air Quality Valuation

5 Yr. Carbon Sequestration Valuation

10 Yr. Carbon Sequestration Valuation

20 Yr. Carbon Sequestration Valuation

Airport Way 130 $384 $1,256 $3,770 $49 $120 $239 $32 $77 $170 Alderwood 154 $347 $1,267 $4,584 $69 $192 $394 $82 $190 $420 Boise 153 $498 $1,679 $5,099 $61 $201 $559 $38 $88 $195 Bush Garden 163 $532 $1,625 $4,663 $61 $195 $549 $10 $24 $57

Dean Creek Hill 128 $344 $1,156 $3,490 $34 $100 $371 $86 $153 $349 Division St 372 $1,022 $3,431 $10,358 $125 $331 $679 $71 $141 $319 Flavel 98 $403 $1,114 $2,437 $34 $73 $152 $62 $151 $344

Gateway Transit 46 $148 $505 $1,494 $19 $66 $183 $140 $230 $533 Gateway Transit North 135 $391 $1,307 $3,867 $55 $152 $297 $51 $72 $166 Holman Hill 323 $795 $2,760 $9,411 $123 $344 $771 $33 $78 $178

Johnson Creek 113 $301 $1,037 $3,119 $69 $183 $235 $77 $176 $396 Lents Lane 315 $935 $3,187 $10,648 $135 $395 $944 $30 $69 $162

Lents Lane Ext 130 $407 $1,310 $3,659 $55 $156 $317 $51 $54 $124 Mill St 140 $685 $2,357 $7,759 $103 $285 $692 $52 $85 $190 Montavilla 274 $243 $864 $2,682 $34 $88 $171 $17 $46 $104 NE Marx St 100 $396 $1,346 $4,094 $46 $134 $359 $22 $51 $115

North Pioneer 277 $799 $2,654 $8,103 $102 $297 $733 $31 $77 $178

Parkrose North 100 $242 $717 $2,354 $41 $117 $253 $35 $85 $195

Parkrose South 160 $472 $1,428 $4,538 $49 $149 $419 $60 $73 $168

Powell & Duke 135 $403 $1,230 $3,616 $42 $102 $152 $30 $71 $161

South Pioneer 247 $666 $2,359 $7,519 $83 $241 $600 $69 $77 $175 Steele Slope 144 $483 $1,630 $4,693 $59 $182 $466 $62 $81 $185 Total 3837 $10,897  $36,220  $111,956  $1,448  $4,104  $9,535  $1,141  $2,149  $4,885 

20 Year After Planting Economic Valuation by Species

Species Storm water Air Quality CO2

Scarlet oak $109.15 $1.76 $1.13 Accolade elm $64.18 $4.17 $0.59 Bigleaf maple $45.64 $3.13 $0.27 Bur oak $40.54 $0.73 $0.45 Chinkapin oak $40.54 $0.17 $0.50 Oregon white oak $40.54 $0.17 $0.39 Pacific dogwood $40.54 ($0.08) $0.35 White oak $40.54 $0.08 $0.50 Douglas fir $37.50 $8.30 $0.13 Grand fir $37.50 $0.48 $0.22 Jeffery pine $37.50 $1.68 $0.18 Noble fir $37.50 $2.02 $0.20 Ponderosa pine $37.50 $4.43 $0.21 Sitka spruce $37.50 $1.99 $0.27 Western redcedar $37.50 $0.92 $0.07 Western white pine $37.50 $0.79 $0.17 Rocky mountain maple $36.02 $0.51 $0.32 Southern magnolia $30.18 $5.70 $0.35 Oregon ash $28.57 $3.30 $0.45 Lodgepole pine $25.77 $0.50 $0.17 Klamath plum $25.42 $0.45 $0.52 Black hawthorn $23.78 $0.63 $0.51 Washington hawthorn $23.78 $0.67 $0.51 Bitter cherry $12.48 $0.24 $0.52 Cascara $12.48 $2.02 $0.43 Common chokecherry $12.48 $0.07 $0.52 Oregon crabapple $8.70 $0.17 $0.42 Incense cedar $5.32 $0.61 $0.21 Pacific madrone $4.27 $0.90 $0.20

²1 cm = 2 km

20 Years After Planting

Legend ($/Year)

5,300

CarbonSequestration

Stormwater

AirQuality

Access to i-Tree Software Suite

• http://itreetools.org/• Applications and Utilities Available

for download• Workshop training schedules• Previous workshop presentations• Manuals• Other resources and publications

Examples of Use in Tribal Communities

• Decision making• Quantify pollutant removal,

rainwater interception, carbon sequestration

• Broad picture of entire forest• Assess canopy cover of tribal

lands• Stream flow, water quality

Questions?

Quyana, thank you.

Contact information: [email protected]

ReferencesBonan, G. B., 2008. Forests and Climate Change: Forcings, Feedbacks, and the Climate Benefits of Forests. Science. 320 , 1444-1449.MA, 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Current State and Trends. Island Press, Washington DCCarlson, Toby N., (5 Aug 2003). Chapter 7. John A. Dutton e-Education Institute. Retrieved on 2 Apr 2012. https://courseware.e-education.psu.edu/simsphere/workbook/ch07.htmlNowak et al. 2008. A Ground-Based Method of Assessing Urban Forest Structure and Ecosystem Services. Aboriculture and Urban Forestry. Vol 34 No. 6. pp 347-358Walsh et al 2008. A comparison of carbon dioxide emissions associated with motorised transport modes and cycling in Ireland. Transportation Research Part D. 13, (2008), 392-399.Murray, F.J.; Marsh, L.; Bradford, P.A. 1994. New York State energy plan, vol. II: issue reports. Albany, NY: New York State Energy Office.McPherson EG et al. (2002) Western Washington and Oregon Community Tree Guide: Benefits, Costs and Strategic Planning. International Society of Arboriculture- Pacific Northwest Chapter, Silverton, OR. 76 pp.Tech. Rep. NRS-57. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 49 p. http://www.furneysnursery.com/2011/11/15/chief-joseph-lodgepole-pine-pinus-contorta-chief-joseph%E2%80%99/Qingfu Ziao, E. Gregory McPherson, Susan L. Ustin and Mark E. Grismer. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol 105. No. D23. Pages 29173-29188. Dec. 2000. http://www.itreetools.org/http://www.co.clackamas.or.us/docs/dtd/trafficcount.pdfhttp://www.wrh.noaa.gov/http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/