- Evaluating the Above-Ground Carbon Storage of Urban Trees on University of British Columbia Vancouver Campus
Urban forestry is a crucial tool for mitigating the impacts of climate change and enhancing people’s quality of life. Previous studies have shown that urban forests provide a wide range of ecosystem services. However, precise estimation of urban tree carbon storage remains a key challenge for effective urban forest management and planning. In this work, we investigated the carbon storage of trees on the UBC Vancouver Campus using 2018 LiDAR data. The aim was to determine the total carbon storage and the average carbon density of UBC campus. Tree height and structure were estimated using an existing model. The results revealed that the UBC Vancouver Campus has a total carbon storage of 24.63 Gg and an average carbon density of 6.13 kg m-2. These findings emphasize the significant role urban forests play in climate change mitigation and urban life improvement. Employing LiDAR data in conjunction with the existing model proved to be an efficient and effective method for estimating urban tree carbon storage. The results inform urban planning and policy decisions, fostering the integration of urban forests into sustainable campus development.
- Comparing the Level of Carbon Sequestration Capability of Different Soft Landscape in UBC
This study investigated the carbon sequestration rates of soft landscapes in the University of British Columbia Vancouver campus and compare their carbon sequestration capacity. The significance of carbon sequestration rates in soft landscapes is discussed in the context of urban planning and the role of vegetation in mitigating climate change. LiDAR data and aerial photos are used to estimate above-ground carbon sequestration, and GIS and R are used for data analysis. The research objectives are to compare the attributes of different soft landscapes, estimate their carbon sequestration rates, identify which soft landscapes have the highest carbon sequestration capacity, and discuss the limitations of the study and possible improvements for future research. The study aims to provide insights for optimizing urban soft landscape services to increase carbon storage in cities, and to explore the potential for incorporating soft landscapes as a sustainable urban infrastructure for carbon sequestration. Moreover, the findings may inform decisions regarding the implementation of sustainable landscape design of new and existing urban green spaces.
- Comparing the Level of Above-ground Carbon Sequestration and Respective Ecosystem Services between Native and Cultivated Trees in the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden
Urban trees play an essential role in alleviating the local effects of global warming by sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide, regulating temperature and reducing air pollution in urban areas. There have been studies estimating carbon sequestration of urban trees using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). Yet, neither of the studies made comparison between species nor extended the discussion towards ecosystem services. Therefore, this study compared the attributes between native and cultivated trees in the Asian Garden of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Botanical Garden, estimated their level of above-ground carbon sequestration, and thus examined respective implications in terms of ecosystem services.
- Using SAR Imagery to Assess Forest Distribution on a Cloudy Tropical Island
Tropical forests experience some of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. Accurate mapping and monitoring of the forest is required to mitigate this deforestation, which is complicated in tropical forests due to the high frequency of cloud cover. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery can overcome this challenge by seeing through the clouds. However, the historical lack of freely available SAR imagery means its role in characterizing forest cover is less developed than that of optical imagery. This study aimed to compare freely available SAR imagery with freely available optical imagery in order to characterize the forest cover of a particularly cloudy, mountainous tropical forest in the Philippines.
- Vegetation Fragmentation and Urban Carbon Stock
Urban vegetation acts as an extremely important carbon stock to store carbon. Although many studies have investigated the relationship between urban vegetation and carbon stocks, few of them closely examine the phenomenon of vegetation fragmentation in urban areas and how it affects the carbon stock. Therefore, this project investigates how vegetation fragmentation affects carbon stocks in the City of Vancouver using GIS analytic tools.
- Mapping ‘Blue Carbon’ in Cambodian Mangroves
Mangrove forests, and other coastal ecosystems, are recognized for their role in climate change mitigation due to their significant potential for carbon storage and carbon sequestration. These ecosystems are some of the most threatened ecosystems on earth and are at risk of loss and degradation because of anthropogenic activities. Carbon financing mechanisms offer a way to help implement, finance and support the conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems.
Urban forestry is a crucial tool for mitigating the impacts of climate change and enhancing people’s quality of life. Previous studies have shown that urban forests provide a wide range of ecosystem services. However, precise estimation of urban tree carbon storage remains a key challenge for effective urban forest management and planning. In this work, we investigated the carbon storage of trees on the UBC Vancouver Campus using 2018 LiDAR data. The aim was to determine the total carbon storage and the average carbon density of UBC campus. Tree height and structure were estimated using an existing model. The results revealed that the UBC Vancouver Campus has a total carbon storage of 24.63 Gg and an average carbon density of 6.13 kg m-2. These findings emphasize the significant role urban forests play in climate change mitigation and urban life improvement. Employing LiDAR data in conjunction with the existing model proved to be an efficient and effective method for estimating urban tree carbon storage. The results inform urban planning and policy decisions, fostering the integration of urban forests into sustainable campus development.
This study investigated the carbon sequestration rates of soft landscapes in the University of British Columbia Vancouver campus and compare their carbon sequestration capacity. The significance of carbon sequestration rates in soft landscapes is discussed in the context of urban planning and the role of vegetation in mitigating climate change. LiDAR data and aerial photos are used to estimate above-ground carbon sequestration, and GIS and R are used for data analysis. The research objectives are to compare the attributes of different soft landscapes, estimate their carbon sequestration rates, identify which soft landscapes have the highest carbon sequestration capacity, and discuss the limitations of the study and possible improvements for future research. The study aims to provide insights for optimizing urban soft landscape services to increase carbon storage in cities, and to explore the potential for incorporating soft landscapes as a sustainable urban infrastructure for carbon sequestration. Moreover, the findings may inform decisions regarding the implementation of sustainable landscape design of new and existing urban green spaces.
Urban trees play an essential role in alleviating the local effects of global warming by sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide, regulating temperature and reducing air pollution in urban areas. There have been studies estimating carbon sequestration of urban trees using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). Yet, neither of the studies made comparison between species nor extended the discussion towards ecosystem services. Therefore, this study compared the attributes between native and cultivated trees in the Asian Garden of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Botanical Garden, estimated their level of above-ground carbon sequestration, and thus examined respective implications in terms of ecosystem services.
Tropical forests experience some of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. Accurate mapping and monitoring of the forest is required to mitigate this deforestation, which is complicated in tropical forests due to the high frequency of cloud cover. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery can overcome this challenge by seeing through the clouds. However, the historical lack of freely available SAR imagery means its role in characterizing forest cover is less developed than that of optical imagery. This study aimed to compare freely available SAR imagery with freely available optical imagery in order to characterize the forest cover of a particularly cloudy, mountainous tropical forest in the Philippines.
Urban vegetation acts as an extremely important carbon stock to store carbon. Although many studies have investigated the relationship between urban vegetation and carbon stocks, few of them closely examine the phenomenon of vegetation fragmentation in urban areas and how it affects the carbon stock. Therefore, this project investigates how vegetation fragmentation affects carbon stocks in the City of Vancouver using GIS analytic tools.
Mangrove forests, and other coastal ecosystems, are recognized for their role in climate change mitigation due to their significant potential for carbon storage and carbon sequestration. These ecosystems are some of the most threatened ecosystems on earth and are at risk of loss and degradation because of anthropogenic activities. Carbon financing mechanisms offer a way to help implement, finance and support the conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems.