Abstract

Trees are an invaluable ecological resource in urban environments, providing vital ecosystem services such as carbon storage and sequestration. These services are especially important in urban areas which are hotspots for greenhouse gas emissions. This study aimed to quantify the total carbon storage and future sequestration rates of trees on the main campus of the University of North Carolina Asheville. This study was comprised of three sampling efforts in different parts of campus: a complete inventory of the University Heights Loop area (17.2 ha), a complete inventory of the Big Meadow area (1.9 ha), and a plot-based subsample of the remaining area of main campus (90.9 ha). Each surveyed tree (DBH >2.5 cm) was identified to species (genus at minimum) and diameter at breast height (1.4 m) was measured. Sampling protocols developed for the i-Tree Eco tool were employed to calculate current carbon storage and future sequestration. It was found that University Heights Loop area stores 352.4 metric tonnes (T) of carbon valued at $60,100 and annually sequesters 8.2 T ($1,420). Big Meadow stores 48.3 T of carbon ($9,800) and annually sequesters 1.1 T ($210). The remaining area of campus considered for plot based sub-sampling stores 4,098 T of carbon ($699,000) and annually sequester 108.7 T ($18,500). The results of this study indicate that only 0.66% of the university’s carbon emissions are currently being offset by these areas. To meet the goals of the Second Nature Carbon Commitment that UNC Asheville signed to become net carbon neutral by 2050, action needs to be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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