US-IALE 2018

AUTHORS: Gunwoo Kim, Landscape Architecture Program, North Carolina A&T State University

ABSTRACT: Urban forests in cities across the country are important for improving numerous environmental and social aspects of cities, including human health, walkability, microclimate, culture, stormwater management, air quality, wildlife habitat, aesthetics and carbon sequestration. Challenge cities faced related to urban forestry include understand the values provide by trees and funding management programs. Assessments of the urban forest can be used to estimate environmental benefits, or ecosystem services, improving our understanding of the role trees play in creating healthy, livable and sustainable cities. Quantifying ecosystem services in urban areas is complex. However, existing ecosystem service typologies and the i-Tree model can provide a means towards understanding some key biophysical links between urban forest and ecosystem services. By utilizing the science-based i-Tree model, this work will identify and demonstrate multiple ecosystem services and values derived from urban vegetation.Urban Greening and Urban Forest Assessment will enhance city’s awareness of the urban forest effects and values and ability to develop better forest management plans for this city. The findings of this research will increase knowledge on the value of green infrastructure services provided by different types of urban vegetation and assist in the future design, planning and management of green infrastructure in cities.The methodology applied to assess ecosystem services in this study can also be used to assess ecosystem services of green infrastructure in other urban contexts and improve urban forest policies, planning, and the management of green infrastructure. The study findings support the inclusion of trees on green infrastructure as a valuable ecological resource by demonstrating how green infrastructure can be used to enhance ecosystem health and promote a better quality of life for city residents.