Evaluating the Above-Ground Carbon Storage of Urban Trees on University of British Columbia Vancouver Campus

In response to growing concerns about the impacts of climate change and the need for sustainable urban development, urban forests have emerged as a crucial tool for mitigating climate change impacts and enhancing the quality of life in cities. Previous studies have established that urban forests provide a wide range of ecosystem services, including air purification, temperature regulation, and carbon sequestration. However, precise estimation of urban tree carbon storage remains a key challenge for effective urban forest management and planning. In this work, we expand on this body of work by investigating the carbon storage of trees on the UBC Vancouver Campus using 2018 Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data sourced from the City of Vancouver. The aim was to determine the total carbon storage and the average carbon density of the campus. Tree height and structure were estimated using an existing model, which facilitated the calculation of individual tree biomass and carbon storage based on the LiDAR data. 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 can inform urban planning and policy decisions, fostering the integration of urban forests into sustainable campus development.

针对气候变化影响日益引发的广泛担忧，以及可持续城市发展的迫切需求，城市森林已成为缓解气候变化影响、提升城市生活品质的关键手段。既往研究已证实，城市森林可提供涵盖空气净化、温度调节与碳封存在内的多样生态系统服务。然而，精准估算城市树木碳储量仍是高效推进城市森林管理与规划的核心挑战。本研究基于既有研究基础，依托温哥华市政府提供的2018年激光雷达（Light Detection and Ranging, LiDAR）数据，对不列颠哥伦比亚大学（University of British Columbia, UBC）温哥华分校校园内的树木碳储量展开调查。本研究旨在测算该校园的总碳储量与平均碳密度：采用现有模型估算树木高度与结构特征，进而基于激光雷达数据完成单株树木生物量及碳储量的计算。研究结果显示，不列颠哥伦比亚大学温哥华分校校园的总碳储量达24.63吉克（Gg），平均碳密度为6.13千克每平方米（kg·m⁻²）。上述结果凸显了城市森林在缓解气候变化、改善城市生活品质方面的关键作用。将激光雷达数据与现有模型结合使用，被证实为估算城市树木碳储量的高效可行方法。本研究结果可为城市规划与政策制定提供决策参考，助力推动城市森林融入可持续校园发展实践。