Energy, Climate Change, Air Quality and Urban Greening Decision-Maker s Seminar Sacramento, CA June 21, 2010 Greg McPherson US Forest Service PSW Research Station Davis, CA
Tree Quiz Bradford Pear 9 years old 9 inch dbh 28 ft. tall 19 ft. spread Number of leaves:?? (#) Total leaf area:?? (sq.ft.) Rainfall capture:?? (gal)
Tree Quiz Bradford Pear 9 years old 9 inch dbh 28 ft. tall 19 ft. spread Number of leaves: 88,908 Total leaf area: 3,846 sq ft Rainfall capture: 55 gal
Today
Today Single Tree Benefits Scale-Up Initiatives Examples
Benefit-Based Approach Structure Function Management Value
Large Tree West Side Average Annual Benefits
Conserving Energy
Conserving Energy AC: 139 kwh $18/yr
Plant Strategically Summer Shade West is the best Closer is better Large, dense crown
Shade Paved Surfaces
Reducing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
Reducing CO 2 Average annual: 265 lb $1/yr 5 Large West Tree - Sacramento 4 CO2 (metric tonnes) 3 2 1 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Reduced Emissions Sequestration
Choose Species Wisely Small and short-lived Large and long-lived
Plant and Maintain More Trees
Create Diversity
Make Use of Wood
Improving Air Quality
Improving Air Quality Ozone = 2.7 lb, $13.55 NO2 = 1.6 lb, $7.80 PM10 = 2.3 lb, $6.88 Net Value = 6.6 lb, $28
Choose Trees Wisely Large and tolerant to pollutants Evergreens for particulates
Shade Parking Lots Lots 4 F degrees cooler Cabin 45-60 degrees F cooler Gas temp 4-8 degrees F cooler Reduce VOC 1 ton/day
Reducing Stormwater Runoff
Reducing Stormwater Runoff Annual interception: 552 gal $5
Choose Trees Wisely Little leaf & stem surface Lots of surface area, wide crown
Choose Trees Wisely Complex structure, rough surface Evergreen foliage
Locate Trees Wisely
Others Things Trees Do
Trees are Vital to Human Health Tree-filled neighborhoods: Lower levels of domestic violence Are safer and more sociable Tree-filled landscapes reduce stress Trees decrease need for medication and speed recovery times
Trees Sell Houses (At higher prices) Each large front yard tree adds 1% to sales price Large specimen trees can add 10%, or more, to property values.
Trees Mean Better Business In tree-lined commercial districts... More frequent shopping Longer shopping trips Shoppers spend more for parking Shoppers spend 12% more for goods
Trees Improve Pavement Performance More shade means more time between repaving. 20% shade improves pavement condition by 11% 60% savings for resurfacing in 30 years
Property Value and Other $20 Benefits
Benefits $100 Large West Tree - Sacramento $90 $80 $70 $60 $50 $40 $30 $20 $10 $0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Energy (AC) Carbon Dioxide Air Pollutants Runoff Aesthetics/Other
Costs Large West Tree - Sacramento $70 $60 $50 $40 $30 $20 $10 $0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Tree & Planting Pruning Remove & Dispose Pest & Disease Irrigation
Net Benefit Avg. Annual Benefits: $72 Avg. Annual Costs: $10 Net Benefit: $62 Large Public Tree: $48
Scale-Up To California Cities 177 million trees 5 trees per capita 242 million empty sites 120 million plantable 6,400 GWh AC savings
50 Million New Trees East-west shade, 15 yr 6,400 GWh/yr, $485M 4% peak load savings $63/kW Reduced emissions 1.8 Mt/yr Sequester 4.5 Mt/yr Total 6.3 Mt/yr
50 Million New Trees East-west shade, 15 yr 6,400 GWh/yr, $485M 4% peak load savings $63/kW Reduced emissions 1.8 Mt/yr Sequester 4.5 Mt/yr Total 6.3 Mt/yr 4% of CAT target
Existing Initiatives Climate Change: Urban Forest Project Protocol Approved by ARB and Climate Action Reserve Projects: San Francisco and Santa Monica
Existing Initiatives Greenprint 26 jurisdictions 5 million trees Increase 17% to 35% tree canopy cover
Existing Initiatives Air Quality: Sacramento SIP for Ozone Control Urban heat island mitigation- 650,000 trees 0.3 ton per day reduction in hydrocarbons
Examples Tree canopy targets Bust sod Bust concrete Cradle to grave
Potential Tree Sites
1 Million Trees LA 21% TCC 11 million trees 2.7 million tree sites 1 million new trees $1.6-2 billion
Davis Land Cover
Carbon Footprint 1,000 sq ft lawn Sequestered: 68 lb CO2 / yr Released by mower: 18 lb CO2 / yr Released by irrigation: 99 lb CO2 /yr 32,000 gal 114 kwh pump and treat Net: 68 18 99 = -49 lb CO2/yr
Bust Sod Front yards Parks Cemetery
Bust Sod
Bust Concrete Street sides Cul de sacs Parking lots Pervious paving
Bust Concrete
Engineered Soil Davis soil
New Construction
Parking Lots
Texas Red Oak Texas Live Oak Thornless Mesquite
Cradle to Grave Plant 1 tree each birth Plant 1 tree each death Recycled wooden caskets
Policy & Funding Reduce unshaded, impervious surfaces and irrigated turf Increase street miles shaded every year by 1-2% Reduce irrigated turf by 3-5% annually Include pervious paving in new development Urban Greening Grants Strategic Growth Council ($70 million) Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act
Conclusions 50% of built environment we will see in 2025 did not exist in 2000 (Nelson, 2005) Green Infrastructure Proven effective Saves money Helps environment
Questions? www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/cufr