Assessing Urban Effects and Values After Hurricane Impacts in Louisiana

Kamran K. Abdollahi, Ph.D. Urban

• The art, science, and technology of managing and forest resources in and around urban community ecosystems for the physiological, sociological, economic, and aesthetic benefits trees provide society. (Helms, 1998) • HELMS, JOHN A., ed. 1998. The Dictionary of Forestry. P. 193. Bethesda, Maryland: The Society of American . What is

• Science and Technology • Urban Forest Ecosystem Based Biophysical • Biophysical (Biological Management of Sustainable Urban Forest and Physical) Ecosystem for Improving • Management the Quality of life in Urban • Sustainable and Rural Communities. • Quality of Life Example: Baton Rouge Urban Forest Ecosystem Analysis

• Collaboration with the • Utilization of the Results USDA-FS – Management • Why we used UFORE/i- – Research • Innovations: Bioproduct • Results Development from • Potentials for enhancing Waste generated from the urban forest i-Tree Eco – Education – Outreach – Policy & Investment/Funding Implications at City, State, and National Levels

Enhancing Urban Forestry Education, Research and Outreach Regional and National Climate Change Assessment (Science and Technology Integration into Urban Forestry Education) Baton Rouge Capital of Louisiana

Historic Sites &Tourism Native Trees Major Port City Urban Green Infrastructure

Post-Hurricane Gustav and the need for Baton Rouge Urban Forest Assessment

DEAD TREES REPORTED "REMOVED"

Large, 13000, 21%

Small, 22000, 36%

Mid, 26000, 43%

Urban Forest Ecosystem Analysis for Baton Rouge, Louisiana

• Project Team

– Kamran K. Abdollahi, Ph.D. (Professor, SU Ag Center) – Zhu Hua Ning, Ph.D. (Professor, SU Ag Center) – Puskar Khanel, Ph.D. (Former Ph.D. Student- • Assistant Professor-Clemson University) – Thomas Legindeniye, Ph.D. (Former Student- • Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University ) – Collaborating Scientists: • David Nowak, Ph.D. (US Forest Service) • Robert E. Hoehn III, Ph.D. (US Forest Service) Graduate Students Other Collaborators Introduction

• Trees in cities can make a significant contribution to human health and environmental quality.

• Relatively little is known about the urban forest resource and its contribution to the local and regional society and economy.

• Information on the structure and functions of the urban forest can be used to inform urban programs and to integrate urban within plans to improve environmental quality in the city of Baton Rouge.

• To better understand the urban forest resource and its numerous values, the U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station, developed the Urban Forest Effects (UFORE) model, which is now known and distributed as i-Tree Eco at www.itreetools.org Introduction

• Urban forest structure is a measure of various physical attributes of the vegetation, including tree species composition, number of trees, tree density, tree health, leaf area, , and species diversity.

• Urban forest functions, which are determined by forest structure, include a wide range of environmental and ecosystem services such as air pollution removal and cooler air temperatures.

• Urban Forest values are an estimate of the economic worth of the various urban forest functions. • To help determine the vegetation structure, functions, and values of trees in the City of Baton Rouge LA, a vegetation assessment was conducted (2010-2012). For this assessment, 0.1-acre field plots were sampled and analyzed using the UFORE model. This report summarizes results and values of: • • Forest structure • • Potential risk to forest from insects or diseases • • Air pollution removal • • Carbon storage • • Annual carbon removal (sequestration) • • Changes in building energy use Pre-Hurricane Gustav Baton Rouge Urban Forest

• Tree Canopy Coverage Assessment : 55% in 1992 • Tree Canopy Coverage Assessment : 50% in 2001 • Only Street Tree Inventory was conducted for historic downtown area i-Tree-Eco Urban Forest Structure & Function • Understanding of ecological concepts and principles including the structure and function of ecosystems and especially the growth and performance of various tree species in urban/suburban settings, plant and animal communities common to urban forests, diversity, and disturbance. DATA COLLECTION iTree Eco Protocol • Field data were collected by the Southern University A & M College, Urban forestry graduate students; data collection took place during the leaf-on season to properly assess tree canopies. Within each plot, data included land-use, ground and tree cover, shrub characteristics, and individual tree attributes of species, stem diameter at breast height (d.b.h.; measured at 4.5 ft), tree height, height to base of live crown, crown width, percentage crown canopy missing and dieback, and distance and direction to residential buildings. Trees were recorded as woody plants with a d.b.h. greater than or equal to 1 inch. As many species are classified as small tree/large shrub, the 1-inch minimum d.b.h. of all species means that many species commonly considered as shrubs will be included in the species tallies when they meet the minimum d.b.h. requirement. In addition, monocot plants that reached minimum d.b.h. were also tallied in Baton Rouge (e.g. palm trees). PERMANENT PLOTS USDA FOREST SERVICE and iTree TRAINING

• Knowledge of iTree Suite and ability to conduct and analyze inventory data to model future urban forest changes, assess green space, and monitor tree health. SU Urban Forestry GIS & Remote Sensing Laboratory Permanent Plots and Urban Tree & Shrub Species Inventory Permanent Plots and Measuring Urban Soil, Water and Air

• Understanding of soil properties, biology, and processes, especially soil nutrients, soil compaction issues and mitigation, hydrology, water quality, and watershed function. Urban Forest Wetland Plots Urban Forest Ecosystem Analysis Using i-Tree Eco

• i-Tree Suite • UFOR Inventory • UFOR GIS/GPS RESULTS Land Use Distribution in Baton Rouge

Transport and Communication 5% Institutional 3%

Industrial 10%

Residential 46% Park and vacant 16%

Agriculture and Forest 20%

Land use Distribution LAND USE AND TREE POPULATION & TREE DENSITY

• The highest density of trees Land Use occurs in forest-agricultural 500000 180 lands (158.7 trees/acre), 450000 160 400000 140 350000 • followed by residential (57.9 120 300000 100 trees/acre) and vacant land 250000 80 200000 and parks (52.6 trees/acre), 60

150000 Number of trees of Number institutions (31.3 trees 100000 40 Acre per Trees /acre), industrial (22.0 50000 20 trees/acre) and 0 0 transportation (24.7 trees / acre). Forest and Agriculture Land Use

• The highest density of trees occurs in forest- agricultural lands – (158.7 trees/acre) • Tree Population – 205,000 Trees RESIDENTIAL LAND USE

• TREE DENSITY – (57.9 trees/acre) • TREE POPULATION – 455,000 TREES Institutional Land Use

• Institutional – Density: (31.3 trees /acre), – Population: 40,000 trees Transportation-Communication Land Use

• Density (24.7 trees / acre) • Population: 48,000 trees Commercial and Industrial land use

• Density: 22 tree/acre – 100,000 trees Total Number of Trees and % Canopy Cover

• An analysis of trees in the city of Baton Rouge, LA, reveals that this area has about 1,036,175 trees with tree and shrub canopies that cover 44.6 % percent of the city. Tree Characteristics Baton Rouge Urban Forest

9.5% Live Oak 8.8 % Sweetgum 36.7% Other species 7% Loblolly pine

6.5% Pecan-Hickory

5.9% Bald cypress 4.4 % Tallow Tree 5.1% Southern Magnolia 5.1% Willow oak 5.4% Crape myrtle 5.6% Water Oak PERCENT NATIVE LIVE TREE SPECIES FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE

90 83.3

80

70

60

50

Percent 40

30

20

10 8.2 4.4 4.1 0 0 0 0 North America Asia South America North America + Americas Americas + Unknown + native to North America and one other continent, excluding South America ++ native to North America and South America, and one other continent DBH Distribution top 10 Tree Species DBH Distribution 100

90

80

70

60

50 Percent

40

30

20

10

0 0.9-3 3.1-6 6.1-9 9.1-12 12.1-15 15.1-18 18.1-21 21.1-24 24.1-27 27.1-30 30+ d.b.h class(inches) Structural Values

• Structural Values Based on the Tree itself (e.g., the cost of having to replace the tree with a similar tree). – ISA Method Replacement Value The structural value of the trees is estimated at $ 6.2 billion. Structural Value of top 10 Tree Species

1,400,000,000

1,200,000,000

1,000,000,000

800,000,000

600,000,000

400,000,000

Structural value Dollars) (US value Structural 200,000,000

0 Structural Value of other Tree Species in Baton Rouge ($ Millions)

1.2

1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0 Structural Value of Tree Species in Baton Rouge ($ Million)

4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Functional Values

• Annual Functional Values: – – Pollution Removal – Reduced energy costs Carbon Sequestration

• Trees in Baton Rouge remove about 48,699.38 tons of carbon per year

(178,354. tons CO2/year) Carbon Sequestration by Tree Species

Carbon SEQ (mt/yr) TREE VALUE (U.S. $) 7000 1,400,000,000 6000 1,200,000,000 5000 1,000,000,000 4000 800,000,000 3000 600,000,000 2000 400,000,000

1000 200,000,000 /year) (dollars Value Sequestration(tons/year) 0 0 Carbon Storage and Sequestration by DBH class

7000 90 80 6000 STORAGE (kg) 70 5000 SEQ. (kg/yr) 60 4000 50 3000 40

Storage(tons) 30 2000 20

1000 10 Sequestrstion(tons per year) per Sequestrstion(tons 0 0

d.b.h. class (in) Carbon Storage Baton Rouge

• Trees in Baton Rouge currently store about 2,029,342.2 tons of carbon Pollution Removal by Trees in Baton Rouge ($6.86 million annually)

pollution removed value (us dollars) 450 4000000

400 3500000

350 3000000

300 2500000 250 2000000 200 1500000 150

1000000

100 value (dollars peryear) (dollars value

50 500000 pollution removed (tons per year) per (tons removed pollution 0 0 O3 PM10 SO2 CO Annual savings(US$) in residential energy expenditures during heating and cooling Trees in Baton Rouge are estimated to reduce annual residential energy costs by $8.0 million annually.

Annual savings(US$) in residential energy expenditures during heating and cooling seasons

Heating Cooling Total

MBTUa -1566978 n/a -1566978

MWHb -1064146 12877518 121843372

Carbon avoided -1830710 2231445 400735

aMillion British Thermal Units bMegawatt-hour Potential Insect and Disease Impacts (Asian longhorn beetle (ALB), gypsy moth (GM), emerald ash borer (EAB), and Dutch elm disease (DED)

Population at risk Compensatory Value 3,500 400000

3,000 350000

300000 2,500

250000 2,000 200000 1,500

150000 Number of trees of Number 1,000

100000 Structural value ($ millions) ($ value Structural

500 50000

0 0 ALB GM EAB DED Summary Structural and Functional Values Post-Hurricane Gustav • Structural Values: $6.2 Billion • Carbon Storage: $ 41.0 Million

• Annual Functional Values: – Carbon Sequestration : $1.1 million annually – Pollution Removal: $6.86 million annually – Reduced energy costs: $8.0 million annually Utilization of i-Tree Results for Live Oak Preservation in Louisiana

Utilization of i-Tree Results for for Air Pollution Removal in Baton Rouge Urban Forest Wood Waste Utilization Bioproduct Development in Louisiana UTILIZATION OF URBAN FOREST WOOD WASTE BIOMASS IN LA

Land Applied Burned Ash Landfill Cover 262,453.00 (tonne) (Potential (74.9%) ) POTENTIAL FOR SOIL AMENDMENT

Mulch (local)

Chipped Soil Amendment Total verified 77,358.00 (tonne) Mulch (Exported) hurricane Gustav (22.0%) vegetative debris from closed emergency debris Composted sites in Louisiana (Louisiana) (10/19/2008) Recycled 340,482.00 (tonne) 9,460.00 (tonne) (2.76%)

Landfilled 1,208.00 (tonne) (0.34%)

Processed-Other 3.00 (tonne) 0.001% Urban Wood Waste Utilization in Louisiana (2000-2006)

4.00% 8%

5%

7%

77.00%

Landfilled Composted Exported Recycled Burned as fuel Availability of LA Urban Forest Wood Waste

LOUISIANA URBAN FOREST ANNUAL WOOD WASTE BIOMASS (Kg)

1,000,000,000

Total Urban Forest Wood Biomass (Kg)

Urban Forest Wood Waste Biomass (Kg) 20,000,000,000 LA Urban Forest Wood Waste Biomass

LOUISIANA URBAN FOREST ANNUAL WOOD WASTE BIOMASS

220,000,000 Cellulose (Kg) Hemicellulose (Kg) 230,000,000 550,000,000 Lignin (Kg0 Composition of Lignocellulosic Biomass

• Limayem et al, 2011 • crf.sandia.gov

Bioenergy from Urban Forest Wood Waste Pyrolysis Yields of Tallow Tree Biomass

50% 45% 40%

35% 44.22% 30%

25% 36.30%

33.74%

32.90% 31.81%

20% 30.83%

30.51%

30.29% 30.10%

15% 27.24% 21.79%

10% 21.04%

20.06%

19.48%

17.33% 16.69%

5% 16.30%

15.37% 11.85% 0% 12.15% 500 °C 550 °C 600 °C 650 °C 700 °C

Oil Water Char Gas Pyrolysis of Pine Wood Waste

Major Pyrolysis Products Pyrolysis Liquid Composition Composition Analysis of Pine Wood Waste Biomass, Residual Biochar, and Bio-Oil Biochar

Reaction % % Carbon % Nitrogen Temperature °C Hydrogen Bio-oil before Unburned upgrading 46.63 6.43 0.20 Sawdust 500 81.19 3.50 0.34 550 86.00 3.09 0.37 600 88.50 2.44 0.53 650 89.70 2.01 0.75 700 88.52 1.89 1.46

Bio-oil Bio-oil after Reaction % % % Nitrogen BTX-type temperature °C Carbon Hydrogen upgrading compounds Unburned 46.63 6.43 0.20 Sawdust 500 31.48 7.34 0.37 550 35.16 6.68 0.07 600 30.37 5.85 0.07 650 31.99 6.84 0.08 700 38.89 6.53 0.08

Carbon Treatment*part Least Squares Means Cellulose Nitrogen Calcium i-Tree Results for Tree Decay Potential & Risk Assessment in Louisiana –. Thorough understanding of the Compartmentaliza tion of decay in trees, defect development, tree failure patterns and tree structure evaluation Abstract

Hurricane Gustav was the second most destructive hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana the wind damage from Gustav was the worst of any storm in memory. Thousands of urban forest trees were uprooted and snapped in half by Gustav's fierce winds. The damage was severe enough to effectively shut the city down for over a week. A post hurricane analysis of the Baton Rouge’s urban forest ecosystem was conducted using i-Tree Eco software application and based on the Urban Forest Effects Model (UFORE). The analysis revealed that this area has about 1,036,175 trees with tree canopies that cover 44.6 % percent of the city. The analysis reveals a significant tree canopy reduction. The city has more than 45 tree species. The most common tree species are Quercus virginiana (9.5%), Liquidambar styraciflua (8.8%), Pinus taeda (7.0%), Carya spp. (6.5%), Taxodium distihum (5.9%), Quercus nigra (5.6%), Quercus phellos (5.1%), Magnolia grandiflora (5.1%), and Lagerstroemia indica (5.4%). Trees are currently store about 2 million tons of carbon per year with an associated estimated value of $ 41 million per year. In addition, these trees remove about 178,354 tons of CO2 per year with an associated estimated value of $1.1 million per year. Baton Rouge’s trees are estimated to reduce annual residential energy costs by $8.0 million annually and reduce air pollution (ozone, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide) by 860 tons per year with an associated estimated value of $6.2 million per year. The structural value of the trees is estimated at $ 6.2 billion. With the increase in climate variability, increased frequency and intensity of storms, and urbanization pressure, more trees need to be planted and maintained to sustain the current level of structural values and ecological services.

* Corresponding author: [email protected]; [email protected] For More Information Please contact Kamran [email protected] or [email protected] Phone: 225-324-8206; 225-771-6291