Valuing the Waite Arboretum, South Australia
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Valuing the Waite Arboretum, South Australia An i-Tree Ecosystem Analysis Jennifer A. Gardner1, Marian McDuie2 and Erica Boyle1 Waite Arboretum, The University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, South Australia [email protected], [email protected] 2 [email protected] September 2017 “It is now generally admitted by all enlightened people that trees play a very important part in the general prosperity of any country, and that, by the amount of attention paid by its inhabitants to their cultivation, so may the physical and intellectual standard of the people be estimated.” John Ednie Brown, Sylviculturalist and Conservator of Forests South Australia, 1881 Valuing the Waite Arboretum, South Australia September 2017 1 Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 5 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Waite Arboretum .......................................................................................... 6 1.2 i-Tree Eco ...................................................................................................... 6 1.3 People and trees: providing multiple benefits ............................................. 7 2 Approach and Methodology ....................................................................... 11 2.1 Data collection and equipment ................................................................11 2.1.1 The specimens…………………………… .................................................11 2.1.2 Field data…………………………… .........................................................11 2.1.3 Climate and pollution data…………………………… ..............................12 3 i-Tree Ecosystem Services: Results and Discussion .........................................13 3.1 Tree Characteristics ...................................................................................13 3.1.1 Species diversity and abundance .....................................................13 3.1.2 Tree age and size ..............................................................................16 3.1.3 Canopy cover and leaf area ..............................................................19 3.1.4 Tree health and potential pest impacts ...........................................21 3.2 Ecosystem Services .....................................................................................24 3.2.1 Air pollution removal ........................................................................24 3.2.2 Carbon storage and sequestration ...................................................33 3.2.3 Oxygen production ...........................................................................37 3.2.4 Volatile organic compounds .............................................................37 3.2.5 Avoided run-off ................................................................................39 3.2.6 Environmental benefits overview – Value in dollars and sense .......40 3.3 Structural Value ..........................................................................................42 4 Other Values and Benefits .................................................................................44 4.1 Experimental value .....................................................................................44 4.1.1 Diversity of the collection .................................................................44 4.1.2 TREENET ...........................................................................................44 4.2 Biodiversity conservation and significant trees ..........................................45 4.2.1 Rare and endangered species and significant trees .........................45 4.2.2 Remnant Grey Box ............................................................................45 4.3 Wildlife habitat ...........................................................................................46 4.4 Research and educational resource ...........................................................47 4.5 Community Engagement ............................................................................47 Valuing the Waite Arboretum, South Australia September 2017 2 5 Recommendations of street and park trees for Adelaide ............................. 48 6 Concluding Remarks ................................................................................... 50 7 Acknowledgements .................................................................................... 50 8 References ................................................................................................. 51 9 Appendices .........................................................................................................55 1 i-Tree Eco Model, Field Measurements ......................................................57 2 Use of Direct Measures by i-Tree Eco (v6.0) ..............................................59 3 Fauna of the Waite Arboretum ..................................................................62 Cover image: Measuring tree height - Dragon Tree Dracaena draco Waite Arboretum Tree ID #467– icon of Waite Arboretum. Photo: J. Gardner 2002 Wild Pear - Pyrus pyraster Waite Arboretum Tree ID #202 Photo: J. Gardner Valuing the Waite Arboretum, South Australia September 2017 3 Figures 1. Aerial image of Waite Campus showing of extent of Waite Arboretum .................................... 10 2. Aerial image of Waite Arboretum. Trees included in Survey shown in light green. ................. 11 3. Composition of Waite Arboretum Survey trees - 22 genera with the most specimens as percentage of the total……….………………………………………………………………………………………………….15 4. Waite Arboretum Survey trees by age class ............................................................................... 17 5. Composition of Waite Arboretum Survey trees by DBH class with corresponding average tree height..................................................................................................................... 18 6. Aerial image of Waite Arboretum Survey trees showing the location of trees of different DBH classes .............................................................................................................. 19 7. Number of trees at risk from potential pests and pathogens and associated compensatory value ................................................................................................................... 22 8. Waite Arboretum Survey - Pollutants removed as a percentage of the total ............................ 27 9. Waite Arboretum Survey - Annual pollution removal and value ............................................... 28 10. Waite Arboretum Survey - Top 40 species for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) removal ............ 30 11. Pollution removal in Waite Arboretum Survey in kilograms / month ........................................ 31 12. Pollution removal in Waite Arboretum Survey in $A value / month ......................................... 31 13. Pollution removal (CO) in Waite Arboretum Survey by month .................................................. 32 14. Pollution removal (NO2) in Waite Arboretum Survey by month ................................................ 32 15. Pollution removal (O3) in Waite Arboretum Survey by month ................................................... 33 16. Pollution removal (PM2.5) in Waite Arboretum Survey by month .............................................. 33 17. Pollution removal (SO2) in Waite Arboretum Survey by month ................................................. 34 18. Specimens with the highest rate of carbon sequestration and the corresponding carbon stored.............................................................................................................................. 37 19. Avoided runoff and value for species with the greatest overall impact on runoff .................... 40 Tables 1. Generic composition of Waite Arboretum Survey trees ............................................................ 16 2. Top 40 specimens selected by highest leaf area including canopy area, leaf area index and leaf biomass ................................................................................................ 21 3. Waite Arboretum Survey - Summary of pollutant removal with A$ value ................................ 27 4. Waite Arboretum Survey - Top 40 specimens with the greatest PM2.5 removal and the corresponding Leaf Area ............................................................................................... 29 5. Waite Arboretum Survey - Top 40 specimens with the highest rate of carbon sequestration, the corresponding amount of carbon stored and A$ value ............................... 36 6. Top oxygen production species / genera ................................................................................... 38 7. Waite Arboretum Survey - Genera and species with the lowest rates of total VOCs ................ 39 8. Waite Arboretum Survey -Top 40 specimens with the highest total environmental benefits .. 43 9. Waite Arboretum Survey -Specimens with the highest structural value and 10. corresponding height and DBH ................................................................................................... 46 11. 45 recommended species for street and amenity planting in Adelaide .................................... 55 Valuing the Waite Arboretum, South Australia September 2017 4 Executive Summary Green infrastructure, particularly