Urban Forestry Ecosystem Services at the FAU Jupiter Campus: 2015-2016

Trees in urban landscapes provide ecosystem services that increase air quality, remove various air pollutants, and reduce storm water run-off. This study focuses on the urban forestry of Florida Atlantic University’s campus in Jupiter, Florida. By collecting various data from each tree and using ArcGIS and the US Forest Service’s analysis tool, “i-Tree”, the 1,556 trees on the Jupiter campus were mapped and an estimate of their structural and dollar values was calculated.
Ninety-one percent (91%) of campus trees were in “excellent” condition, thus providing significant annual uptake of pollutants such as carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds. Calculations also estimate that these trees annually store 245,232 kg of carbon, sequester 21,645 kg of atmospheric carbon, and have a structural value of $2,289,186.