Carbon and PM 2.5 Reduction and Design Guidelines for Street Trees in Korea

Hyun-Kil Jo, Jin-Young Kim and Hye-Mi Park
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Hyun-Kil Jo: Department of Ecological Landscape Architecture Design, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
Jin-Young Kim: Department of Landscape Architecture, Graduate School, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
Hye-Mi Park: Department of Landscape Architecture, Graduate School, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 24, 1-12

Abstract: An increasing concentration of air pollutants, which negatively affect human health and living environment, present a serious environmental concern around the world. Street trees can help reduce carbon (C) and PM 2.5 in cities that lack sufficient greenspace. This study quantified C uptake and PM 2.5 deposition on street trees in the Republic of Korea and suggested sustainable design guidelines to enhance the effects of C and PM 2.5 reduction. The mean C uptake and the PM 2.5 deposition on street trees per unit area were 0.6 ± 0.1 t/ha/y and 2.0 ± 0.3 kg/ha/y, respectively. The major determining factors of the levels of C uptake and PM 2.5 deposition on street trees were the species, density, size, and layering structure of the planted trees. Street trees in the Republic of Korea annually offset C and PM 2.5 emissions from vehicles by 1.4% and 180%, respectively. Based on these results, design guidelines are suggested that can contribute to sharing the value and the importance of planting street trees for the reduction of C and PM 2.5 levels in greenspaces.

Keywords: urban tree; planting tree structure; carbon uptake; particulate matter; deposition; design model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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