Method for Calculating Carbon Sequestration by Trees in ...

1 9922//881177$$5<5<55(3(3225757,,11** RIMethod for Calculating Carbon Sequestration by Trees in Urban and Suburban Settings$SULO Department of EnergyEnergy Information AdministrationMethod for Calculating Carbon Sequestration by Trees in Urban and Suburban SettingsTo obtain reporting forms or for other information about the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gasescontact the Program s Communications Center at:Voice: 1-800-803-5182 Fax: (202) 586-3045 Internet: E-mail: Address: Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program, Department of Energy,Energy Information Administration, EI-81, 1000 Independence Avenue, , Washington, DC OF 1 INSTRUCTIONS .. 3 URBAN FORESTRY Carbon Sequestration WORKSHEET .. 5 WORKSHEET ENTRIES FOR A SAMPLE PROJECT ..11 Calculating Sequestration FOR NON-STANDARD for Calculating Carbon Sequestration by Trees in Urban and Suburban Settings1 INTRODUCTIONThis document presents a Method for calculatingprecise results than a more tailored approach,the amount of Carbon sequestered by treeswhich takes into account a larger number of theplanted individually in urban and suburbanunique characteristics of the planting sites andsettings.))

2 It is intended for use by participants intrees involved in a project. Thus, you should usethe Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gasesthis Method only if it is infeasible to generateProgram, who intend to submit either Form EIA-estimates based on surveys and direct1605 or EIA-1605EZ to the Department ofmeasurements of the specific Trees and plantingEnergy s Energy Information Administration. sites involved in the simplified Method can be used by those whohave no formal background in use this Method , you need to know theThis Method is appropriate only for calculatingplanted. The age of the tree is the mostcarbon Sequestration by individual ( openproblematic of these items. The tables includedgrown ) Trees , such as Trees typically plantedfor estimating Sequestration were designed foralong streets, in yards, and in parks. Do not usereporters who have planted ordinary, nursery-it for Calculating Carbon Sequestration by denselyraised Trees , typically sold in 15-gallon containersplanted Trees , as in typical afforestation oror balled and burlapped.

3 Such standard treesreforestation projects where large numbers ofare usually approximately one inch in diameter attrees are planted closely together on one or feet above the ground when planted. For theacres of land. A separate set of tables designedpurposes of this Method , age is measured fromto assist in Calculating per-acre carbonthe time the tree is planted. Therefore, standard- Sequestration are available upon request from thesized Trees are designated as age 0 when Reporting of Greenhouse GasesAlthough this Method is easiest to use if yourProgram by calling were planted at this age, it can be used forA further limitation of this Method is that it onlyestimates the greenhouse gas emission benefitThe remainder of this document includes theassociated with the Carbon sequestered directlyfollowing: by Trees planted. Trees planted adjacent tobuildings can significantly reduce cooling and&a worksheet for summarizing calculations ofheating needs by providing shade during summercarbon Sequestration ;and acting as windbreaks during winter.

4 Thesereductions in energy consumption result in&instructions for performing these calculations,reduced Carbon dioxide emissions, a greenhouseincluding survival factors (to account forgas. These emission reductions must bemortality) and Sequestration rates;calculated produce a simplified, easy-to use Method ,broad assumptions have been made regarding&instructions for Calculating Sequestration forsequestration and mortality rates and sitenon-standard Trees ( , Trees that are youngercharacteristics for a few groupings of treeor older than age 0 when planted).species. As a result, this Method may yield lessspecies, year planted, and age of the Trees whentrees planted at any age. &worksheet entries for a sample project; andMethod for Calculating Carbon Sequestration by Trees in Urban and Suburban Settings3 INSTRUCTIONSThe following worksheet (page 5) is provided foras a tree in a 15-gallon container or a balled andsummarizing your calculations of annual carbonburlapped tree .

5 Nursery-raised Trees are typicallysequestration for tree planting projects in urbanplanted at this size, which is designated as age 0or suburban areas. Use a separate worksheet forfor the purposes of this Method . For example, ifeach year you are reporting Carbon Sequestration . you planted a standard-sized tree in 1994, its age(The Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gasesin the 1995 reporting year would be 1. If theProgram is accepting information for 1991exact age of a tree (s) is unknown, anthrough 1997 for the reporting period ending onapproximation is acceptable. If you planted treesJuly 1, 1998.) Complete the worksheet columnsthat were smaller or larger than this standard size,as follows:refer to p. 12 for instructions on determining A Species Characteristics: ListColumn C Number of Age 0 Trees Planted:each distinct species of tree included in theproject by year. List Trees of a different ageseparately even if they are of the same species( , list one-year-old red cedars on a separaterow from two-year-old red cedars).

6 If you areunsure of the name of a species, list it as Unknown. If the exact age of a tree (s) isunknown, an approximation is acceptable. A listof common tree species is provided in Table 1. Note that each species listed is characterized bytype (hardwood or conifer) and growth speed(slow, moderate, or fast). These characteristicswill be used subsequently in selecting appropriatesurvival and Sequestration rates. For each speciesand age category, enter letter codes in therespective columns for tree type (H = hardwood,C = conifer) and growth rate (S = Slow, M =Column D Survival Factor: Enter theModerate, F = Fast). If you know whether thesurvival factor from Table 2 for the tree species. Trees are hardwoods or conifers, but do not knowLeave this column blank if you know (or canthe exact species (or the species is not included inotherwise estimate) the number of Trees survivingTable 1), assume the Trees have a moderateat the end of the reporting year.

7 It is necessary togrowth rate. If you do not know whether theaccount for mortality, since a fraction of the treesspecies is a hardwood or conifer, assume that it isplanted inevitably die in each succeeding hardwood of moderate growth rate. The ideal Method for determining the number ofColumn B tree Age: Enter the age of thetrees in the year for which you are calculatingsequestration (the reporting year). tree age ismeasured from the time of planting and assumesthat Trees are planted at a standard size, definedEnter the total number of Trees of this species andage category originally planted as part of theproject. If the Trees were not the standard size(age 0) when planted, you will need to adjust thenumber of Trees planted to reflect a difference inmortality. For example, if you planted 100 treessmaller than the standard size, a fraction say15 percent of the Trees might be expected to diebefore reaching the standard size or age 0.

8 Thismethod requires you to estimate the number oftrees surviving to the standard size in this case85 and estimate Sequestration for these Trees . This number is referred to as the effectivenumber of Trees planted. See the instructions onp. 13 to make the necessary surviving is to conduct a census of the treesplanted. Alternatively, you can estimate survivalbased on the specifics of your project. If either ofthese approaches are infeasible, you may use thestandard survival factors for urban Trees providedin Table 2. However, participant-estimatedMethod for Calculating Carbon Sequestration by Trees in Urban and Suburban Settings4survival factors are preferable (if accurate)because the survival factors in Table 2 wereEnter the annual Sequestration rate from Table 2developed from a survey of a limited number offor the species and age category of the treesscientific studies of urban tree mortality in a smallduring the reporting year in question.

9 Number of cities, the results of which may ormay not approximate the specifics of yourproject. Column E Number of Surviving Trees :the resulting number in Column G. Repeat theEnter the number of Trees surviving at the end ofthe reporting year in question. If you do notknow or cannot otherwise estimate this number,multiply the original number of Trees planted(Column C) by the survival factor (Column D). For example, for fast-growing conifers in the yearin which they were planted (age 0), the survivalfactor would be , that is percent of thetrees originally planted are expected to survive tothe end of the first year. For the same Trees thatare age 1 ( , Trees that were planted in the yearprior to that for which Sequestration is beingcalculated), the survival factor would be fractions of : If the number of Trees in a subset fallsbelow , assume all of the Trees originallyplanted have died and no Carbon has beensequestered in the reporting year.

10 (Provided theestimated number of Trees surviving is greaterthan , then the probability that one treesurvived and sequestered Carbon is greater than50 percent.)Column F Annual Sequestration Rate:Column G Carbon sequestered : Multiplythe number of Trees surviving (Column E) by theannual Sequestration rate (Column F) and enterabove process for each species and age category. Sum all of the annual Carbon Sequestration totalsfor each species and age category and enter thetotal in the lower right-hand corner of the table. This is the total amount of Carbon sequestered bythe project in the reporting year in 1: These steps must be repeated using aseparate worksheet for each year for which youare reporting. Note 2: To report in units of Carbon dioxideinstead of, or in addition to, Carbon , multiply thetotal in Column G by To report in shorttons instead of pounds, divide by 3: The amount sequestered is entered underthe Emission Reduction or Sequestration columnon the EZ form, or as Annual Increase inSchedule II, Section 8, Part III of the LongForm.