Analysis of the tree component and its contribution to ecosystem services in the city of Turrialba, Costa Rica

Abstract

The analysis of urban ecosystems is crucial for building resilience in cities and moving towards their sustainability. One of the fundamental components of these ecosystems is the urban forest. To determine the contributions and effects of trees in cities, a sample of the urban area of the city of Turrialba in central Costa Rica was analyzed using the model iTree Eco, which allows the main ecosystem services provided by trees in cities to be valued. Although in this study it was not possible to quantify all the ecosystem services included in the model, it was possible to analyze the elements and structural context of the study area, the value of carbon sequestration and storage, as well as the structural value of the trees. Annually, in the study area, with 18 tree species identified, more than 60 000 USD are generated from these three ecosystem services alone. Of the species identified, Zygia longifolia stood out for its greater abundance and leaf area, Erythrina poeppigiana in height and greater carbon storage, Mangifera indica in greater carbon sequestration and oxygen production, and Veitchia sp with the greatest structural value. Likewise, it was evident that maintaining the riverbanks of the Turrialba River and its tributaries, in its passage through the urban area of this city, provides the greatest amount of ecosystem services derived from the trees it keeps and where there is still a significant potential to include new plantations.