How do we help urban forests store and sequester carbon?
In order for trees to sequester and store as much atmospheric carbon as possible, they need to be healthy. Trees in our communities need to be actively managed to maintain their optimal health. This management comes at a cost, but it pays dividends as well because it represents an investment by the community in the long-term health and vigor of the urban forest. Just as we want to encourage the management of the living trees, it is important to recognize the role of dying and dead trees. These serve an ecological role by providing ecosystem services and habitat for wildlife. In Tampa, the urban forest sequesters more carbon than it emits, and this amount can be increased over time through sound management of existing and newly planted trees. However, overall urban forests sequester only a fraction of the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted in the city (Andreu et al. 2008a).
