Improving Health Benefits in Underserved Communities

Through Carbon Sequestration

Soh-Yoke Bravo, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199

http://www.whiterockdallas.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Trees-please-logo.jpg

Global Changes

http://planetsave.com/2015/06/02/global-warming-or-climate-change-whats-the-difference/

http://shrinkthatfootprint.com/greenhouse-gas-emissions-explained-in-7-balloons

• Changes in forest land contribute to global GHG emissions

• Urbanization is one human activity that contributes to forest loss

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

http://www.enchange.com/services/low-carbon-supply-chain/greenhouse-gas-protocol-initiative

Land Use Change in Urbanization in Florida

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Evils%20in%20Government/urbanization.htm

What are the Health Impacts?

When forested lands are converted to urban areas, carbon sequestration by forests decreases, greenhouse gases from fossil fuel combustion and atmospheric pollutants increases as ventricular

traffic increases. These effects can impact human health.http://sbe.umaine.edu/newhires/

Underserved communities can especially be vulnerable to climate change impacts

http://www.ecologistnews.com/global-warming/effects-of-global-warming-on-health.html

Simple Solution

• These effects can be minimized by reforestation of vacant land in urban areas.• This can be especially beneficial in

underserved communities of urban areas where access to quality healthcare may be

limited and opportunities to maintain a healthy lifestyle stressed because of lack of

greenspace.

https://arch2011.wordpress.com/tag/tree-planting/

Goals• Explore how the health of vulnerable populations can be

improved through reforestation of vacant land in urban areas

• Improve greenspace for underserved communities

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Objectives• Conduct a small scale reforestation study in a

retirement community in the Town of Medley• Scale it to the state of Florida

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Starting with a local underserved community

Medley Lakeside Retirement Park Prior to Reforestation

Reforesting a retirement community in the Town of Medley

Approx. area of urban, vacant land = 0.02 ha

Objective 1:Estimating carbon sequestration using IPCC 2006

GHG methods

Medley Lakeside Retirement Park After Reforestation (Still Under Construction)

Calculations – 1. Carbon stock of a reforestation project in Medley

The total dry aboveground biomass of a mature subtropical forest = 210 tons/ha

The total dry belowground biomass of a mature subtropical forest = 210 * 0.28 (AG/BG ratio)

= 59 tons/ha The total carbon stock of a mature subtropical forest

= (210 + 59 tons mass/ha) * 0.47 tons C/tons mass =126.4 tons C/ha

The total CO2 sequestered/yr = (126.4 tons C/ha * 0.02 ha ÷ 20 yr) * 3.67 CO2/C

= 0.5 tons CO2/yr

Objective 2:Scaling the Pilot Study to Florida

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Calculations – 2. Scaling the impact to the State of Florida

Total Area of Vacant Urban land in Florida• Area of high and

low impact urban land • Percent of urban

land that is vacant in the SE US (Pagano 2000)

1,657,722 ha * 19.3% = 319,940 ha vacant land in urban areas of Florida

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Calculations – 2. Scaling the impact to

the State of FloridaThe total carbon stock of a mature subtropical

forest(aboveground and belowground dry mass) = 126.4 tons C/ha

The total carbon stock of a mature temperate forest (aboveground and belowground dry mass)

= 75.2 tons C/ha

(126.4 tons C/ha * 63988 ha) +(75.2 tons C/ha * 255952 ha) =27,335,703 tons C in reforested area of Florida when mature

Calculations – 2. Scaling the impact to the State of Florida

What’s the CO2 reduction impact?

27,335,703 tons C * 3.67CO2/C =20 yrs

5.016 million tons CO2 per year in Florida

Total CO2 that could be sequestered per year by reforested urban, vacant lands in the state of Florida

Green Health• Exposure to greenspace reduces the following:

• Non-accidental mortality, • Income-related health inequality’s effect on morbidity

• Blood pressure and stress levels• Sedentary leisure time

(Kardan, 2015)

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Cost Effective

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Urban

Replanting and reforesting is a low cost means of reducing health related cost and health-related expenses of citizens, with potentially greatest positive

benefits for underserved communities.

Special Thanks• My mentor, adviser and professor, Tiffany Troxler from the SE Environmental Research Ctr. &

Department of Biological Sciences• Mayor Roberto Martell and Mayor Assistant and Town Engineer Olga Quinn on behalf of the Town of

Medley• Florida International University Global Civic Engagement Student Advisory Board Center for

Leadership & Service. • Million Trees Miami, Adopt-a-Tree, and local nurseries such as Greendale, Canterbury Farms, and

Gilmer for donating trees and plants• Volunteers for reforestation and construction

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References• Healthview Services: 2015 RETIREMENT HEALTH CARE COSTS DATA REPORT©.

1st ed. HealthView Insights, 2015. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.• Kardan, Omid, et al. "Neighborhood greenspace and health in a large urban

center." Scientific reports 5 (2015).• Kautz, Randy, Beth Stys, and Robert Kawula. "Florida vegetation 2003 and

land use change between 1985-89 and 2003." Florida Scientist 70.1 (2007): 12.

• Mitchell, Richard, and Frank Popham. "Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: an observational population study." The Lancet 372.9650 (2008): 1655-1660.

• Nowak, David J., Daniel E. Crane, and Jack C. Stevens. "Air pollution removal by urban trees and shrubs in the United States." Urban forestry & urban greening 4.3 (2006): 115-123.

• Pagano, Michael A., and Ann O'M. Bowman. Vacant land in cities: An urban resource. Brookings Institution, Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy, 2000.