Carbon Sequestration Planning
What is carbon sequestration? Carbon dioxide is the most commonly produced greenhouse gas. Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is one method of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with the goal of reducing global climate change. Studies suggest that urban and suburban forests and groundcover are an important carbon reservoir - representing an potentially critical means of reducing global greenhouse gas levels.
The intent of Carbon Sequestration Planning is to optimize carbon capture on working, suburban, and urban landscapes while maximizing the co-benefits of improved green infrastructure such as energy conservation, heat island reduction, and local food security. A Carbon Sequestration Plan supports a community's understanding of the extent of City-Wide tree canopy, grass, and impervious surface coverage. With this understanding, the community can establish appropriate goals and strategies to improve the environmental impacts and opportunities of land coverage within the City. As a visionary planning document, the goals established for the City should be a “stretch” while also being achievable.