CARBON SEQUESTRATION BY URBAN TREES ON ROADSIDES OF VADODARA CITY

Abstract

A potential enhancement of the Earth's greenhouse effect is a critical environmental problem. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is the most significant contributor to the human influence on the greenhouse effect. Because CO2 emissions are directly linked to many economically prosperous activities, it is difficult for the society to quickly accomplish large reductions in its production. As trees grow, they remove CO2 from the atmosphere during the process of photosynthesis. The CO2 is fixed as organic carbon accumulating in the form of biomass. Our own findings suggest that 73.59 tones of CO2 is removed by trees planted on road sides of Vadodara city which represents 22% of the City's estimated total CO2 production. Total CO2 Emission at major roads was found around 159.47 tones because of more number of automobiles as it is the third most-populated city in the Indian state of Gujarat. Results are restricted to the CO2 that is sequestered by trees planted only on road sides excluding other carbon sinks. It is therefore evident that tree planting on roadside are an effective method of offsetting CO2 from human sources.