HEALTH STATUS FOR URBAN TREES - A CASE STUDY OF URBAN TREES WITHIN TABUAN JAYA RECREATIONAL PARK

'-

Goh Khia Leng

SB 436

Master of Environmental Science G614 (Land Use and Water Resource Management) 2013

2013

Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik 11N1Vf.ftSm MALAVSIA SARAW4.K

Health Status for Urban Trees - A Case Sludy of Urban Trees Within Tabuan

Jaya Recreational Par~ F'.KHIDMAT MAKLUMAT AKADEMIK

11111 1IIIIfinili 11111111 1000245939

GOH KHIA LENG

(11031868)

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Environmental Science in Land Use and Water Resource Management

Faculty of Resource Science and Technology

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

2013

Acknowledgement

First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my supervisor Dr. Siti

Rubiah Zainudin for her constant support, guidance and encouragement. Without her invaluable

advices and suggestions with constructive comments certainly I cannot make it possible to

accomplish this research project.

I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to aU lecturers, staffs and course mates of

SLUSE-M Cohort 11 of Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia

Sarawak, for their cooperation in helping me throughout accomplishing my master.

Last but not least, my heartfelt thanks to my beloved father Goh Chiok Poh and mother Lim Kim

Ee for their tremendous support and encouragement and financial support through the two years

of master accomplishment. My appreciation also extended to my siblings, Hui Leng, Mui Leng,

Kheng Leng and lastly, not forgetting my husband, Fabian Tan for the love and concern have

given me strength and motivation to keep moving ahead. Nevertheless, emulating the success of

my family members has become the endurance and courage for me in completing my master.

ABSTRACT

\. Urbanization creates significant changes in land use and land cover, structure, pattern and

function of the ecosystem. Proper landscape planning in urban green spaces is crucial to the

creation of urban forestry system that is closely associated with the city dwellers. Urban trees

play an important in landscape beautification, in reduction of air pollution, moderating local

climate, sequestering carbon and has significant contribution towards aesthetic va'lues and

ecosystem The main objective of the study was to calculate the species diversity of urban trees

and also to evaluate the health status of trees planted within Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park. A

total of 260 trees belonging to 25 species were recorded growing in Tabuan Jaya Recreational

Park. Sygyzium campanulatum with 67 trees: 25 .77% was the major species planted followed by

Roystonea regia with 47 trees: 18.08%, Ptychosperma macarthurii with 36 trees: 13.85%,

Spathodea companulata with 12 trees: 4.62%, Pometia pin nata with 11 trees: 4.23% and more.

Species Diversity Index (SOl) of urban trees planted at Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park was 7.22.

The characteristics of tree species planted and the management issues were discussed.

ABSTRAK

STATUS KESIHATAN POKOK BANDAR - KES KAJIAN POKOK BANDAR DALAM

TAMAN REKREASI TABUAN JAYA

Pembandaran mewujudkan perubahan ketara dalam penggunaan tanah dan perlindungan tanah,

struktur, corak dan fungsi ekosistem. Perancangan landskap di kawasan-kawasan bandar yang

bertema "hijau" adalah penting untuk mewujudkan sistem hutan dalam bandar yang dikaitkan

dengan penduduk bandar. Pokok ban dar memainkan peranan yang penting dalam pengindahan

landskap, pengurangan pencemaran udara, merendahkan suhu dan iklim tempatan, sequestering

karbon serta mempunyai sumbangan yang ketara terhadap nilai-nilai estetik dan ekosistem.

Objektif utama kajian ini adalah untuk mengira kepelbagaian spesies pokok-pokok ban dar dan

juga menilai status kesihatan pokok-pokok yang ditanam dalam lingkungan Taman Rekreasi

Tabuan Jaya. Sebanyak 260 batang pokok yang tergolong dalam 25jenis spesies pokok telah

direkodkan tumbuh dalam Taman Rekreasi Tabuan Jaya. Sebanyak 67 batang pokok Sygyzium

campanulatum , iaitu 25.77% merupakan spesis utama yang ditanam, diikuti dengan Roystonea

regia - 47 batang pokok ; 18.08%, Ptychosperma macarthurii - 36 batang pokok ; 13.85%,

Spathodea companulata - 12 batang pokok ; 4.62%, Pometia pinnata - II batang pokok ; 4.23%

dan sebagainya. Spesies kepelbagaian indeks (SOl) pokok bandar yang ditanam di Taman

Rekreasi Tabuan Jaya adalah 7.22. Ciri-ciri spesies pokok yang ditanam dan isu-isu pengurusan

akan dibincangkan.

Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik UNIVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWAK

Table of Contents

Page No.

Introduction 2

1.1 Introduction....................... . ............... . .... . ............ .... 2

1.2 Problem Statement.......................................... .............. 3

1.3 Objective................. . ................................. ........... ..... 4

1.4 Significant of Study.................................................... 4

Literature Review.............. ............................................... ....... 6

2.1 History of Urban Forestry ............... ... . ........... ........... .... 6

2.2 Function of Urban Trees in Recreational Park........................... 7

2.3 Choice of Species Plant Selection........................... ......... 7

2.4 Carbon Sequestration... .. . ...... ............................. ........... 8

2.5 Species Diversity .................................................. ..................... 9

Material and Methods ............ ........ . ....... .. .............. .... ................... 11

3.1 Description of Study Site........ . ..................................... 11

3.2 Sampling Methodology......... .... . .... ... . ..... ... ...... ............. 16

3.3 Detennining tree health status of tree species ....... . .. ............ 17

Results......... . .. ... .. ....... .. . ............ ......... ... . ............ . .......... . ...... 19

4.1 Planted Trees Species in Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park....... 19

4.2 Species Diversity (SOl) Using the Simpson's Diversity Index 25

4.3 Tree Structure.............................. ............ .................. 28

4.4 Tree Hazardous Rating..................................... . ...... ... 30

4.5 Species Description on Selected Planted Trees 32

Discussion ......... ......... ............. ............................................ 53

Conclusion & Recommendations........ ... ... ... ... ... ...... ...... . ..... ............ 55

References .. . ....... .............................. .................................. 58 ­

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List of TabJes

Page No.

Table I Recreational Parks in Kuching City under Council of the City of IO Kuching South (MBKS) jurisdiction

Table 2 Hazard Rating 18

Table 3 Percentage of Trees Composition (%) planted by Species 20

Table 4 Number of Trees Planted by Family 22

Table 5 Species Diversity (SOl) of Planted Trees in Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park 25

Table 6 Assessing Diameter Breast Height (DBH) ofTree Species 28

Table 7 Hazard Rating of Trees Surveyed 30

I

List of Figure

Page No.

Figure I Research Site, Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park Layout Planning 5

Figure 2 The Map of Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park from Google Map 14

Figure 3 The Front Entrance of Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park 14

Recreational Park

Recreational Park

Figure 4 The inner part of Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park 14

Figure 5 Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park (i) 15

Figure 6 Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park (ii) 15

Figure 7 Total Species Composition of planted trees by Percentage in Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park 23

Figure 8 Species Composition Planted by Family 24

Figure 9 Distribution of Common Tree Species Planted at Tabuan Jaya 27

Figure 10 Distribution ofDBH Classes of Trees Planted in Tabuan Jaya 29

Figure II Hazard Rating of Trees Planted in Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park 31

Figure 12 Paraserianthes falcataria 32

Figure 13 Plumeria spp 33

Figure 14 Callistemon viminalis 34

Figure 15 Pithecelobium dulce 35

Figure 16 Samanea saman 36

Figure 17 Pometia pinnata 37

Figure 18 Mimusops elengi 38

Figure 19 Callerya atropurpurea 39

Page No

Figure 20 Swietenia macrophylla 40

Figure 21 Eugenia polyantha 41

Figure 22 Spathodea campanulata 42

Figure 23 Borassus jlabellifer 43

Figure 24 Peltophorum pterocarpum 44

Figure 25 Roystonea regia 45

Figure 26 Syzygium campanulatum 46

Figure 27 Tabebuia pallida 47

Figure 28 Cinnamomum iners 48

Figure 29 Lagerstroemia jloribunda 49

Figure 30 Andira inermis 50

Figure 31 Caryota mitis 51

Figure 32 Ptychosperma macarthurii 52

Figure 33 Oversize Rooting System 55

Figure 34 Example of proper and nicely trimmed tree 56

Figure 35 The arrow- in yellow shows the location where shrub planted 56

I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Urban trees play a very important role towards our environmental and also to give

environmental benefits to the urban dwellers. The close interaction between people,

urban trees are globally recognized to balance up the social interaction. Urban trees

offer the advantages of increasing property values, save on electric bills, improving

the soil, air and water quality. Planting trees around the urban cities light up the

environment and make people much healthier. Numerous benefits of trees in an urban

setting have been variously reported, including providing net benefits to communities

through reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide (C02) concentration, improving air and

water quality and increasing real estate values, as well as providing many social and

physiological benefits for residents (Dwyer et a/. 1992; McPherson et ai., 1997, 1999,

2003). To the extent of urban trees within the recreational park, it helps in lowering

the air temperature through the shade, reduce the glare on sunny days and also reduce

the wind speed.

Urban trees are the most important assets that require care and maintenance. [n

urban cities, trees can add in beauty and create a conducive environment to us. A well

managed urban tree within the area can contribute to the sense of community pride

and ownership. Trees and other plants make their own food from carbon dioxide (C02)

in the atmosphere, water, sunlight and a small amount of soil elements. In the process,

they release oxygen (02) for us to breathe. The greenhouse effect is created when heat

from the sun enters the atmosphere and is prevented from radiating back into ·space by

2

,.... "'" ,....

air-polluting gases. Trees act as a carbon sink by removing the carbon from CO2 and

storing it as cellulose in the trunk while releasing the oxygen back into the air. Trees

also reduce the green-house effect by shading our homes and office buildings.

Urban trees also hold the role in providing shelter apart from reducing heat loss

from the building by capturing the airborne particulates (Beckett et ai, 2000). In order

to achieve feasible urbanization, the idea of developing green cities needed in today's

fast developing urbanization. As urban areas develop, changes occur in the landscape

where more vegetation is lost and more surfaces are paved or covered with buildings.

Urban trees and green space exhibit important element in land use planning that

deserves consideration for its potential to reduce net atmospheric C02. Therefore, this

study is conducted to determine the health status of the trees planted in Tabuan Jaya

Recreational Park and to calculate the species diversity of the trees planted in Tabuan

Jaya Recreational Park.

1.2 Problem Statement

The environmental and social enumeration of urban trees plays the role in balancing

the weathering! changes of climates, subject to pollutants and also the human health

concern as such, noise leveling, health and physiological attribution and not least

forgetting the aesthetic values within the community. Like any other city in the world,

Kuching have gone through massive urbanization process during last few years. Many

areas have been cleared and converted into development sites. In line with the

development, tree planting activities have been conducted by city councils as part of

urban improvement programs. The assessment of health status of the urban trees is

3

primarily concerned with the condition of trees planted within the park for

recreational and the species diversity for "landscaping purposes". The condition of

existing trees and the characteristics present will determine any potential defects,

pests and other features. The main aim is to determine species diversity of planted

trees and is to give recommendation for suitable species to be planted in the parks.

1.3 Objectives

The objective of this study is to evaluate the health status of urban trees in Tabuan

Jaya Recreational Park, Kuching city.

The specific objective is as follow:

1) Calculate the species diversity of urban trees

2) Evaluate the health status of trees within the park

1.4 Significant of the study

This study will provides information on the health status of the trees within the park

area and give recommendations on certain tree species for future tree planting. The

findings should be considered to improve urban trees assessment and enhance land

use planning and management especially for tree planting programme in order to

produce a sustainable environment and hence a greener city.

4

5

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CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 History of Urban Forestry

Urban forestry advocates the role of trees as a critical part of the urban infrastructure. Urban

foresters plant and maintain trees, support appropriate tree and forest preservation, conduct

research and promote the many benefits trees provide. Urban forestry is practiced by

municipal and commercial arborists, municipal and utility foresters, environmental

policymakers, city planners, consultants, educators, researchers and community activists.

Trees are usually selected, planted, trimmed, and nurtured by people, often with specific

intentions, as when a tree is planted in a front yard to shade the driveway and frame the

residence. The functional benefits provided by this tree depend on structural attributes, such

as species and location (Glickman,1999) as well as management activities that influence its

growth, crown dimensions, and health.

Tree risk assessment has evolved greatly in recent years, from ground-based visual hazard

inspections, through invasive drilling and resistograph tests, to sophisticated and minimally­

invasive methods. In this research, the main objective is to evaluate the potential hazardous

trees which will cause harm towards the people and environment. As arboriculture field

develop and expanding, the rise of environmentalism and the influence of health and safety

legislation and liability and litigation concerns become more reliable and necessary. Based on

(Mattheck and Breloer, 1999) the two most common whole tree failure types are tipping

(uprooting) and fracture (breaking of stem or branches). Fractures are often associated with

6

decay or hollows, while tipping is often associated with severed or decayed roots or the

failure of the soil root interface. The visual and qualitative methods did not adequately assess

these defects, nor did they allow for calculations of risk or strength loss.

2.2 Function of Urban Trees in Recreational Park

Urban trees refers to all publicly and privately owned trees within an urban area including

trees along streets and in backyards, as well as stands of remnant forest (Nowak et a1. 2001).

Urban parks are set up in order to improve the urban environment by cleansing the air and

reducing noise pollution. Different urban trees structures are important in enhancing of

various functions. The urban tree is a great resource for any town or city and as such its

management must be planned, systematic and integrated (Johnston, 1996; Johnston and

Rushton, 1998). Sustainable tree care and maintenance represents preservation of long term

efficiency of the urban ecosystem in an environmentally conserving and safe manner with

economic viability and equity for citizens.

2.3 Choice of Species Plant Selection of Urban Trees

Species selection of trees to be planted in the park requires proper consideration in several

aspects. Apart from selection of species, the climate and intended landscape function has to

be taken into consideration. Trees selection which intended to plant at the site will assure well

adaptation and ease maintenance for sustainability. Tree species should be selected based on

their functional uses, ability to adapt to the site and care requirements. Environmental

tolerances mostly influence the plant adaptation and have several landscape functions such as

glare, direct traffic, filter air, reduce soil erosion and attenuate noise (Harris, 1992).

7

2.4 Carbon Sequestration of Urban Trees in Recreational Park

Urban trees and green space exhibit important element in land use planning that deserves

consideration for its potential to reduce net atmospheric CO2. Trees can directly and indirectly

reduce CO2, the most significant greenhouse gas contributing about half of the total

greenhouse effect. Trees in urban setting act as a sink for CO2 by fixing carbon during

photosynthesis and storing excess carbon as biomass (Nowak & Crane, 2002; Gratani &

Varone, 2006). Thus, increasing the number of trees can potentially slow the accumulation of

atmospheric carbon (Moulton and Richards, 1990). As trees grow, they remove C02 from the

atmosphere and store it in the form of biomass carbon in the leaves, roots, branches, and

trunk. Increasing carbon sequestration by trees in urban setting can playa critical role in

helping combat increasing levels of atmospheric CO2. Therefore, urban forestry development

can be effective at sequestering C02 and reducing local energy consumption.

C02 sequestration refers to the annual rate of CO2 storage in above and belowground biomass

over the course of one growing season. Biomass equations are used in conjunction with tree

growth data (i.e., height and dbh) to calculate CO2 stored at anyone time. Sequestration is

calculated as the difference between CO2 stored in successive years and it depends on tree

growth and mortality, which in turn depends on species composition and age structure of the

urban forest. Relatively little data exist concerning sequestration by urban trees especially for

tropical trees. Most of the estimation is given based on limited field data. The estimation of

carbon sequestration rely on biomass equations and growth data derived from urban trees as

application of biomass formulas derived from forest trees may not accurately reflect biomass

8

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open-grown urban trees. More field measurements are needed in urban areas to help

lift'.n..,"" ,., carbon accounting and other functions of urban forest ecosystems.

Numerous benefits of trees in an urban setting have been variously reported, including

providing net benefits to communities through reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide (C02)

concentration, improving air and water quality and increasing real estate values, as well as

providing many social and physiological benefits for residents (Dwyer et al. 1992). Urban

trees reduce temperature by direct shading and by capture of airborne particulates (Beckett et

aI. 2000) and other air pollutants, reduce CO2 in the atmosphere by sequestering and storing

carbon (Nowak et al. 2002) and provide an effective way to reduce urban heat islands. While

some of the benefits are relevant to the amelioration of pollution by reducing energy

requirements or capturing gaseous and particulate matter, large trees tend to extract and store

more C0 2 from atmosphere and have a greater leaf area to trap air borne pollutants, cast

shade and intercept or slow rainfall run-off (McPherson, 1998).

9

Species Diversity of Urban Trees in Recreational Park

The planting of mixed species of trees on city streets has been practiced all these while. The

garden city ideal (Howard, 1902) and the notion of public green space within (Nicholson­

Lord, 1987) abs green belts around cities and greenways that transverse developed areas

(Flink ans Seams, 1993, Smith and Hellmund, 1993), epitome the inherent human desire to

return cities nature's embrace. Trees selection and acquisition are among the most

challenging activities in urban greening. Urban forestry literature generally recommends that

not more than 10% of trees to be from anyone species (Richard, 1993). The diversity of park

trees depends on two factors as such:

i) The number of species

ii) The evenness of all species in the population

Low species diversity allows the tree population to become more vulnerable to new

environment and new stress. Proper selection of plant species will enable well adaptation to

their intended site and will fulfill the landscape functions. Selection of trees for urban

planting sometimes neglects considerations related to survivability, which closely related to

''toughness'' or inherent capacity to endure stress (Zainuddin et al., 2012). Survivorship and

thrive under the existing site conditions is also a challenging and the process must address

trees in relation to urban design in a holistic manner (Ware, 1994,1998).

10

Chapter 3

MATERIAL AND METHODS

3.1 Description of Study Site

The City of Kuching is surrounded by natural landscapes. On the north is the South China

Sea with the coastlines of Bako and Santubong Peninsular. To the east is the Muara Tebas

area with large area still under mangrove, on the west are the Kubah National Park, and the

Wildlife Centre. At the south there is the green area of Semenggok Forest Reserve and the

Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. The city is thus surrounded by natural landscapes which act as

green belt as most ofthe lands are under effective control of the government (Abang Kassim,

2004). The Sarawak River generally splits the city into two municipal, North and South. Each

of these two municipal are administered separately with two mayors. Tabuan Jaya

Recreational Park is stipulated under the South Municipal Council (MBKS). The Council of

the Kuching City South or Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan (MBKS) has created channing

islands of greens with its landscaped recreation parks located strategically within residential

and commercial sections of Kuching City under its jurisdiction. The Table 1 below indicating

the parks under the creation ofMBKS Council.

Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park is situated in Kuching, Sarawak. Tabuan Jaya

Recreational Park has an area of 1.6939ha within in the Tabuan Housing and Commercial

Area. The vibrant attraction of the recreational park is it provides several recreational spots

within the same recreational park area. As such, the park for joggers, basketball court, skate

boarding area, stone-foot massaging path, playground for the young ones and also wide space

11

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for other activities. Kuching city, is one of the most popular and captivating city with its

cleanliness, facilities and its feasible environment.

Table I: Recreational Parks in Kuching City under Council of the City of Kuching South

(MBKS) jurisdiction

Recreation Parks under MBKS

I. Pending Recreation Park

2. Lintang Park Central

3. Rockview Estate Playground

4. Pecky Park Playground

s. Iris Garden Playground

6. Hui Sing Playground

7. BDC, lalan Stutong (Phase I)

8. Tabuan Dusun Playfield -Lot 3125 - Lot 3172

9. Central Park Playfield

10. Tabuan Laro Recreation Park

I 11. Kenyalang Park Recreation Ground

5.261 ha

4,322m2

I,635m2

400.6m2

226.6m2

662.8m2

4,934m2

8,628m2

1.2031 ha

1.225 ha

20. Everbright laya Open Space

21. Taman Kenny Heights

22. Green Heights Park

23. Taman Kali

24. Kenyalang Traffic Garden

25. Tabuan laya Football Field

26. Bormill Garden Playfield

27. Kuching Park

28. Kampung Cemerlang

29. Tabuan Heights

30. Stampin Heights

7,63 1m2

2,9IOm2

NA

8,532m2

1.54 ha

to,773m2

5,465m2

25.9 ha.

7,200m2

6,I43m2

NA

12

~.----,. ..~~-----------------------­,...

Table I: Recreational Parks in Kuching City under Council of the City of Kuching South (MBKS) jurisdiction (continuation)

Recreation Parks under MBKS

12. Hui Sing Garden

13. Taman Phoning

14. Kenyalang Park Children

Playground

IS.Pending Height

Playground Phase II

16. Tabuan Jaya Recreation

Park

17. Tabuan Desa Playfield

18. Stutong Indah

19. Stutong Jaya

1.2443 ha

5,167m2

1,896m2

1,073m2

1.6939 ha

1.011 ha

1.2053 ha

7,203m2

31. Green Height Phase I NA

32. Koperasi Hijau Open NA

Space

33. Muara Tabuan 1.1422 ha

Playfield

34. Open Space at Jalan 3,891m2

Urat Mata

35. Open Space at Tabuan NA

Height Ph. 5

36. Green Height Ph. 5 NA

37. Open Space at Muara NA

T abuan Ind Park

38. Open Space at Green NA

Height Ph. 6

13

*Figure 2.3 & 4 shown are not up to actual scale. For illustration purpose only.

Figure 3: The Front Entrance of Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park - Zoom in Image

Figure 4: The inner part of Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park - Zoom in Image

14

Figure 5: Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park (i)

Figure 6: Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park (ii)

15

3.2 Sampling Methodology

The study was conducted at Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park administered by Majlis

Bandaraya Kuching Selatan (MBKS). The specific location, Lorong Bayor Bukit 2a, Tabuan

Jay&, 93350 Kuching. All the tree species were measured for their diameter breast height

(DBH) and the trees were identified up to the species level. The species diversity of the trees

will be calculated by using the inverse Simpson's Index of Diversity (SOl).

Simpson's Index = l:Nj(Nj-l)

l:Nj. (~Nj - 1)

Where Nj is the number of individuals in the jlh group G= 1,2, ..·n) group (species or

genus) and n is the total number of groups in a particular population. This index is the

probability that two trees choosen randomly and independently from the population fall

into the same group. The inverse of Simpson's index is used as a measure of spesies

diversity (SDI) of street side tree populations (Simpson, 1949).

perform the functions was assessed based on criteria cited In the

a) Species suitability in term of structure and function of trees based on the National

Landscape guidelines (National Landscape Guidelines, 2008).

b) Planting design including tree species conflicts between the structures and amenities

in the park, as such lamp posts, electric cables, telecommunication towers, sign boards

and benches.

c) The health status, conditions and maintenance of the planted trees within the park.

16