Partners with nature v3

Partners with Nature

Brent DaviesVice President of Forests and Ecosystem ServicesEcotrust

Presentation for Consultative Group on Biological Diversity Annual Meeting

June 4, 2012

Scenarios for Ecosystem Services and Resilience in the Greater Portland Region

Ecotrust

Ecotrust’s mission is to foster a natural

model of development that creates more

resilient communities, economies, and

ecosystems here and around the world.

Ecosystem Services

• 2001: The Natural Capital Center

• 2002: Salmon Habitat Bank Feasibility Analysis, Col. River

• 2005: Katoomba Conference

• 2005- present: Ecosystem Service Software Tools

• 2008: FSC Landowner Forest Carbon Aggregation

• 2010: Sooes Forest Carbon Transaction

• 2010: Oregon Tribe: 10,000-ac FC Feasibility Analysis

• 2011: Elliott State Forest FC Analysis

• 2009-present: Yurok Forest Carbon Transaction

• 2011-12: Partners with Nature

The Portland Story: Grey to Green

Portland: Regional Overview

Managing Ecosystem Services in

Portland

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The Intertwine

The Intertwine

Research Influences

“Voters were far more receptive to methods

of calculating the benefits of nature that rely

on the number of people benefited, the

amounts of beneficial materials generated

(like clean air and water), or

the number of jobs created.”

- 2010 voter survey on ecosystem services

The Nature Conservancy

supported by:

The Bullitt Foundation

available for download:

www.ecotrust.org/forests

Explore potential to meet social goals through management

for ecosystem services

Partners with Nature: Purpose

Partners with Nature

Stormwater

interception

Carbon

sequestration

Food

production

Management activity Estimated primary benefits

CO2 sequestration in new

Intertwine-region riparian growth

and new Portland urban canopy

2.1% of Oregon’s 2050 greenhouse gas

reduction target, on a current per capita

basis

Stormwater interception by new

Portland urban canopy

6.3–14.8% of projected infrastructural

needs by 2040

Regional food production to meet

regional demand

Satisfaction of demand for most crop

categories, with the exception of meat

products

Findings Overview

Important Notes

• Conservative estimates

• Exploratory in nature: provoked as many

questions as they answered

• Place-based scenario development can support

the deliberation on shared goals & cultivate

practices for working with nature and bolstering

resilience

• Methods drawn from Portland experiences

Portland History:

Stormwater Interception

Graphic courtesy of Dan Vizzini, Portland Bureau of Environmental Services

Stormwater Interception

Background

• 37” rainfall/year in Portland

• Combined sewer system drains 8.6-

8.9 billion gallons stormwater/year

(34% of city land area)

• Green infrastructure approaches:

bioswales, ecoroofs, rain gardens,

downspout disconnection and tree

planting

• Green infrastructure in combined

sewer area intercepted and

infiltrated 31-37% of 2011

stormwater runoff

Stormwater Interception

Framing QuestionWhat percentage of the city’s stormwater management

commitments could be addressed via green infrastructure?

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Stormwater Interception

Social Goals

• By 2040 additional

2.2 billion

gallons/year

estimated

• 2007 Portland

Urban Forest

Canopy Report

states potential

canopy increase of

26.7% (7,270

acres)

Current urban canopy, inside and outside combined

sewer boundary

Stormwater Interception

Methods

Additional stormwater interception

Assuming proportional increase

(of trees outside-inside)

Assuming weighted increase

(75% of new trees inside)

Assuming

572 gals.

/36 sq. m.

per tree

Assuming

572 gals.

/31.4 sq.

m. per tree

Assuming

1162 gals.

/36 sq. m.

per tree

Assuming

1162 gals.

/31.4 sq.

m. per tree

Assuming

572 gals.

/36 sq. m.

per tree

Assuming

572 gals.

/31.4 sq.

m. per tree

Assuming

1162 gals.

/36 sq. m.

per tree

Assuming

1162 gals.

/31.4 sq.

m. per tree

Outside

combined

sewer (million

gals.) 327.8 375.8 665.9 763.4 116.9 134.0 237.4 272.2

Inside

combined

sewer (million

gals.) 139.7 160.2 283.8 325.4 350.6 401.9 712.2 816.5

Total

(million gals.) 467.4 536.0 949.7 1,088.8 467.4 535.9 949.6 1,088.7

As a

percentage of

2040 target 6.3% 7.3% 12.9% 14.8% 15.9% 18.3% 32.4% 37.1%

Stormwater Interception

Findings

Estimated additional stormwater interception in 2040 through canopy expansion

Carbon Sequestration

Framing QuestionWhat percentage of the region’s climate change

commitments could be addressed through biological

sequestration?

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Carbon Sequestration

Social Goals• Oregon Strategy for Greenhouse Gas Reductions (2004)

– By 2050, reduce emissions to 75% below 1990 levels

• Washington Climate Change Framework (2008)

– By 2050, reduce emissions to 50% below 1990 levels

• Portland/Multnomah County Climate Action Plan (2009)

– By 2050, reduce emissions to 80% below 1990 levels

• Portland Urban Forestry Management Plan (2007, 2010)

– Increase urban canopy from 26% to 33%, from 24,118 to 30,566 acres

Carbon Sequestration

Spatial Extent

Current riparian and urban canopies in the Intertwine and Portland areas

Carbon Sequestration

Methods

Riparian acres (Intertwine region riparian growth) 254,220

New urban trees (Portland plantings) 831,337

Riparian CO2 sequestration in growth of current stock

(tCO2e in 2050)236,985

Riparian CO2 sequestration in new plantings (tCO2e in 2050) 196,374

Urban forest new CO2 sequestration (tCO2e in 2050) 52,113

Total CO2 sequestration in new riparian growth and new

urban canopy (tCO2e in 2050)485,472

Normalized per person in relation to target of 75% below

Ore. 1990 emissions2.1%

Carbon Sequestration

FindingsEstimated carbon sequestration potential

Years

Additional annualized CO2

from street tree planting

(tCO2e)

Annualized revenue

2012 – 2016 217 $2,172.96

2017 – 2021 2,002 $20,021.46

2022 – 2026 5,536 $55,364.03

2027 – 2031 11,125 $111,254.48

2032 – 2036 18,707 $187,071.55

2037 – 2041 26,428 $264,284.85

2042 – 2046 34,563 $345,629.73

2047 – 2052 42,423 $424,228.86

Carbon Sequestration

ValuationEstimated revenue under AB32 Compliance Offset Protocol Urban

Forest Projects

Carbon Sequestration

Co-benefits

• Improved air quality

• Reduced respiratory illness

• Reduced summer temperatures

• Reduced energy demand

• Increased home values

• Stormwater interception

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Food Production

Framing QuestionWhat percentage of the region’s food needs could be

satisfied with regional production?

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Food Production

Background & Social Goals

• Rural-urban food connections effort emerged in 1990’s

• Portland-Multnomah Food Policy Council (2002)

• Multnomah Food Initiative and Action Plan (2010)

• visionPDX: “Demand for (local food and urban

agricultural) services is outstripping current supply.”

(2009)

Food Production

Methods

Crop

category

Current

production

(acres)

Existing

production

(lbs.)

Surplus

(or shortfall)

(lbs.)

Potential

production

(acres)

Potential

Production

(lbs)

Potential

demand met

(%)

Grain 43,379 281,960,655 5,774,296 43,379 281,960,655 102%

Berries and

grapes3,469 35,385,202 2,072,171 3,469 35,385,202 106%

Hay 38,869 466,423,402 160,944,551 25,684 308,204,582 101%

Nuts 6,414 9,621,469 2,318,859 5,150 7,725,664 106%

Oil seeds 261 1,515,621 (4,925,879) 1,132 6,568,121 102%

Tree fruit 1,609 19,305,653 (76,694,953) 7,975 95,695,619 100%

Vegetables 11,501 287,534,314 (442,365,678) 29,223 730,572,675 100%

Pasture 105,203 (113,676) 105,203 n/a 48%

Other 15,426 4,916 n/a

Sod and

grasses39,738 39,738 n/a

Total 265,869 265,869

Food Production

FindingsPotential satisfaction of current food demand for three-county region

Management activity Estimated primary benefits

CO2 sequestration in new

Intertwine-region riparian growth

and new Portland urban canopy

2.1% of Oregon’s 2050 greenhouse gas

reduction target, on a current per capita

basis

Stormwater interception by new

Portland urban canopy

6.3–14.8% of projected infrastructural

needs by 2040

Regional food production to meet

regional demand

Satisfaction of demand for most crop

categories, with the exception of meat

products

Conclusions

Key findings

Looking Ahead

Renderings of Oregon Sustainability Center and The Bullitt Foundation

from Portland Development Center and The Bullitt Foundation

Brent Davies

brent@ecotrust.org

(503) 453-9166

Thank you!