Registration of Five Small Tree Species Including Sancheoljjuk as 'National Native Coefficients'

The Korea Arboretum and Garden Management Service (hereinafter referred to as KAGS) announced on the 5th that it has registered the relative growth equations of five small-sized tree species (shrubs) in the Settlements sector?such as Sasa borealis, Rhododendron mucronulatum, Spiraea prunifolia, Buxus microphylla, and Euonymus alatus?as national unique coefficients.

Five species of small trees (shrubs), including Rhododendron schlippenbachii (photo), have recently been registered with national unique coefficients. This is significant as it establishes a basis for reflecting the carbon absorption of small trees in the national greenhouse gas statistics. Provided by Korea National Arboretum

This is the first domestic case of registering relative growth equations of small-sized trees as national unique coefficients. This initiative was undertaken to reflect the greenhouse gas absorption amount of small-sized trees, which have been widely planted in urban forests and gardens but have been excluded from national greenhouse gas statistics due to the absence of unique coefficients, thereby contributing to the 'National 2050 Carbon Neutrality' policy.

National unique coefficients are factors used by the Greenhouse Gas Integrated Information Center (Ministry of Environment) to estimate the annual amount of greenhouse gases emitted and absorbed domestically for the preparation of the national greenhouse gas report.

The registration of national unique coefficients for small-sized trees is significant as it establishes a foundation to estimate the carbon absorption amount of small-sized trees in national greenhouse gas statistics.

Urban forests and gardens have recently been recognized as new carbon sinks. Small-sized trees account for 60 to 80% of these areas.

In particular, the five small-sized tree species newly registered as national unique coefficients, including Rhododendron mucronulatum, constitute more than 75% of the shrub cultivation volume used for landscaping in urban forests and gardens.

Based on these figures, when estimating carbon storage using national unique coefficients, the carbon storage in urban forests and gardens is expected to increase by 5 to 11% or more in the future.

The relative growth equation coefficients of the five newly registered small-sized tree species can be utilized in the Settlements sector of agriculture, forestry, and other land use fields.

KAGS plans to propose policies to expand the carbon absorption amount of newly established urban forests and gardens by utilizing the newly registered national unique coefficients.

Shim Sang-taek, Director of KAGS, stated, “We will continuously develop and enhance the carbon absorption coefficients of small-sized trees widely used in urban forests and gardens so that green spaces in daily life can also contribute to national carbon neutrality.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.