| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this work has been to explore what ecosystem services a small green area in an urban
environment can offer and whether specific trees can be used to maximize regulatory ecosystem
services in a cultural-historical environment. Additionally, it investigates whether there is any
difference in ecosystem services depending on whether these trees, or trees that better fit into the
cultural-historical environment, are used. Through simulations and comparisons with existing trees in
Pommerska tomten, Mariestad, Sweden, a pocket park within a national interest area, different
hypothetical tree planting options are analyzed and evaluated. To measure ecosystem services, the
website My-Tree, developed by the US equivalent of the Department of Agriculture, was used. By
inputting data about the tree, such as location, species, vitality, stem diameter, and solar exposure,
My-Tree calculates some of the ecosystem services the tree provides. This includes carbon dioxide
uptake, rainwater interception, and uptake of air pollutants. The results showed that the number of
trees had a significant impact on the results. Vitality and size of the tree were also of great
importance for ecosystem services. The cultural-historical simulation was found to have higher
ecosystem values than the one focusing on ecosystem services. The greatest difference was observed
in carbon dioxide uptake, where the cultural-historical simulation absorbed over two-thirds more. In
other categories, the difference was so small that it fell within the margin of error. According to the
simulations, investing in cultural-historical trees does not reduce ecosystem services in Pommerska
tomten. Finally, the results showed that different trees provide different types of ecosystem services
and that when planting trees, one needs to consider what the specific location requires. | sv |
