Urban Tree Growth and Carbon Sequestration
Average diameter growth from the appropriate land use and
diameter class was added to the existing tree diameter (year x)
to estimate tree diameter in year x+1. For urban trees in
forest stands, average dbh growth was estimated as 0.38 cm/
year (0.15 in/year) (Smith and Shifley 1984); for trees on land
uses with a park-like structure (e.g., parks, cemeteries, golf
courses), average dbh growth was 0.61 cm/year (0.24 in/year)
(devries 1987); for more open-grown trees, dbh class specific
growth rates were based on Nowak (1994). Average
height growth was calculated based on formulas from Fleming
(1988) and the specific dbh growth factor used for the tree.