• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.219-227
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• 2021

Background and objective: Urban street trees play an important role in carbon reduction in cities where greenspace is scarce. There are ongoing studies on carbon reduction by street trees. However, information on the carbon reduction capacity of street trees based on field surveys is still limited. This study aimed to quantify carbon uptake and storage by urban street trees and suggest a method to improve planting of trees in order to increase their carbon reduction capacity. Methods: The cities selected were Sejong, Chungju, and Jeonju among cities without research on carbon reduction, considering the regional distribution in Korea. In the cities, 155 sample sites were selected using systematic sampling to conduct a field survey on street environments and planting structures. The surveyed data included tree species, diameter at breast height (DBH), diameter at root collar (DRC), height, crown width, and vertical structures. The carbon uptake and storage per tree were calculated using the quantification models developed for the urban trees of each species. Results: The average carbon uptake and storage of street trees were approximately 7.2 ± 0.6 kg/tree/yr and 87.1 ± 10.2 kg/tree, respectively. The key factors determining carbon uptake and storage were tree size, vertical structure, the composition of tree species, and growth conditions. The annual total carbon uptake and storage were approximately 1,135.8 tons and 22,737.8 tons, respectively. The total carbon uptake was about the same amount as carbon emitted by 2,272 vehicles a year. Conclusion: This study has significance in providing the basic unit to quantify carbon uptake and storage of street trees based on field surveys. To improve the carbon reduction capacity of street trees, it is necessary to consider planning strategies such as securing and extending available grounds and spaces for high-density street trees with a multi-layered structure.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.22-30
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• 2013

This study aims to measure the thermal comfort effects of urban street trees. As the usual dry bulb air temperature does not indicate properly how the average pedestrian feels the heat of a typical summer day under the strong sunshine, we adopted the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature(WBGT). WBGT involves black globe temperature to measure the direct radiation of sun beams on our bodies, for example our heads. We measured temperatures on very sunny and hot summer days, August 3, 4, and 7, 2012, on the urban streets of Seoul, Korea. Wet bulb, globe, and dry bulb temperatures were measured under direct sunlight from 1 O'clock to 5 O'clock pm. Globe and dry bulb temperatures were measured under street tree shades nearby during the same hours. Then the WBGTs were calculated with the formulae, one for sunny outdoor spaces, and the other for shaded outdoor spaces or indoor. The results are compared with the Korean Standards Association(KS A ISO 7243). The major findings were: 1) On very sunny and hot summer days in Seoul, street tree shades lower the WBGT about 1 to 4 degrees, 2) during the hours of 3 and 4 O'clock in the afternoon, the WBGT under the tree shades are about 3 to 4 degrees lower compared to those under sunshines(approx. 29 to 32 degrees respectively), 3) This difference makes a major thermal comfort for urban pedestrians because senior citizens or weak persons are recommended to move indoor, and even healthy people are recommended stop outdoor sports and take rests in the shades when WBGT is about 32. On the other hand, if the WBGT is around 29, or 3 degrees lower, slower walking, light works or sports are allowable, 4) On site questionnaire survey confirms the thermal comforts under the tree shades, and we even could not get survey subjects on the sunny parts of the sidewalks, 5) We strongly recommend change of guidelines for urban street trees from "one row of street trees on 6m~8m intervals" to "street trees to make continuous shades".

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.35-51
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• 2017

Street gardens, a series of streetscape improvement projects led by Seoul City Government, are initiated for the purpose of providing aesthetic satisfaction and mental refreshment to pedestrians. In order to investigate whether street gardens indeed promote the psychological health of the users, questionnaire surveys were conducted on three selected street gardens - at Gangnam-daero, Digital-ro, and Teheranro - and their comparison sites located on the same streets, which have a similar physical environment but without a street garden. The survey questionnaires, based on Attention Restoration Theory, were composed of Perceived Restorativeness Scale-11 with the eleven individual questions grouped into four categories: 'Fascination', 'Being away', 'Coherence', and 'Scope'. The survey questionnaires also ask about physical components that promote psychological improvement in the aforementioned categories. The collected data was analyzed with factor analysis, reliability analysis, and independent t-test. The results suggested that street gardens had a relatively positive effect on the psychological restorativeness of the users. In particular, they gave fascination and interest to the users. However, they did not offer a feeling of being away to the users, which revealed the limitation in the psychological improvement effect of street gardens. The physical components of the street garden that have led the psychological restorativeness effect were wooden bench, tree, and flower. This result corresponds to an extant theory that natural factors have a positive effect on the psychological restorativeness within a hardscape. This research will shed light on the planning and design guidelines for the street garden project.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.21-38
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• 2024

This study aims to establish an efficient street green area to improve the urban thermal environment and enhance pedestrian thermal comfort. Specifically, This study identified parameters applicable to green space planning and design, analyzed thermal environment mitigation mechanisms for each parameter, and, based on these findings, proposed methods for tree species selection and planting in green space planning and design. To achieve this, 61 papers were selected through a four-stage process from both domestic and foreign sources. The selected papers were analyzed, and the following main results were derived: In open street canyons with high stress levels due to low aspect ratios and high sky view factors(SVF), broadleaf trees with wide crown widths, low trunk heights, high leaf area index(LAI), and high crown heights were found effective in reducing heat, thereby increasing the amount and quality of shade. In contrast, in deep and narrow street canyons with relatively low heat stress due to high aspect ratios and low SVF, broad-leaved trees with narrow crown widths, high trunks, low crown heights, and low LAI were effective in reducing heat by enhancing ventilation. This study can serve as fundamental data for establishing standards for street green spaces to improve the thermal environment of street canyons and enhance thermal comfort of pedestrians. Additionally, it can be valuable when selecting the location and prioritizing street green spaces. Moreover, it is anticipated to be a foundational resource for creating guidelines for green space planning and design in response to climate change.