Characteristics and benefits of Reykjavik’s urban forest, Iceland

Previously, only limited data has been collected regarding the structure of the urban forests located within Iceland. This study conducted an urban forest assessment of random plots generated within the neighbourhoods, parks, cemeteries and woodlands located within the urban area of Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik. 278 square sample plots, each measuring 400 m2, were surveyed and the data collected were used to estimate the structure, function, ecosystem services and the value that these urban trees provide using i-Tree Eco. This sampling estimated Reykjavik’s tree canopy cover at 8.7%, with only 19 species found, of which the four most common species were Betula pubescens (35%), Populus trichocarpa (19%), Picea sitchensis (13%) and Sorbus aucuparia (11%). Reykjavik’s tree species diversity when compared to Nordic and UK cities was found to be substantially lower. The ecosystem services provided by the urban forest were approximated to be 39.8 Gg of stored carbon, 2.1 Gg of carbon being sequestered annually, and an estimated 19.7 Mg of airborne pollutants are removed annually. The total CAVAT value of the urban amenity trees was estimated to be 576 billion ISK. The results from this study will allow for a better understanding of the potential impacts of urban planning decisions in Iceland’s capital city.