An Assessment of Urban Forest Landscape Services for Green Space Management Improvement in Bandung City, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

In the Bandung metropolitan area, urban forests (UFs) play a crucial role in providing landscape services, especially within the Babakan Siliwangi Urban Forest (BSUF). The BSUF is currently facing multiple development challenges, necessitating scientific evidence to elucidate its role in Bandung's urban landscape. This research analyzes the BSUF’s function in carbon storage, carbon sequestration, and oxygen production and to formulate management recommendations to provide optimal future benefits. Data collection was carried out in 14 sample plots and i-Tree Eco was used to analyze landscape services and predict future vegetation structure based on planned plantings. The findings reveal that (1) BSUF has a high tree diversity, with a 3.3 Shannon index and 41 tree species identified; (2) it stores 381 tons of carbon, sequesters 25.17 tons of carbon annually, and produces 65.07 tons of oxygen per year; (3) to enhance landscape services value for the next 30 years, a minimum 300 trees must be planted per year. These results demonstrate the BSUF’s significance and the importance of tree diversity in sustaining landscape services provided by UF. Additionally, this research introduces i-Tree Eco as a valuable tool for conducting vegetation analysis, aiding stakeholders in monitoring and formulating improved landscape management strategies.