OPTIMIZING MULTIFUNCTIONALITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES SUPPLY IN EUGENE'S GREEN SPACES

Urban green spaces play a role in mitigating environmental challenges and enhancing urban sustainability and resilience. The paper aims to assess the four regulating ecosystem services (carbon storage and sequestration, runoff control, and air pollutant removal) in ten neighborhood parks in Eugene, Oregon (USA). Using the I-Tree Eco model, the contribution of urban trees to ecosystem services supply is evaluated. Similarities and dissimilarities between the neighborhood parks are analyzed using Multidimensional Scaling (MDS). The major findings show significant variation in ecosystem service supply, influenced mainly by the parks' tree canopy and leaf area index. Mature and large-canopy trees emerged as critical contributors, underlining their importance in optimizing regulating services. The fact that no single park offers all four ecosystem services at optimal levels highlights the necessity for a comprehensive, city-wide strategy for green space management. The study provides guidelines for urban green space planning and management, emphasizing the importance of preserving mature trees and adopting targeted planting strategies to enhance ecosystem services supply. These findings contribute to sustainable urban planning, supporting the development of more ecosystem services-friendly urban green spaces to address societal challenges.