Graduation Year

2023

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Environmental Analysis

Reader 1

Guillermo Douglass-Jaimes

Reader 2

Jasmine Baetz

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Abstract

Trees act as crucial carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in their biomass. However, their value as a means of carbon storage and sequestration is often overlooked. This is particularly true at Pomona College, where despite the presence of a significant number of trees on campus, there is no systematic data collection on their carbon storage and sequestration capacity. To address this gap, my senior capstone group (the Sinkamores) conducted an in-depth assessment of the above-ground carbon storage and sequestration potential of Pomona's trees. Using data from a tree inventory and carbon calculator, we estimated the amount of carbon stored and sequestered by trees on campus. Our findings revealed that the trees on Pomona's campus enable significant carbon storage, with a total carbon stock of 11,000 metric tons. In our final report and executive summary, we also provided recommendations for ongoing carbon accounting and adjustments to planting, landscaping, and maintenance practices. By taking the steps that we recommend based on our study, Pomona College can better understand and maximize the carbon storage potential of its trees, and contribute to their overall efforts to mitigate the impacts that they make as an institution.

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