Economic valuation of ecosystem services in two open spaces in Pampas city, Huancavelica, Peru

Urban vegetation is essential for cities due to its ecosystem services and for contributing to climate change mitigation. In this sense, the objective of this research was to evaluate the urban vegetation of two open spaces in the city of Pampas, located in the region of Huancavelica, Peru, and to determine the ecosystem services and their economic value. A 100 % forest inventory was carried out in each open space; the data were then processed using the i-Tree^® Canopy software. 227 individuals from nine families and nine species in the two open spaces were identified, 920 individuals ha^-1, and 22.69 Mg of carbon stored, with a carbon sequestration of 0.90 Mg yr^-1. The total avoided runoff was 9.77 m³ yr^-1. A tree cover of 8 966.94 m² was calculated, which is reflected in a green area factor of 1.14 m² per inhabitant. The authors conclude that Pampas city is below the threshold suggested by the UN (9 m² of green area per inhabitant). Furthermore, it is important to analyze and maintain the green areas in order to guarantee a better life quality.