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The distribution of urban ecosystem services (UES) is often uneven across socioeconomic groups, leading to environmental justice issues. Understanding the distribution of UES across a landscape can help managers ensure an equitable distribution of services. While many past studies have focused on the distribution of green spaces in relation to socioeconomic variables, this research analyzes the distribution of UES provided by these green spaces. This research quantified air pollution removal, atmospheric carbon reduction, and surface runoff mitigation provided by urban trees in Strasbourg city (France). The provision of these three UES was studied at the census block scale by creating an index of UES delivery, which was contrasted with a constructed social deprivation index. Our results show that there is no significant association between the delivery of UES and social deprivation. Some deprived populations benefit from high UES delivery. Results also suggest that mapping associations between UES delivery and social deprivation should be integrated with future development plans to enhance the equitable distribution of UES. This study provides insights into the French context where studies about the distribution of UES at a small-area level remain lacking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study integrates i-Tree Eco model in order to estimate air pollution removal by urban trees in Strasbourg city, France. Applied for the first time in a French city, the model shows that public trees, i.e., trees managed by the city, removed about 88 t of pollutants during one year period (from July 2012 to June 2013): about 1 ton for CO; 14 tons for NO 2 ; 56 tons for O 3 ; 12 tons for PM 10coarse (particles with diameter ranging from 2.5 to 10 μm); 5 tons for PM 2.5 and 1 ton for SO 2 . Air pollution removal varied mainly with the tree cover and the level of air pollutants concentrations. Comparison between simulated pollution removal rates and local emissions shows that public trees of Strasbourg reduce about 7% of the emitted PM 10coarse in the city’s atmosphere; however, effect on other air pollutants is small. Thus, our study reveals that urban trees are a significant element to reduce air pollution but are not the only solution to this problem. It’s then recommended to associate planting and managing urban forest resources to other strategies that take into account the urban environment characteristics: built structures, street design, location of local sources; etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]