Development of a Planting Module for Carbon Stock and Sequestration Recovery in Buried Heritage Sites

Background and objective: Increasing greenhouse gas emissions due to climate change poses a significant threat to the preservation of national heritage, particularly during extreme climate events such as heavy rainfall. This study aims to evaluate changes in carbon stocks and sequestration at excavation sites and to propose a planting strategy that supports carbon stock and sequestration recovery in the context of the Korea Heritage Service’s climate-responsive initiatives.Methods: The research was conducted at Changso Neighborhood Park, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. The study employed a four-step methodology: (1) field surveys using GPS and DBH measurement tools to collect vegetation data, (2) carbon stock estimation through species-specific allometric equations derived from prior studies, (3) carbon sequestration analysis using NDVI values and CASA models based on Landsat 8 satellite imagery, and (4) development of an planting module, considering factors like slope stability, planting density, and species compatibility, to enhance carbon sequestration and ecological restoration.Results: Before excavation, the site stored 177.56 tC and sequestered 26.14 tC/year. After excavation, carbon stock declined to 12.26 tC and annual carbon sequestration to 0.27 tC/year, indicating substantial loss of carbon-related ecological function. Under the proposed planting scenario, carbon stock and annual carbon sequestration were estimated to recover to 121.37 tC and 3.24 tC/year, respectively. These results suggest that the proposed planting strategy can support partial recovery of carbon storage and sequestration functions, although the estimated values remain below the pre-excavation level.Conclusion: This study contributes to the integration of heritage protection and climate-responsive landscape planning by demonstrating that post-excavation planting can support the partial recovery of carbon-related ecological functions. The proposed planting framework provides a sustainable basis for improving carbon storage and sequestration potential while maintaining the ecological and cultural value of buried heritage sites

Carbon sequestration · Carbon stock · Climate change · Global warming · Greenhouse gas · Sowing · Tree planting · Diverse Approaches in Healthcare and Education Studies · Ecology and Conservation Studies · Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications