Rotary por el ambiente: minga mundial e inventario forestal en el Parque Vicente Amador Flor, Portoviejo, Ecuador

Abstract

Urban parks are ecological infrastructure that integrates conservation, citizen well-being, local identity, and environmental education. The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive forest inventory of Vicente Amador Flor Park, located in the historic center of Portoviejo, to determine its floristic richness and estimate the amount of CO₂ stored in the aboveground biomass of woody vegetation. A descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional field study was conducted through a systematic survey of the area, individual tree identification, measurement of diameter at breast height (DBH) and total height, and biometric processing using the pantropical allometric equation proposed by Chave et al. (2014). Wood-density values were obtained from the Global Wood Density Database, a worldwide database that provides density values by tree species and contributes to more accurate estimates of aboveground biomass. The general inventory recorded 129 individuals; of these, 51 individuals, representing 19 species and eight botanical families, were included in the biometric analysis. A total of 433.78 kg of aboveground biomass and 216.89 kg of stored CO₂ were reported according to the calculation convention adopted. Caesalpinia tinctoria (Cascol) accounted for the largest contribution, at 44.70%, followed by Cassia siamea (15.37%) and Plumeria rubra (13.81%). The results demonstrate that, even within a relatively small urban area, trees can provide significant ecological, landscape, cultural, and educational value. In this context, Rotary for the Environment, in alignment with the environment as one of Rotary’s areas of focus, connected community action with scientific knowledge through the environmental minga and the impact map, conceived as tools for environmental awareness and education. This experience strengthens shared civic responsibility and demonstrates the potential of community partnerships for conserving Portoviejo’s urban natural heritage.