A tree-planting decision support tool for urban heat mitigation

Autor: Lindsey J. Butler, Catherine Connolly, Lucy R. Hutyra, Leila Heidari, Paige Brochu, Lucila J. Houttuijn Bloemendaal, Tara K. Miller, Zoey R. Werbin, Tempest D. McCabe, Sarabeth Buckley
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Canopy
Decision support system
Hot Temperature
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
Vulnerability index
Tree planting
Social Sciences
Conservation of Energy Resources
010501 environmental sciences
01 natural sciences
Trees
Urban Environments
Cognition
Urban forest
11. Sustainability
Psychology
Urban heat island
Land tenure
Urban Renewal
Multidisciplinary
Geography
Environmental resource management
Eukaryota
Agriculture
Surface Temperature
Plants
Terrestrial Environments
Tree (data structure)
Research Design
Physical Sciences
Medicine
Planting
Research Article
Census
Death Rates
Surface Properties
Science
Decision Making
Materials Science
Material Properties
Horticulture
Human Geography
Research and Analysis Methods
Urban Geography
Population Metrics
Cities
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Survey Research
Population Biology
business.industry
Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Organisms
Cognitive Psychology
Biology and Life Sciences
15. Life on land
Agronomy
Earth Sciences
Cognitive Science
business
Neuroscience
Boston
Zdroj: PLoS ONE
PLoS ONE, Vol 15, Iss 10, p e0224959 (2020)
ISSN: 1932-6203
Popis: Heat poses an urgent threat to public health in cities, as the urban heat island (UHI) effect can amplify exposures, contributing to high heat-related mortality and morbidity. Urban trees have the potential to mitigate heat by providing substantial cooling, as well as co-benefits such as reductions in energy consumption. The City of Boston has attempted to expand its urban canopy, yet maintenance costs and high tree mortality have hindered successful canopy expansion. Here, we present an interactive web application called Right Place, Right Tree-Boston that aims to support informed decision-making for planting new trees. To highlight priority regions for canopy expansion, we developed a Boston-specific Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) and present this alongside maps of summer daytime land surface temperatures. We also provide information about tree pests and diseases, suitability of species for various conditions, land ownership, maintenance tips, and alternatives to tree planting. This web application is designed to support decision-making at multiple spatial scales, to assist city officials as well as residents who are interested in expanding or maintaining Boston's urban forest.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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