Mitigating air pollution and the urban heat island effect: The roles of urban trees

Sinnett, Danielle

Abstract

Trees in the urban environment have been proposed as one mechanism to reduce air pollution and the impacts of the UHI in cities. There are now policies and initiatives in place globally to increase the canopy cover in our neighbourhoods. Trees have numerous other benefits or ecosystem services, for example providing habitats, visual amenity and storm water management and form an integral part of the wider network of green infrastructure in our towns and cities. This chapter summarises the mechanisms by which trees have the potential to provide two regulating ecosystem services: improved air quality and reduced temperature. It also explores some of characteristics of trees and their planting location that are associated with the greatest benefits.

Citation

Sinnett, D. (2021). Mitigating air pollution and the urban heat island effect: The roles of urban trees. In I. Douglas, D. Goode, M. Houck, D. Maddox, P. M. L. Anderson, H. Nagendra, & P. Yok Tan (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Urban Ecology (1176). (2nd ed). Routledge

• Online Publication Date: Dec 16, 2020
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2021
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 1176
• Edition: 2nd ed
• Book Title: The Routledge Handbook of Urban Ecology
• ISBN: 9781138581357
• Keywords: green infrastructure, urban streets, air quality, climate change adaptation
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/862530
• Publisher URL: https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Handbook-of-Urban-Ecology/Douglas-Anderson-Goode-Houck-Maddox-Nagendra-Tan/p/book/9781138581357