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Header image of Apple Orchard Mountain, VA (photo by Hailey Gilman, '22).
Click here to access a PDF of a presentation at the Resilient Virginia Conference in August 2023 discussing our efforts with the City of Lynchburg, Lynchburg City Schools, and community groups to design climate-resilient forest gardens in Lynchburg. Check back here for updates!
Trees, Forest gardens, and Green Spaces
Trees, Forest gardens, and Green Spaces
As an area at heat risk, increased tree coverage within the City of Lynchburg would be an effective strategy in mitigating the effects of climate change. Local organizations such as Lynchburg Parks and Recreation and Lynchburg Tree Stewards work to promote the introduction and maintenance of trees within the city. Below, we will discuss the important role trees hold in heat mitigation, as well as several ideas for improving the dispersion and health of trees in the Lynchburg area.
Tree Equity Map
Tree Equity Map
Tree equity score calculates how much tree cover and surface temperatures correlates with income, employment, race, age, and health factors. The score indicates if enough trees in a given area will provide the health, economic, and climate benefits to the population. The score is measured between 0- 100 with 100 meaning that an area has achieved tree equity. The picture above shows a tree equity score of 67 near E.C Glass High School and Miller Creek Park. Surrounding locations also have a low tree equity score which proves measures need to be taken to reduce heat risk.
Tree equity score calculates how much tree cover and surface temperatures correlates with income, employment, race, age, and health factors. The score indicates if enough trees in a given area will provide the health, economic, and climate benefits to the population. The score is measured between 0- 100 with 100 meaning that an area has achieved tree equity. The picture above shows a tree equity score of 67 near E.C Glass High School and Miller Creek Park. Surrounding locations also have a low tree equity score which proves measures need to be taken to reduce heat risk.
How Do Trees Reduce Heat Risk?
How Do Trees Reduce Heat Risk?
Trees can provide many benefits in reducing heat risks associated with Urban Heat Islands. Trees lower surface and air temperatures by providing shade and increased evapotranspiration. An area with many buildings compacted together have less evapotranspiration and the buildings trap solar radiation. Increased evapotranspiration with increased shade can help reduce peak summer temperatures.
Darker surfaces in cities, such as pavements, sidewalks, and rooftops decrease albedo. A decrease in albedo is caused by absorption of heat rather than reflectivity. This absorption of heat warms the surface, and increases temperature. Trees have a higher albedo than dark pavement, and so they can reduce the heat absorbed at the surface.
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, meaning that it allows less heat to escape the Earth's surface, causing the surface to heat up. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, which creates a cooling effect. One way that human activity has disrupted the carbon cycle is by removing natural carbon sinks, like forests, and then replacing them with urban areas. Planting more trees in urban areas will help draw some of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activity and reduce heat effects.
What can Lynchburg Do?
What can Lynchburg Do?
Planting trees is a relatively simple thing that anyone can do to help reduce heat risk. If you have space in your yard, that is a great place to start, if not you can plant trees in nearby forested areas. Street trees need to be taken care of especially when they are young, so adopting a nearby tree and in your neighbooring or near your work is a helpful contribution.
Lynchburg Parks and Rec can install trees and plants in local parks, which will have a cooling effect on nearby houses and raise the value of the neighborhood. Make sure you choose a tree that is suitable for the area consider if it will conflict with powerlines, sidewalks, buildings, and any other obstructions. Make sure the tree will have enough sunlight, space, and water. Choose a native species because planting an invasive species can take over an ecosystem.
Getting creative with space and planting on rooftops, balconies, and even walls will allow more green space to protect buildings from extreme heat. Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants in water without soil and could be implemented on buildings downtown, along with rooftop gardens to reduce the urban heat island effect. Another effective and innovative planting technique are tiny forests.
Tiny forests are miniature ecosystems in urban areas that consist of a diversity of native species. This not only creates more tree coverage, but it also helps pollinators, decomposers, and birds. Humans can also benefit when you turn a tiny forest into a food forest by including edible species such a fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, and herbs. By producing more food locally, communities don't have to rely as much on imported produce, which increases resiliency against climate change's damage to industrially produced food.
Combining individual and community efforts to plant more trees will help communities become more resilient against temperature rises, and potentially against food shortages.
A successful green bus stop in Białystok, Poland. Source: Life Tree Check
Possible layers of a green bus stop roof. Source: Philly Watershed
Bus Stops Can Be Green Too!
In many cities, like Lynchburg, bus stops are a common sight. Buses work as a great way to move around the city without using a personal vehicle. Currently, the bus stops present in Lynchburg are no more than metals signs showing people where they can be picked up or dropped off. However, bus stops can be so much more than that!
The city of Lynchburg can work to install what are commonly known as green bus stops in areas with high heat risk. These green bus stops have a shelter that is a step further than the traditional bus shelter. Rather than plainly being made out of metal and plastic, these bus stops also have areas where small plants can be placed along the top and side of the shelter to provide a pleasant sight as well as reduce the heat risk of the surrounding area.
The plants on top of and alongside the shelter do a lot of work to combat local heat. Much like trees but on a smaller scale, plants growing alongside these shelters help process carbon dioxide in the air. This means that the plants are absorbing some of that gas out of the atmosphere and are doing their part in reducing the amount of greenhouse gas out there. In addition to absorbing gas, the plants work to release water into the air through transpiration to keep themselves cool. This process also happens to cool the surrounding area, reducing the worrisome heat risk.
On top of all of the benefits listed so far, these green bus stops provide more areas for pollinators, like bees, to have access to flowering plants. This allows local insect and flower populations to thrive even more than before, enhancing the appearance of the area where these bus stops are present. This provides wonderful areas for the community to appreciate and helps to encourage further green activities in nearby places.
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