Release: Indianapolis Participating in Multi-City Study Comparing Temperatures Across Urban Natural Areas
Indianapolis is one of 12 U.S. cities that will study the cooling potential of urban natural areas. Led by NYC-based nonprofit Natural Areas Conservancy, the study results will help cities prepare for climate change.
INDIANAPOLIS – This summer, urban natural area specialists and ecologists from the Indianapolis Office of Land Stewardship team are participating in a cross-country study as part of the Forests in Cities network. These researchers are collaborating to quantify differences in temperature across natural and built environments using satellite data by assessing trends in mature, healthy forests compared to degraded woods and developed sites as a control. Researchers have also deployed temperature sensors in urban forested natural areas to test whether healthier ecosystems are cooler than unhealthy ecosystems.
The temperature sensors are installed at the same height and north-facing position across all locations and will record the air temperature every five minutes until the end of September. Locations include Eagle Creek Park, Marott Park, and Paul Ruster Park.
"We have strong indications that natural areas play a key role in keeping our cities cool," said Brenda Howard, Senior Ecologist for Indianapolis Land Stewardship. "With urbanization only increasing and cities projected to house close to 90% of the U.S. population by 2050, it is imperative that we find answers to managing the impacts of the changing climate. This country-wide study will measure both local and national temperatures which will help us understand how to chart our future as a city."
2021 was the hottest summer on record in the United States. Cities are documented to be between two and ten degrees hotter than rural areas, and extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S. Planting trees and expanding green spaces are known to combat urban heat, but the magnitude of cooling benefits has not been quantified across different segments of the urban forest, such as between trees in managed and natural landscapes, nor across the patchwork of land cover types that make up cities.
Urban natural areas--which include forests, wetlands, and grasslands--account for the majority of parkland across U.S. cities. In New York City, research has shown the city's 20,000 acres of natural areas are some of the coolest spots city-wide. These locations can be at least eight degrees cooler than average in the hottest months.
The study is currently underway, and data is expected to be finalized this winter. The results will help Indianapolis and other cities better understand how urban natural areas can contribute to cooling urban settings and effective climate action by guiding management decisions in regard to increasing canopy and limiting the urban heat island effect.
About the Indianapolis Office of Land Stewardship
A division of the Department of Public Works, the Indianapolis Office of Land Stewardship manages more than 1,900 acres of natural area across 37 park properties and more than 100,000 square feet of city rain gardens that assist in filtering stormwater runoff. Staff preserves critical wildlife habitats, removes invasive species, certifies native planting areas, hosts volunteer opportunities, protects air quality, and addresses stormwater issues.
About the Forests in Cities Network
The Forests in Cities Network is a national network dedicated to promoting and advancing healthy forested natural areas in cities across the U.S. through science, management, partnerships, and communications. This network was created in 2019 by the Natural Areas Conservancy.
About the Natural Areas Conservancy
Founded in 2012, the Natural Areas Conservancy has served as New York City's leading nonprofit dedicated to studying and helping to care for the city's 20,000 acres of forests and wetlands. The NAC promotes nature's diversity and resiliency across the five boroughs.
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