Urban Trees

Urban heat island phenomenon, where buildings and pavements absorb and reflect heat is becoming a heightened problem due to urban population increase and climate change. Prior to the 1900’s, before cooling fans and air conditioning, people planted trees to provide shade and cool their houses. Urban tree planting can negate the effects of urban heat island by creating lower temperature microclimates. Additional studies indicate this influencing the urban atmospheric environment where the trees remove air pollution through carbon sequestration making them long term or short-term carbon sinks. There's a great article on carbon storage and sequestration here https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21513732.2013.873822#.VJaIq14AA.

However, some studies show urban planting may decrease air quality, especially when considering those of us with allergies. There is also much speculation on the future of tree planting with climate change creating new growth requirements, inevitably effecting future tree selection in urban planning. This means the future of tree planting in urban environments will become a much more specialist form of landcape planning in the future.

Recent natural science developments in the use of microrhizoul fungi in tree planting will likely play a larger role in the initial establishment of urban trees, to ensure maximum profitability in these large scale investments.

Pictured above is a cherry blossom. A popular tree in the UK, but incredibly popular in Japan, where the annual cherry blossom (Sakura) festival is celebrated.

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