{"id":11109,"date":"2018-09-07T08:08:09","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T08:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/?p=11109"},"modified":"2025-07-30T15:12:37","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T19:12:37","slug":"effect-of-a-single-tree-on-a-neighborhood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/effect-of-a-single-tree-on-a-neighborhood\/","title":{"rendered":"Effect of a single tree on a neighborhood"},"content":{"rendered":"

A recent study at the University of British Columbia noted that a single tree along an urban street can help alleviate winds, shade pedestrians, and decrease wind pressure on nearby buildings. For both homes and businesses, the presence of trees can help decrease costs associated with maintaining indoor temperatures.<\/p>\n

\"flickr.com,<\/a>

Photo credit: Kris Arnold, flickr.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Researchers used remote sensing technology to create intricately detailed computer models of a neighborhood that included each tree, garden, and structure. The models were able to elucidate how various scenarios (no trees, bare trees, full-leaf trees) influence airflow, thermal patterns, and overall radiant heating and cooling throughout the streets of the neighborhood. Resultant data indicated trees at various stages can decrease wind speeds by as much as a factor of two. For example, a strong 30km\/h wind could be reduced to a comfortable 15km\/h breeze.\u00a0 The results also showed trees reduced the strain caused by wind pressure on building spaced closely together and farther apart. Close examination of the data indicated wind pressure causes up to a third of the costs associated with energy consumption and increased costs up to 10% in winter and 15% in summer. Using data gleaned from over a decade of measurements (from a monitored wind tower), they discovered even leafless trees are beneficial in winter months to regulate air flow and wind pressure on buildings.<\/p>\n

This modeling effort represents the first of its kind to simulate actual neighborhood conditions using an existing neighborhood recreated in great detail as a model. Further work of this kind can be used to predict storm effects on structures and pedestrian movement. These data can assist engineers and city planners in the creation and layout of buildings, streets, and greenery while limiting energy losses and help evaluate proposed effects of weather forecasts throughout the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\"flickr.com,<\/a>

Photo credit: Rob Young, flickr.com.<\/p><\/div>\n

References:<\/strong>
\nM.G. Giometto, A. Christen, P.E. Egli, M.F. Schid, R.T. Tooke, N.C. Coops, M.B. Parlage. 2017. Effects of trees on mean wind, turbulence and momentum exchange within and above a real urban environment<\/a>. Advances in Water Resources, 106: 154 DOI: 10.1016\/j.advwatres.2017.06.018<\/p>\n

University of British Columbia. Trees can make or break city weather<\/a>. Science Daily, 26 July 2017.<\/p>\n

Resources:<\/strong>
\nTree Selection for the \u201cUn-natural\u201d Environment,<\/a> The Education Store \u2013 Purdue Extension’s resource center
\nPlanting Your Tree Part 1: Choosing Your Tree (Youtube video),<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0Purdue Extension-FNR
\nTree Installation: Process and Practices ,<\/a>\u00a0The Education Store
\nTree Planting Part 2: Planting a Tree (Youtube video),<\/a> Purdue Extension-FNR
\nTop 5 List for Tree Selection and Planting<\/a>,<\/strong> Got Nature?, Purdue Extension-FNR
\nIndiana’s Urban Woodlots<\/a>, The Education Store<\/p>\n

Shaneka Lawson<\/a>, USDA Forest Service\/HTIRC Research Plant Physiologist\/Adjunct Assistant Professor
\nPurdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A recent study at the University of British Columbia noted that a single tree along an urban street can help alleviate winds, shade pedestrians, and decrease wind pressure on nearby buildings. For both homes and businesses, the presence of trees can help decrease costs associated with maintaining indoor temperatures. Researchers used remote sensing technology to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[80,53],"tags":[862,408,71],"class_list":["post-11109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trees","category-urbanforestry","tag-street-trees","tag-trees","tag-urban-forestry","audience-for-enthusiasts","audience-for-professionals"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-14 07:41:14","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11109"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33821,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11109\/revisions\/33821"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}