Trees and the Public Realm - Westminster City Council

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Page 42 Trees and the Public Realm (Draft) Public Open Space Deficiency in Westminster Source – Westminster Open Space Strategy 2008
Trees and the Public Realm (Draft) Page 43 110. Generally speaking, urban areas will warm more than rural because buildings and hard surfaces absorb heat from the sun and reradiate the stored heat energy back into the atmosphere. The result of this ‘heat island effect’ can be higher temperatures, particularly at night, and in enclosed areas (including under tree canopies) in comparison to suburban and rural areas. The current maximum surface temperature of woodlands is 18.4 o C, compared to 31.2 o C in town centres 12 . Summary of expected climate change in the UK 13 Temperature • Annual warming by the end of the century of between 1 o C and 5 o C • Greater warming in the Southeast than in the Northwest • Increase in the number of very hot days • Decrease in the number of very cold days Precipitation • Generally wetter winters (by up to 30%) increase in winter precipitation intensity • Substantially drier summers Soil Moisture • Decreases in summer and autumn, especially in the Southeast • Increases in winter 111. Periods of unusually high temperatures (heat waves) are predicted to become more frequent and last longer, with town centres predicted to experience a bigger temperature rise than rural. Green space, in the form of street trees, parks, and private gardens has a significant role to play in reducing the urban heat island effect. A 10% increase in trees, in the right places, can reduce surface temperatures by 3-4 o C. 112. Although it is not straightforward within Westminster to plan green space at the strategic level (as would be the case with greenfield development) there is much that can be done at the local neighbourhood level to moderate the effects of climate change. Shade provided by trees can keep hard surfaces cooler than unshaded areas by several degrees, and trees, especially when located close to buildings, provide not only shade but act as natural cooling systems through the process of evapotranspiration. 113. While it is recognised that not every street is suitable for trees both in terms of practicality and urban design, maximising the opportunities to plant larger growing shade trees will assist in the moderation of high summer temperatures and in so doing make Westminster a more liveable city. 114. It is anticipated that trees will also need to be more adapted to a hotter, drier climate and consideration should perhaps be given to tree species that are indigenous in climates similar to those predicted for the south of England around 2040-2060. The adaptability of our existing tree stock (eg. oak) will also be increasingly relevant. 12 Adaption Strategies for Climate Change in the Urban Environment 13 CLG, 2007, Climate Change and Urban Spaces .
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