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December 6, 2020 by

Landscape Ecology Urban Heat Island Impacts of Backyard Habitats

While the importance of conservation and habitat restoration on large land parcels is well understood, the potential for landscape ecological improvement may be greater in individual property owners’ back yards, especially in urban and suburban scale. The thermal footprint of different land cover types, sampled with a hi-res UAV-mounted infrared camera throughout the month of August, were compared to determine impacts on urban heat island effect. While it has become common knowledge that heat islands are mitigated by “green”design and exacerbated by impervious area and dark surfaces, we have discovered not all green space is equal. Native plantings have a much greater impact than lawns on both habitat value and heat islands. Considering specific target species, we determine habitat value of urban and suburban landscapes based on the number of property owners who convert a percentage of their lawn to cover managed in accordance with best management practices for habitat.

Presenters

Lauren Hoffman
Smithgroup
Lauren Hoffman is a Landscape Architect and Certified Ecologist at SmithGroup, with a wealth of experience assessing and enhancing natural resources through design. She has worked on projects ranging from urban centers and state parks, to forests, Great Lakes shorelines and brownfield sites. Lauren has developed creative solutions for issues surrounding water quality, accessibility, recreation, parking, circulation, education and contamination. Her assessment activities have included a myriad of survey and monitoring work including plants, pollinators, macroinvertebrates, threatened and endangered species, invasive species, prairies, natural and mitigation wetlands, and habitat suitability. Lauren has designed habitats for corporate, municipal, parkland, and residential properties for target species ranging from fish and herps to songbirds and bats.

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