Urban green areas as an element of adaptation to climate change

Since March 2016 Ecoclub has realized the project “Urban green areas as an element of adaptation to climate change”.

The project team includes experts of State Scientific Centre for Aerospace Research of the Earth Institute of Geological Science of NAS of Ukraine, experts of M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of NAS of Ukraine, Ecology students from KMA, and Drone.ua.

 

 

The project aim is to investigate the adaptive potential of urban vegetation to the heat waves by their density and size in green areas of Kyiv city. The project tasks include:

• Estimation of a cooling effect of urban green zones during heat waves by thermal mapping w

  ith drones;

• Analysis of the current national legislation about urban green zones management under climate change influence;

• Comparison of the microclimate inside green areas and at some open squares in a time of hot weather.

At the result we plan:

–          to obtain a set of scientific data about heat tolerance, the efficiency of shading, cooling, and CO2 assimilation across different tree species by conducting gas exchange measurements and thermal mapping in selected locations.

–          To make a set of recommendations for local authorities and public utility companies about proper management of urban green zones under climate change threat.

29 March 2016 the project has been presented at the conference “Dumaidan-2016: saving the green zones in cities and villages”; our proposals have been included in the resolution of the conference.

The project is financed under Climate Forum East-II Small Grants Program by NECU.

Project coordinator – Oleksandra Khalaim olexandra.khalaim [at] ecoclubua.com