Journal article
The overlooked role of New York City urban yards in mitigating and adapting to climate change
Local environment, v 20(12), pp 1412-1427
01 Jan 2015
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
There is a dearth of research focusing on the role that urban residential open space plays in climate change adaptation, despite evidence suggesting that environmental benefits accrue when even small pockets of open space are made permeable and vegetated. In densely built New York City, there are 21,448 ha (53,000 acres) of such land. One city block with adjoining contiguous open space was investigated to quantify its existing environmental value and also its potential to provide enhanced services through redesign. The study block's open space was found to be 35% permeable and planted with 96 trees, storing 45,359 kg (100,000 lb) of carbon. Simulations conducted using the United States Environmental Protection Agency Stormwater Management Model contrasting normal, light, and heavy precipitation years suggested that increases in annual precipitation could be fully mitigated by reducing impervious surface cover by 25%. The preservation of the existing vegetated residential urban open space and the conversion of paved surfaces to a pervious condition both appear to be effective strategies for enhancing the city's ability to adapt to and mitigate for climate change.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- The overlooked role of New York City urban yards in mitigating and adapting to climate change
- Creators
- Evan Mason - New York Sustainable Agriculture Working GroupFranco A. Montalto - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Local environment, v 20(12), pp 1412-1427
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Number of pages
- 16
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000212158800001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84949087854
- Other Identifier
- 991019168483004721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Environmental Studies
- Geography
- Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
- Regional & Urban Planning
- Urban Studies