The City of Wichita is moving ahead with plans for a program to protect and expand the tree canopy in the community, and a study has identified 17 areas where trees are most needed. An update to a proposed tree policy was presented to City Council members in a workshop meeting Tuesday, and it identifies 17 “heat islands” that have been created by a lack of trees or the loss of trees in neighborhoods. A study was conducted by the NASA Langley Research Team that looked at the relationship between heat, trees and the environment. The city’s arborist, Gary Farris, said residents in those heat islands are being disproportionately affected by higher temperatures.
Source: 101.3 KFDI
