Urban tree planting should consider local characteristics: assessing spatial heterogeneity in canopy cooling effects on land surface temperature using Bayesian spatially varying coefficient models.

Abstract

Urban trees are essential for mitigating elevated temperatures in cities worldwide, with many municipalities implementing large-scale urban tree planting initiatives. However, the cooling potential of tree canopy coverage is often estimated as a constant value across study areas, despite evidence that temperature reductions depend on local characteristics, including tree traits and urban geometry.