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What is the Urban Heat Island?

City of Dallas – Like many metropolitan areas, Dallas’ is affected by an Urban Heat Island (UHI), sometimes there is a 10-12 degree temperature difference between the inner urban and rural areas, which is caused by the large concrete areas that are warmer than the natural rural areas.

By its nature, concrete, asphalt and buildings tend to absorb heat, and a lack of trees as well as other plant life prevents natural cooling from occurring. Additionally, the absence of vegetation that naturally removes pollutants from the air can lead to poor air quality.

The City of Dallas Urban Forest Advisory Committee is helping to reduce the UHI effect by encouraging various tree planting projects across Dallas, especially in the concrete laden parts of our city, including the Adopt-A-Median project.

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