Air quality

Urban vegetation can directly and indirectly affect local and regional air quality by altering the urban atmospheric environment. UNRI scientists are presently studying the effects of urban natural resources on air quality in the Northeast, using a variety of research tools and methods developed by the Forest Service.

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Greenhouse effects and carbon cycling

Research scientists from UNRI are working to establish the effects that urban tress have on local air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speeds, and how can urban vegetation be configured to increase human comfort and reduce thermal stress.

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Water quality

UNRI scientists are currently conducting research to determine the effects of urbanization and urban forests on water flows and quality of local streams. Additonally, research on how urbanization and urban forests affect stream organism productivity and health is presently underway in a series of locations in the Northeast.

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Energy conservation

Presently UNRI scientists are researching the impacts that trees have on building energy use, and how can they be optimally configured to reduce building energy use and consequent pollutant emissions from power plants. Using state-of-the-art toolds developed by UNRI scientists, the work is providing practial solutions for energy conservation.

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