Urban heat islands are caused by a lack of cooling abiotic factors in an environment in addition to abundant human activity. Although minimally perceptible on a small scale, the heat generated by individuals driving, using machinery, or even just jogging builds up, leading to a significant heat increase in the local area. In densely populated urban areas, the heat generated by just living our day-to-day lives with the heat trapped by urban structures accumulates, creating a sweltering heat zone.

Cities overall are much hotter than surrounding rural areas, because of comparably higher levels of human activity and lower square-footage of green space. Within cities too, there are areas that have far fewer trees, which leads to even higher temperatures than the rest of the city. This phenomenon is immediately noticeable in Salt Lake City, where shaded areas - like Sugar House or Capitol Hill - feel notably cooler than areas with fewer trees – like Rose Park or Poplar Grove. Although the difference in temperature in these areas might only be a couple degrees, this seemingly small increase in temperature is drastic, especially when the daily temps are reaching the triple digits. With only a 2° increase, energy demands can increase up to 9%, leading to higher energy costs and more pollution.

By growing the urban forest and minimizing these barren, extreme heat zones, we all benefit. We all benefit from lowering temperatures within the cityscape, reducing energy use, and creating welcoming spaces for us all to enjoy year-round. In addition to creating an overall more inviting city for us all to enjoy, we can help protect our neighbors from heat-related illness, keep our waterways clean, and reduce pollution – all by planting more trees. With Salt Lake City’s increased efforts to plant more trees on the West Side and TreeUtah’s partnerships with community organizations in areas in need of more trees, the city’s urban forest will continue to grow and, hopefully, help our community thrive equitably.

Want to help us reduce the heat island effect by bringing trees to neighborhoods in need? Make a donation today by clicking here.

Everything from ourselves, wildlife, plants, and abiotic factors are experiencing the effects of this excess heat. In Utah’s semi-arid climate, we have very little moisture to spare, so every drop is critical. If heat levels increase in the air, the moisture in the soil can be affected too and dry out, which leads to less ground water for our wild landscapes, our gardens, the wildlife, and us. What can we do to prepare and protect both ourselves and our habitat from a predator as seasoned and pervasive as the boiling summer heat?

Planting for Drought

For a lush garden in the midst of drought and surging heat, choose plants that flourish in dryer climates.  We have done some of the research for you and we have a list of trees that do well in regions prone to drought. Making the choice to plant more drought-tolerant species could get you a three-for-one kind of deal. One, once a drought-tolerant shade tree reaches maturity, the surrounding area will be shaded, which leads to less money spent on AC in the Summer. Two, adding various types of drought-tolerant species can help diversify and allow resiliency to the ecosystem in the area. Three, adding native trees to the urban forest can limit the threat of invasive species from taking over.

Conserving Water

A drought-resistant garden, of course, will help reduce water use. While watering the garden, it’s also important to ensure water is being used to maximum effect by watering early in the morning or at night to prevent significant evaporative water loss and by refraining from watering when it’s too windy. Gardeners should also be mindful of prioritizing the plants that need water most: trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, and then grass. Additionally, taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet while brushing teeth, running swamp coolers on the lowest setting, and other household water-saving efforts can go a long way in reducing the community’s overall water use. By conserving water, we can secure a reliable water supply for future generations and support the wildlife that makes Utah a beautiful, unique place to live, ensuring our community will be able to safely enjoy our remarkable habitat along the Wasatch wildland-urban interface for decades to come.

Personal Preparation for Extreme Heat

With increasing occurrence of wildfires in the region and indefinitely hotter, drier Summers, it’s a good idea to take measures now to do what you can to beat the heat and to have an action plan in place if you are in an area that is at wildfire risk. Keeping your house cool using tools beyond AC will help you find relief from the heat without overburdening the electrical grid or your wallet. These tools include adequate drapery or shades, weather-stripped doors and windows, and adequate insulation. It’s also important to ensure you are staying hydrated and have supplies ready to go in case of emergency, whether it’s due to wildfire or heat-caused power outages. The American Red Cross and the U.S. emergency preparedness website both have excellent advice and resources that can help us plan for the hot Summers ahead.

At this point, we know Summers will keep getting hotter and it’s important for us all to take the steps we can to prepare. As individuals and as a community, we can adapt and beat the heat.