Young Building

Understanding the Cooling Properties of Forested Wetlands and their Role as Climate Moderators   Heat has been a major issue in the United States being the deadliest weather-related event in the past 30-years. There have been several heat mitigation strategies cities have implemented such as street trees and stormwater infrastructure, but despite these implementations they have not dealt with the main symptoms of heat islands. Land cover change from natural land to dense concentrations of pavement, building and other surfaces that absorb heat contribute to the phenomenon. In contrast, wetlands are cooling islands that can regulate their local microclimate. We aimed to (1) investigate the phenomenon with a systematic review to view current research, (2) conduct our measurement campaign to understand wetland buffer-width and wetland characteristics that influence cooling, and (3) view local climate policy in Connecticut towns and how wetlands fit into their framework. Findings have found that wetlands act as a climate moderator keeping cool in summer and warm in winter. Hydrology plays a huge influence on wetland cooling. Connecticut towns could benefit greatly if they were to implement wetlands into their towns to mitigate heat and improve air quality.