Page 248 - Çevre Şehir ve İklim Dergisi İngilizce - Özel Sayı

Footprints of the Nature in Cities; Urban Heat Island Effects
and the Role of Afforestation Efforts in Reduction of These Effects

With the increase in urbanization, the growing number of buildings, asphalt
roads, and other engineering structures retain more heat compared to natural
areas. This situation leads to the formation of temperature differences in cities
(Akbari et al., 2001). In the formation of the Urban Heat Island, the change in
the land surface energy balance due to intense urbanization and the increased
retention of heat energy on the surface in urbanized areas are also observed
(Figures 1, 2) (Duran, 2018).

Figure 2. Urban Heat Island Simulation (Created by the Author).
In this study, the Urban Heat Island phenomenon was examined, and as a
case study, the formation of UHI in Konya province was illustrated using the
“Google Earth Engine” application through graphical representations, and
the negative effects of UHI were discussed, and information was provided on
afforestation efforts, which is one of the methods to mitigate these negative
effects. Additionally, the study focuses on the negative effects of urban heat
islands that have a more strategic importance and impact on human life,
particularly on public health and water resources.

2. Urban Heat Island Formation, Causes and Effects

Urban heat islands can be categorized into two groups as atmospheric
heat islands and surface heat islands. Atmospheric heat islands refer to the
condition where urban areas have higher air temperatures compared to the
surrounding natural areas. This situation becomes particularly evident during
the summer months, when cities heat up more than their surrounding areas.
Urban development and human activities are significant factors that increase
air temperatures in cities. In urban areas, the reduction of vegetation and the
increase in human activities lead to higher air temperatures (Yılmaz et al., 2019).
In the study of the Atmospheric Heat Island, air temperature data obtained
from meteorological stations or mobile measurement devices can be used. The
formation of the atmospheric heat island is influenced by dense urbanization,

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Special Issue / 2024