Northern Research Station

Title: Air pollution removal by urban trees and shrubs in the United States

Author: Nowak, David J.; Crane, Daniel E.; Stevens, Jack C.

Date: 2006

Source: Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 4:115-123

Station ID: JRNL-NE-4

Description: A modeling study using hourly meteorological and pollution concentration data from across the coterminous United States demonstrates that urban trees remove large amounts of air pollution that consequently improve urban air quality. Pollution removal (0₃, PM₁₀, NO₂, SO₂, CO) varied among cities with total annual air pollution removal by US urban trees estimated at 711,000 metric tons ($3.8 billion value). Pollution removal is only one of various ways that urban trees affect air quality. Integrated studies of tree effects on air pollution reveal that management of urban tree canopy cover could be a viable strategy to improve air quality and help meet clean air standards.

Keywords: Air quality, Urban forests, Urban forestry, Environmental quality

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Citation

Nowak, David J.; Crane, Daniel E.; Stevens, Jack C.  2006.  Air pollution removal by urban trees and shrubs in the United States.   Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 4:115-123.