Fast Fact Library

A study in Nagoya, Japan suggests the possibility that significant "park cool island" (PCI) impacts (i.e. parks that are at least 1-2°C cooler than their urban surroundings) only exist when parks are larger than a...

Cao, Xin, Akio Onishi, Jin Chen, and Hidefumi Imura. (2010). Quantifying the cool island intensity of urban parks using ASTER and IKONOS data. Landscape and Urban Planning, 96(4), 224-231.

Results from a multiyear study demonstrate that a constructed stormwater wetland is effective in removing phosphorus, nitrogen, total suspended solids, copper, and E. coli in stormwater runoff. The 0.4-ha wetland...

Wadzuk, Bridget M., Matthew Rea, Gregg Woodruff, Kelly Flynn, and Robert G. Traver. (2010). Water-quality performance of a constructed stormwater wetland for all flow conditions. Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 46(2), 385-394.

A study of houses in Portland, Oregon found that on average, street trees add 3% to sales price and reduce time-on-market (TOM) by 1.7 days. In addition, the study found that the benefits of street trees spill over...

Donovan, Geoffrey H., and David T. Butry. (2010). Trees in the city: Valuing street trees in Portland, Oregon. Landscape and Urban Planning, 94(2), 77-83.

The average market effect of street trees on all house values in Portland, Oregon yielded a total value of $1.35 billion, potentially increasing annual property tax revenues by $15.3 million.

Donovan, Geoffrey H., and David T. Butry. (2010). Trees in the city: Valuing street trees in Portland, Oregon. Landscape and Urban Planning, 94(2), 77-83.

Event-based sampling on a street-side bioretention facility in Seattle found that over a 2.5-year period, 48-74% of the incoming runoff was infiltrated or evaporated. Outlet pollutant concentrations were...

Chapman, Cameron, and Richard R. Horner. (2010). Performance assessment of a street-drainage bioretention system. Water Environment Research, 82(2),109-119.

Memorial design can have an impact on war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A study surveyed 62 Vietnam War combat veterans with PTSD before and after visiting Maya Lin’s famous memorial. Veterans...

Watkins, Nicholas, Frances Cole, and Sue Weidemann. (2010). The war memorial as healing environment: The psychological effect of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Vietnam War combat veterans’ posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Environment and Behavior 42(3), 351-375.

An Australian study shows that wildlife tunnels effectively restore habitat continuity and population processes, but do not completely eliminate the effects of roads. Therefore, analysis and modeling of population...

Van der Ree, Rodney, Dean Heinze, Michael McCarthy, and Ian Mansergh. (2009). Wildlife tunnel enhances population viability. Ecology and Society. 14(2), 7.

In a study of businesses on walkable main streets in three Massachusetts towns, businesses that were used as third places (a place of refuge where people can regularly visit and commune with friends, neighbors...

Mehta, Vikas, and Jennifer K. Bosson. (2009). Third Places and the Social Life of the Street. Environment and Behavior 42(6), 779-805.

In a study of physically inactive adults in New South Wales, Australia, interesting scenery, including neighborhood aesthetics and greenery, and good street lighting at night, correlated with an increased amount of...

Merom, Dafna, Adrian Bauman, Philayrath Phongsavan, Ester Cerin, Mazen Kassis, Wendy Brown, Ben J. Smith, and Chris Rissel. (2009). Can a motivational intervention overcome an unsupportive environment for walking – findings from the Step-by-Step Study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 38(2), 137-146.