The cooling effect of different scales of urban parks on land surface temperatures in cold regions

Abstract

Green spaces are one of the elements that positively improve the urban microclimate conditions in the cities. This study aims to evaluate the cooling effect of urban parks of varying sizes in cold regions. Three urban parks with different land uses, small scale (size: 0.58 ha), medium scale (size: 1.50 ha), and large scale (size: 17.0 ha) were selected in the Elazığ province of Turkey. The impact of their land use on the Land Surface Temperature (LST) was investigated and the cooling effect of the parks was observed on internal and external buffer zones. The study was conducted during the sweltering hot summer period of July 2021, utilizing remote sensing and satellite imagery techniques. The results indicated that the mean LST difference of small, medium, and large scales were 2.4 °C, 4.3 °C and 5.7 °C lower than that found downtown 43.5 °C. The result indicated that the cooling effect of urban parks on their surroundings is directly proportional to their size. As the size of the park increased, the LST decreased and the LST difference between the parks and the city center increased. It was observed that LST values were found to decrease towards the park’s center from the park boundary and increased toward away from the park boundary. In small scale park, the average LST from the park border to the park center was 41.8 °C, 41.5 °C, 40.9 °C and 40.8 °C, respectively, with a total difference of 1.0 °C. In medium scale park, the LST was 39.7 °C, 39.2 °C, 38.9 °C and 38.4 °C, respectively, with a total difference of 1.3 °C. While, in large-scale parks, the average LST was defined as 38.8 °C, 37.6 °C, 36.0 °C and 35.0 °C, respectively, with a total difference of 3.8 °C. As the size of the park increased, this difference increased simultantly. The external buffer analysis shows that, from the park boundary to the outside of the park in all parks, the LST has a similar effect by a maximum of 1.0 °C. In cold regions, the green park has a greater cooling effect than in warm and dry regions. Urban parks, with their varying sizes and land use patterns, exert a significant influence on the microclimate of their surroundings.