Nature-based Solutions for Rising Temperatures: Air and Water

A successful plan to address the impacts of rising temperatures focuses on reducing heat islands, where air temperatures are significantly higher in developed areas than in surrounding undeveloped areas in your community. It should also address rising water temperatures that can degrade water quality and wildlife habitat. The plan should involve both the implementation of shovel-in-the-ground projects as well as long range planning for land protection, bylaws and zoning regulations, and education/advocacy. There are three main strategies that will help with rising air and water temperatures.

Site Studies: Rising Temperatures

Rising temperatures will be most impactful in our urban and more highly developed communities which have extensive areas of paved landscape, denser business/housing areas, and less greenspace. This collection of case studies identifies specific sites in each focus community that were identified as potential heat islands. Each Site Study includes a map with site-specific NbS recommendations, a link to the site on an interactive DataViewer, and Nature-based Solutions Project Templates for the recommended NbS. Maps in our Nashua River Watershed-wide Map Atlas can also aid in identifying areas prone to becoming heat islands, in particular the maps of impervious cover. We encourage you to further explore additional sites and solutions through each town-specific NbS Recommendations Report (links below).

Explore additional sites in each study community.

• Ashburnham
• Fitchburg
• Groton
• Leominster
• Pepperell

Long range efforts to address rising air and water temperatures

Protect, plan, educate, and advocate

• Plant trees and promote green roofs
• Preserve forests and promote green spaces, tree cover
• Use lighter colors to reflect sunlight from roofs and pavements
• Reduce heat with green infrastructure and by reducing heat generation
• Remove dams to cool water

Climate Resilience

Collapse