THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OF GREENSPACES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

Extreme heat is responsible for the onset of new and exacerbation of pre-existing health conditions, and it can be influenced or made worse by land cover and land use types in an area. Extreme heat is a challenge faced by communities around the world including as locally as Georgia and Alabama. This study examines the role of land cover on heat along the I-85 corridor and estimate thermal comfort given meteorological and surface temperature conditions to estimate the occurrence of heat-related morbidities. Determining a relationship between heat and health along the corridor will provide an understanding of what ecosystem services greenspaces provide. We expect vegetated areas along the corridor to be significantly cooler than areas with more urbanized land cover. We will examine a local city along the I-85 corridor, Auburn, AL, to determine what sites could be converted to vegetated space since we expect greenspaces reduce urban heat. The methodology and results we present could be useful for other researchers, city planners, and community members interested in reducing the urban heat island effect in their cities and towns in addition to other climate and human health benefits of incorporating more greenspaces in their cityscapes.