Why We Need to Cool the City: Thermal Images of South Richmond
by Maya Basnyat, Southside ReLeaf Intern
I started working with Southside ReLeaf back in May for my summer internship. I was drawn to the nonprofit because of the work they have done and the future projects they are planning. In July, I visited various gathering places and parks in South Richmond with a thermal camera to capture the temperature differences between the shaded areas and the areas in direct sunlight.
I knew going into this project that the urban heat island effect, which causes hotter temperatures in areas with more impervious surfaces (like asphalt), is a major factor in how residents experience heat in different parts of the city.
South Richmond has one of the worst urban heat island effects in the city, a legacy that stretches back to the days of redlining and ongoing disinvestment that has aided in disastrous and hasty urban planning. Lack of shade structures and trees combined with climate change’s more extreme weather conditions have caused an increase in the number of heat-related injuries.
Despite knowing all of this as I took photos around Southside, the temperature differences I captured with my thermal camera were shocking.
DAVEE GARDENS
The young tree pictured above was planted by Southside ReLeaf in Fall 2022. It is providing small but mighty cooling benefits to this patch of grass in the Davee Gardens neighborhood, as evidenced by the over 10 degree temperature difference between the shade (shown in purple as 92.3 degrees) and the areas in direct sun (shown in orange and yellow as 105 degrees).
SOUTHSIDE PLAZA
In the photos above, there is a 43.8 degree difference in temperature between the uncovered parking lot (right) and the shade of a tree (left) in the same shopping center.
BELLEMEADE PARK
Pictured above is Southside ReLeaf staff member, Lisa Aikins-Afful, who is curled up in the shade provided by a stretched piece of fabric over the community garden at Bellemeade Park, creating shade that is 43.4 degrees cooler than the nearby uncovered mulch.
MANCHESTER
In the photo taken above along the sidewalk of Hull Street (across from Hatch Kitchen) in Manchester, there is yet another 43 degree temperature difference between the shaded and unshaded areas.
STONY POINT FASHION PARK
At a children's playground at Stony Point Fashion Park, I was able to capture a 50 degree difference between the shaded area and the playground exposed to the sun. Imagine being a kid and trying to play in such a sweltering space. Playgrounds that are 141 degrees are not normal, safe or sustainable for our future generations.
Seeing the stark differences between temperatures in shaded and unshaded areas around South Richmond made me contemplate the ethics of climate change. As weather continues to become more extreme and Richmond experiences more days of intense heat each year, it is urgent to take steps to reduce the urban heat island effect in the Southside. One of these steps must be planting and maintaining a more robust urban forest.
Of the areas in South Richmond featured in this blog, four of them have been designated as “Growth Nodes” by the City, meaning they are being targeted for the greatest growth in jobs and population. The goal for this growth is to be sustainable and involve the creation of more green space. Done with intention, this growth could help reduce the urban heat island effect in these areas. The four “Growth Nodes” in Southside include Southside Plaza, Bellemeade, Manchester, and Stony Point.
Since 2019, Southside ReLeaf has planted and given away more than 1,000 trees to green Southside neighborhoods. Trees that were planted just three years ago by Southside ReLeaf are providing releaf from the heat. We are in the process of developing a map of South Richmond to help prioritize neighborhoods that need more trees.
Follow Southside ReLeaf on social media (see website footer for direct links) to hear about upcoming tree plantings and giveaways in Southside this fall so you can do your part to Cool our City.