Seoul urban forests lower summer temperature by up to 1.8 °C

The National Institute of Forest Science measured temperature and humidity in Seoul’s city centre and in various types of urban forest. Results show that urban forests cool the midday air by as much as 1.8 °C compared with the built‑up area, and keep night‑time temperatures about 1.3 °C to 1.6 °C lower, helping to ease heat‑wave and heat‑night conditions.

The strongest cooling was observed in mixed broadleaf‑conifer stands and pure broadleaf stands, where dense foliage blocks sunlight and evapotranspiration extracts heat from the surrounding air. Researchers recommend that city planners incorporate such vegetation structures when creating new parks or green corridors to maximize heat‑reduction benefits.