Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2003

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Geography, Geology, and Anthropology

First Advisor

Ryan R. Jensen

Abstract

Urban areas are horne to a large portion of the population of the United States and also a significant portion ofthe nation's forest resource. This urban forest contributes to the richness of the urban lifestyle in many ways, including aesthetic improvements, cleaning and protecting air, land, and water resources, and reducing the urban heat island effect. This thesis studies the degree to which energy reduction attributable to the urban forest can be determined using remotely sensed data. Results showed a slight inverse relationship between urban forest density and energy usage, meaning that as the density of trees increases there is a small decrease in electrical demand.

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