{
  "id": 1480849,
  "title": "Miami's largest tree canopies deliver most cooling, monitoring data suggests",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/miamis-largest-tree-canopies-deliver-most-cooling-monitoring-data",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-17T12:40:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-08-miami-largest-tree-canopies-cooling.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Miami's largest tree canopies deliver the most cooling effect, according to research conducted by Florida International University. The study reveals that not all trees are equal when it comes to their ability to reduce urban heat. Young trees and smaller species like palms and ornamental trees like the royal poinciana provide less cooling compared to large, older native trees such as fig, live oak, and gumbo limbo. These larger trees can lower temperatures by up to 10°F in urban areas, which can make a significant difference during sweltering Miami afternoons when the air feels like a furnace. The researchers emphasize the importance of protecting mature canopy and planting shade-producing species, alongside increasing tree numbers, to enhance the cooling capabilities of Miami's urban forest. Currently, Miami-Dade County has about 20% tree canopy coverage, falling short of the county's goal of 30%.",
  "summary": "People rarely give much thought to the trees around them—until there aren't any. Not when they're driving past them. Not when they're scrolling on a park bench. But on a sweltering Miami afternoon, when the sidewalk feels like a frying pan and the air itself seems to radiate heat, stepping beneath a tree can feel like walking into a different climate. A cooler, more welcoming climate.",
  "key_points": [
    "Large, older native trees provide most cooling effect",
    "Young trees and smaller species offer less cooling",
    "Miami-Dade County aims for 30% tree canopy coverage"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}