Reducing noise pollution

Noise pollution is ubiquitous in urban environments, from noise sources such as traffic, construction and overhead aircraft. Exposure to noise pollution has many negative impacts on people and animals. Each year, we lose one million healthy years of human life in Western Europe. Our experts have developed models to quantify and to value the noise mitigation provided by urban trees, and to identify the best places to plant new trees to reduce noise.

CAPABILITY:

Noise mitigation modelling

UKCEH’s noise mitigation model calculates and maps the noise reduction provided by woodland, with the capability to assess multiple tree-planting scenarios.

By combining model outputs with social data, we can provide an economic value for the resulting reduction in noise levels. This evidence helps build the case for planting more trees in certain locations, particularly when considered along with the other co-benefits such as urban cooling and air pollution removal.

The noise model can also identify the best places to plant new woodland for noise mitigation, to achieve most benefit for local residents. This information can help to guide and shape tree planting initiatives to maximise the benefits for a predefined area of woodland.

CASE STUDY:

Modelling noise mitigation by urban woodland

Our scientists applied their expertise in spatial modelling to assess the mitigation provided by woodland in the city of Birmingham, UK. The study found that the existing woodland across the city provides over £3.8 m per year by reducing noise levels. It also showed that a targeted approach of woodland planting – using the model’s opportunity mapping facility – was substantially better than a random planting approach. Careful targeting means you can provide the same level of benefit with less than a quarter of the area used in an untargeted approach.