Revealing the Trend of the Impact of Urban Development on the Creation of Heat Islands within the Boundaries and Buffer Zone of the National Botanical Garden of Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Forest Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.

2 Desert Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.

3 Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Objective: Botanical gardens are of particular importance worldwide as centers for preserving biodiversity and as genetic and environmental reserves for education, cultural development, scientific research, and tourism. The National Botanical Garden of Iran, with its history spanning more than half a century and a high diversity of native and exotic plants, as well as various animal species, is considered a unique institution in Iran and the Middle East. However, urban development in the area has become a serious threat to its preservation over the past two decades. This study aims to reveal the impact of urban development on the formation of heat islands within the boundaries and buffer zone of the National Botanical Garden of Iran.
Method: In this study, Landsat 8 satellite imagery from five years (1990, 2000, 2010, 2020, and 2025) was used to assess two indices: land surface temperature (LST) and urban thermal field variation index (UTFVI).
Results: The temporal and spatial analysis of temperature over the 35 years from 1990 to 2025 indicated an upward trend. As a result the temperature class above 45 degrees Celsius increased from zero percent in 1990 to 24.55 percent in 2025. The study of spatial trends in the area and territory of the National Botanical Garden of Iran indicated that heat islands have occurred more frequently within the garden. Accordingly, the images of the LST index in 2025 clearly showed that the highest level in the temperature class above 45 degrees Celsius was observed in the garden area. On the other hand, the highest level in the class below 30 degrees Celsius was observed in the garden area. An examination of the spatial and temporal changes in the thermal comfort variance index (UTFVI) showed that over 35 years, the trend in changes in the thermal comfort index in the upper and middle classes within the garden area increased, reaching from 37.47 and 0 percent in 1990 to 45.81 and 1.99 percent in 2025, respectively. However, the bad, worse, and worst classes were mostly within the garden area.
Conclusions: The results of the present study clearly show the role of land-use changes and construction in increasing heat island intensity, and the role of vegetation development in improving thermal comfort. Considering the deterioration and drying of Chitgar Forest Park in the east and southeast of the National Botanical Garden of Iran, which will increase the negative effects of climate change and heat islands, authorities need to prioritize protecting and enhancing vegetation cover to ensure ecological sustainability. Special attention should be given to maintaining diversity and the percentage of vegetation, especially broadleaf trees, within the garden and Chitgar Forest Park, to foster a healthier environment.

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Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Environmental Studies
Volume 52, Issue 1
June 2026
Pages 83-104

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