PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth ranks as the second hottest location in Virginia, according to a study from the National Centers for Environmental Information that compiled findings from cities and counties throughout the state.
Now, a group of graduate students and professors from Virginia Wesleyan University is hoping to change that, one tree at a time.
The initiative, called “Cool Down P-Town,” is part of a larger sustainability research project focused on reducing extreme heat across the city. Dr. Chris Haley, a professor of earth and environmental sciences at Virginia Wesleyan, said the team is identifying urban areas that could benefit most from tree planting…