{"id":34252,"date":"2026-08-07T13:07:32","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:07:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/?p=34252"},"modified":"2026-08-07T13:07:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:07:33","slug":"north-creek-wetland-a-valued-piece-of-climate-adaptation-infrastructure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/2026\/08\/07\/north-creek-wetland-a-valued-piece-of-climate-adaptation-infrastructure","title":{"rendered":"North Creek Wetland: a valued piece of climate-adaptation infrastructure\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">The University of Washington Bothell is home to one of the largest and most complex floodplain restorations in Washington state.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the arrival of&nbsp;European-American&nbsp;settler farmers in the 1870s,&nbsp;the&nbsp;wetland forest&nbsp;on the land that now houses the campus&nbsp;became degraded by cattle ranching throughout the late 19th and mid-20th centuries. In 1997, when construction on the UW Bothell\/Cascadia College campus began, so, too, did restoration to return the area to&nbsp;be a&nbsp;wetland habitat.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, the North Creek wetland is again home to&nbsp;a diverse array of&nbsp;native flora and fauna. It also serves as a living laboratory for the study of wetland ecosystems and ecological restoration.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFaculty, students, staff and administrators take great pride in our campus, and its sustainability story is\u00a0told often,\u201d said Dr. Santiago Lopez, professor\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/ias\/\">School of Interdisciplinary Arts &amp; Sciences<\/a>. \u201cOne feature of that story, however, had not been fully explored: the restored wetland\u2019s role in mitigating the urban heat island effect.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This past year, Lopez and his co-researchers set out to study this aspect of the wetland and answer&nbsp;some important&nbsp;questions:&nbsp;How much cooling does it provide&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;and how far does that benefit extend?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light has-parallax has-aspect-ratio\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;aspect-ratio:16\/9;min-height:unset;\"><div role=\"img\" aria-label=\"A wetland.\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-32396 size-full has-parallax\" style=\"background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/05\/Campus-Wetlands.jpg)\"><\/div><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-0 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#8fae68\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>An open-air laboratory<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Also working&nbsp;on this research was Dr. Jin-Kyu Jung, professor in the School of IAS, and Dr. Bo Ae Chun, professor at the Catholic&nbsp;Kwandong&nbsp;University in Gangneung, South Korea. Through an earlier collaboration, the team&nbsp;had acquired&nbsp;drone-based remote sensing equipment that could measure surface-level thermal radiation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe realized the campus could serve as an open-air laboratory for testing how wetlands function as thermal regulators,\u201d Lopez said. \u201cIt\u2019s a project that would contribute both to the scientific understanding of urban wetland ecosystems and to the campus community\u2019s appreciation of the landscape it works so hard to restore and protect.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While much of the literature around urban heat islands focuses on parks, street trees and green roofs, the heat mitigation benefits of restored wetlands&nbsp;is&nbsp;less documented, Lopez&nbsp;said.&nbsp;And in the Pacific Northwest, warming summers and more frequent heat waves due to climate change make urban heat a growing concern.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf we could demonstrate a measurable cooling effect, the campus restoration would stand not only as an ecological success story but&nbsp;also&nbsp;as evidence that wetland restoration is a viable climate adaptation strategy for urbanizing regions,\u201d he said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;research&nbsp;team also saw the project as an opportunity to prove the value of drone-based thermal remote sensing as a teaching and research tool, allowing students to gain experience collecting and analyzing fine-resolution thermal imagery in a familiar landscape. Serving in this role on the project was one of Lopez\u2019 former students, Haoye Zhang (Data Visualization \u201925).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a765a6f11449&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a765a6f11449\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"961\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"34274\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Aerial-campus-1024x961.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Aerial-campus-1024x961.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Aerial-campus-300x281.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Aerial-campus-768x720.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Aerial-campus-1200x1126.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Aerial-campus-600x563.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Aerial-campus.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a765a6f11b39&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a765a6f11b39\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"34275\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/campus-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/campus-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/campus-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/campus-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/campus-1-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/campus-1-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/campus-1.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Left: Historic imagery depicting the wetland development over time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A&nbsp;natural&nbsp;tool for learning<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Zhang had experience working with similar data while interning with the National Supercomputing Center in his home city of Shenzhen, China, where he analyzed the relationship between land use and precipitation. He then returned to Seattle, where he&nbsp;had&nbsp;previously completed an associate degree in Computer Science at North Seattle College, and&nbsp;started studying at UW Bothell.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt had always been a dream of mine to be a Husky,\u201d he said. \u201cI believe a university should be more than a place to learn, and UW\u2019s commitment to using research, innovation and knowledge to create impact in society stood out as an ideal place for me to follow my dreams.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He developed a strong interest in remote sensing in Lopez\u2019 classes. Lopez then invited him to join the&nbsp;research&nbsp;project, working on image processing and data analysis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>&#8220;I\u2019ve\u00a0been able to connect the knowledge and the skills\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0learned and apply them to real-world issues. It makes me feel good to contribute to raising awareness about rising temperatures.&#8221;<\/p><cite>Haoye\u00a0Zhang, Data Visualization \u201925\u00a0<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was drawn to the wetland research project because it was similar to the work I did in China,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cI really like the environmental field and how&nbsp;I\u2019ve&nbsp;been able to connect the knowledge and the skills&nbsp;I\u2019ve&nbsp;learned and apply them to real-world issues. It makes me feel good to contribute to raising awareness about rising temperatures.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zhang plans to begin a master\u2019s program in Data Science at the UW in Seattle in fall&nbsp;2026.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"831\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig4_ThermalImagery_ASummer_BWinter-1024x831.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34264\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig4_ThermalImagery_ASummer_BWinter-1024x831.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig4_ThermalImagery_ASummer_BWinter-300x243.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig4_ThermalImagery_ASummer_BWinter-768x623.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig4_ThermalImagery_ASummer_BWinter-1200x974.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig4_ThermalImagery_ASummer_BWinter-600x487.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig4_ThermalImagery_ASummer_BWinter.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thermal imagery of the campus and wetland area in summer (left) and winter (right). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Underestimated means for environmental justice&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Starting in summer 2025, team&nbsp;members&nbsp;measured the thermal contrast between the wetland environment and the built portions of campus across different seasonal conditions. They also&nbsp;identified&nbsp;the spatial gradient of cooling \u2014 or where the wetland\u2019s influence begins and ends, and how it diminishes across distance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a765a6f1283b&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a765a6f1283b\" class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"601\" height=\"1024\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig5_Land_Surface_Temp_by_TypeOfSurface-601x1024.jpg\" alt=\"A graph showing surface temperature across time.\" class=\"wp-image-34276\" style=\"width:500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig5_Land_Surface_Temp_by_TypeOfSurface-601x1024.jpg 601w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig5_Land_Surface_Temp_by_TypeOfSurface-176x300.jpg 176w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig5_Land_Surface_Temp_by_TypeOfSurface-768x1308.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig5_Land_Surface_Temp_by_TypeOfSurface-902x1536.jpg 902w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig5_Land_Surface_Temp_by_TypeOfSurface-1203x2048.jpg 1203w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig5_Land_Surface_Temp_by_TypeOfSurface-1200x2043.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig5_Land_Surface_Temp_by_TypeOfSurface-600x1022.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Fig5_Land_Surface_Temp_by_TypeOfSurface.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 601px) 100vw, 601px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Temperature differences across surface types.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What they found is that wetland restoration is indeed an effective tool in combating the intensified urban heat island effect. Not only did the restored wetland appear to significantly lower land surface temperatures, but the cooling effect was also most pronounced during the warmer daytime conditions when heat mitigation matters most, Lopez said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most surprising, he&nbsp;said, was how&nbsp;their&nbsp;detailed, high-resolution thermal data compared with previously used satellite data.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe had assumptions from working with Landsat thermal data, where a single pixel can swallow an entire section of campus and&nbsp;average away&nbsp;everything interesting,\u201d Lopez said. \u201cAt the drone\u2019s higher spatial resolution, patterns&nbsp;emerged&nbsp;that simply are not visible from a satellite\u2019s orbit. It made me reconsider how much of the urban heat island literature may be underestimating the contribution of small green and blue patches \u2014 not because those patches&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;cool but because our instruments have not been able to see them.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ability to measure these more detailed differences at a neighborhood and community-level scale can also help to reveal areas that are more exposed to climate extremes \u2014 making it a valuable tool for informing place-based environmental justice efforts, he added.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBeing able to map that at fine resolution is what turns a general claim about inequity into an actionable, place-specific one.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Value \u2018beyond the habitat\u2019<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The team recently published an article on\u00a0its\u00a0findings in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S2212095526001616?dgcid=author\">Urban Climate<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat readers should take away from this research is that the value of wetlands extends well beyond the habitat and water-quality functions they\u2019re usually credited with,\u201d Lopez said. \u201cA restored wetland is also a piece of climate-adaptation infrastructure.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn an urbanizing watershed like ours, and in a region facing warmer summers, that thermal-regulation service is not incidental, it&nbsp;is a measurable public good,\u201d he said. \u201cRestoration is a cost-effective strategy for building cooler, more livable cities \u2014 one worth protecting, funding and replicating.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lopez is continuing to&nbsp;monitor&nbsp;these benefits. This past spring,&nbsp;UW Bothell&nbsp;students in his remote sensing course helped mount a series of sensors across campus to measure air temperature. This campus sensor network will provide denser and more relevant information than anything that was previously available.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cStay tuned as we learn more about our campus and how its distinctive features can illuminate ongoing environmental change \u2014 in the Pacific Northwest and beyond,\u201d&nbsp;Lopez&nbsp;said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"738\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Lake_Truly_TrueColor_Composite_2024-1024x738.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial image of an urban wetland.\" class=\"wp-image-34257\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Lake_Truly_TrueColor_Composite_2024-1024x738.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Lake_Truly_TrueColor_Composite_2024-300x216.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Lake_Truly_TrueColor_Composite_2024-768x553.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Lake_Truly_TrueColor_Composite_2024-1200x865.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Lake_Truly_TrueColor_Composite_2024-600x432.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/08\/Lake_Truly_TrueColor_Composite_2024.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Researchers set out to answer the question: \u201cHow much cooling does the campus wetland provide\u00a0\u2014 and how far does that benefit extend?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":34261,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_is_archived":false,"_archived_contact_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"school":[],"class_list":["post-34252","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":{"related_links":{"toggle_visibility":false,"link_1":"","link_2":"","link_3":"","link_4":"","link_5":""},"highlight_box":{"toggle_visibility":false,"title":"","content":"","button":"","button_style":"angled-purple-button","button_screen_reader_text":""},"contact_type_1":{"toggle_visibility":true,"contact_title":"","email":"","phone":"","box":"","address_line_1":"","address_line_2":"","location":""},"contact_type_2":{"toggle_visibility":false,"contact_title":"","email":"","phone":"","box":"","address_line_1":"","address_line_2":"","location":""},"social_media":{"toggle_visibility":false,"facebook_url":"","instagram_url":"","linkedin_url":"","twitter_url":"","youtube_url":""},"blog_archive_sidebar_visibility":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - 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