Vol. 81 No. 2 (2026)
Reviews

Can trees and shrubs make cities quieter? the role of urban forests in mitigating noise pollution

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  • Mario Pagano,
  • Veronica Amodeo,
  • Francesco Belli,
  • Giacomo Mocarli,
  • Simone Secchi
Mario Pagano
Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri, Consiglio Nazionale delle Riceche (IRET-CNR); via Madonna del Piano 10 - 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI).
Bio
Veronica Amodeo
Dipartimento di Architettura (DIDA), Università degli Studi di Firenze; via della Mattonaia 8 - 50121 Firenze.
Francesco Belli
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agrarie, Alimentari, Ambientali e Forestali (DAGRI), Università degli Studi di Firenze; Piazzale delle Cascine 18 - 50144 Firenze, Italia.
Giacomo Mocarli
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agrarie, Alimentari, Ambientali e Forestali (DAGRI), Università di Firenze, Piazzale delle Cascine 18, 50144 Firenze, Italia
Simone Secchi
Dipartimento di Architettura (DIDA), Università degli Studi di Firenze; via della Mattonaia 8 - 50121 Firenze.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1238

Published 2026-07-07

Keywords

  • Urban forests,
  • Noise pollution,
  • Sound absorption,
  • Nature-based solutions (NBS)

How to Cite

Pagano, M., Amodeo, V., Belli, F., Mocarli, G., & Secchi, S. (2026). Can trees and shrubs make cities quieter? the role of urban forests in mitigating noise pollution . L’Italia Forestale E Montana, 81(2), 91–102. https://doi.org/10.36253/ifm-1238

Copyright (c) 2026 Mario Pagano, Veronica Amodeo, Francesco Belli, Giacomo Mocarli, Simone Secchi

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Environmental noise pollution is widely recognized as a major source of environmental degradation worldwide, with road traffic representing the predominant contributor in urban areas. Exposure to sound levels above 55 dBA is associated with significant health risks, including sleep disturbances, psychosocial stress, and cardiovascular effects, as highlighted by the World Health Organization. Urban green spaces have emerged as an effective strategy for mitigating noise exposure, not only through physical sound attenuation mechanisms but also by providing psychological restoration that can reduce perceived noise annoyance. Dense vegetation barriers - particularly multilayered arrangements combining trees, shrubs, and ground cover - can provide considerable attenuation at medium and high frequencies. Species selection is therefore crucial and must consider climatic suitability, evergreen foliage, rapid growth, and planting density. However, the acoustic performance of vegetation is limited by physiological stressors typical of urban environments, including drought, heat, and pollution, which reduce plant vitality and thus their ecosystem service provision. ISO 9613-2 provides standardized methods for estimating attenuation due to foliage, showing modest but measurable reductions that increase with forest density and frequency. Overall, when properly designed, maintained, and integrated with site specific acoustic conditions, vegetation represents a multifunctional and ecologically valuable tool for mitigating urban noise and improving environmental and human well-being. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to evaluate the acoustic mitigation potential of urban forests, analyzing both the physical and psychological mechanisms involved, species-specific performance, and the operational limitations imposed by urban stressors and standard international predictive models.

PDF (Italiano)

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