Kathmandu, June 19 -- Urban forests, parks and ponds could reduce temperatures in the Kathmandu valley by as much as 1.6 degrees Celsius if they are strategically managed, according to a new study published in the journal Urban Climate.

This is the first study to examine how different types of blue-green infrastructure contribute to cooling effects across the Valley's urban areas.

An international team from seven institutions used satellite-based data and machine learning algorithms to analyse 301 parks, 130 forest patches, and 26 ponds within densely populated parts of the Valley.

The study finds that temperatures rise notably as one moves away from blue-green spaces such as forests, parks and ponds. For instance, the Swoyambhu forest...