AUSTIN (KXAN) – New research from the University of Texas showed Austin’s creeks have more benefits for our area than just controlling floods.

KXAN spoke with Amy Belaire, the Science & Strategy Program Advisor for The Nature Conservancy in Texas. Her research team recently published a study on the Waller Creek watershed where they monitored an array of things from wildlife cameras to air quality.

Belaire said the study was to help better understand the benefits of nature in the green spaces throughout the watershed.

She said the green spaces are providing a wide range of benefits for wildlife, biodiversity and providing important benefits such as sequestering greenhouse gases, capturing air pollutants and cooling air temperatures.

“We measured more than 1000 trees as part of the study and we found that more tree cover along the creek banks was associated with better air quality and cooler temperatures. And now it’s on top of the benefits that are already well known in terms of water quality and reduced flooding and erosion,” Belaire said.

Use the video player above to watch the entire discussion.