Parks, trees & climate
Consistent priorityGreen space, trees, play areas and climate and heat relief in outdoor public spaces.
Residents consistently ask for more trees and shade, cooler and better-equipped parks and playgrounds, free drinking water, and community gardens, especially in hotter, lower-canopy neighborhoods.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
411 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 129 | 10.6% | 2 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 133 | 11.1% | 2 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 149 | 11.3% | 1 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
More street trees in low-canopy, hot neighborhoods
Residents ask the City to plant and maintain trees where canopy is thin and pavement is heavy, citing heat, air quality and equity for low-income areas and communities of color.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Community gardens and food-growing space
Residents want community gardens, food forests and fruit trees, often on vacant or underused lots, to improve fresh food access and create gathering places.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Free drinking water fountains
Residents ask for more public water fountains in parks, playgrounds and busy streets, especially for hot days and for people who cannot afford bottled water.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Better parks and playgrounds for kids and families
Residents ask for new, cleaner and upgraded parks and playgrounds with age-appropriate play options, particularly in neighborhoods that feel underserved.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Shade, seating and cooling relief in public spaces
Residents ask for shaded benches, misting or splash features and cooling spots so seniors, children and workers can stay outdoors safely during heat.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
2024–25
Tree planting for heat and air quality dominated, with strong interest in Chinatown, Allston and Brighton, plus Miyawaki tiny forests, community gardens and dog parks.
2025–26
Food forests, water fountains, cooling features such as misting and splash pads, and more kids' parks stood out, along with proactive city tree planting and yard waste pickup for gardens.
2026–27
Shade structures over playgrounds and at bus stops, cooling stations, drinking fountains and tree canopy in East Boston and other hot neighborhoods were prominent, alongside solar panel ideas.
New in 2026–27
Shade structures and sails over playgrounds, shade at bus stops and plazas, and hydrant-fed sprinklers or cooling stations are much more prominent, with solar panels on public buildings and parking lots also growing.
Funding so far
The funded community garden grants and the Green My Block greening of city-owned spaces speak to the recurring garden and greening asks, but no winning project yet addresses street tree planting, drinking fountains, playground upgrades and shade, or cooling relief.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
Community Gardens in Neighborhoods with Limited Affordable Food Access
2024–25 · $500,000
This proposal will offer grants to nonprofit organizations to build community gardens on underutilized land for public access and use.
Green My Block
2025–26 · $100,000
This proposal transforms underutilized city-owned spaces along roadways and sidewalks through community-led greening initiatives.
Departments that often lead this work
- Parks & Recreation
- Environment Department
Suggested with AI; not an official assignment of responsibility.
Ideas in Parks, trees & climate
411 ideas
2024–25: 129 · 2025–26: 133 · 2026–27: 149
- Splash pad, playground and crosswalk at Pagel FieldResident asks to upgrade Pagel Field with a splash pad and playground for kids during soccer games, plus a flashing crosswalk at HPA/Hunter Street.2026–27Jamaica Plain
- Street trees access for rentersResident asks for landlord incentives or another way for renters to get street trees planted, since shaded-poor, renter-heavy areas have no say in requesting trees.2026–27Dorchester
- Native pollinator garden near Malibu BeachResident requests a designated native pollinator garden near the Malibu Beach area to support native plants and pollinators, which also help food security.2026–27Dorchester
- Grants for native plant landscapingResident asks for grants to help homeowners do native plant gardening or landscaping, supporting native plants and pollinators.2026–27City-wide
- More street trees on lower Pleasant StreetResident asks to expand street tree coverage on lower Pleasant Street and nearby streets, where mostly renters live, to help reduce the heat island effect.2026–27Dorchester
- Control geese population along Charles River parksResident asks for effective control of the overpopulated, aggressive geese along Charles River parks to keep green spaces safe and clean.2026–27City-wide
- Free food forest in Allston-BrightonResident proposes a free food forest in Allston-Brighton to add green and garden space and fresh, affordable, culturally relevant produce in a paved, lower-income area.2026–27Allston
- Hydrant-connected sprinklers as cooling stationsResident proposes connecting sprinklers to fire hydrants for summer cooling stations, prioritizing heat-island areas like Chinatown, Roxbury and East Boston and places where vulnerable people gather.2026–27City-wide
- Shade and water fountains at all playgroundsResident asks for shade structures and water fountains at every playground because hot equipment and lack of shade or water risk sunburn and heat exhaustion.2026–27City-wide
- Citywide cooling stations during heat wavesResident asks for citywide stations where people can rest in a cooled area during heat waves, offering space to people often excluded from society.2026–27City-wideSubmitted in Korean
- Maintain existing treesResident asks for maintenance of existing trees to help create healthy neighborhoods.2026–27City-wideSubmitted in Korean
- More shade and water bottle fountains citywideResident asks to spend funds on more shade around the city and water fountains that fill bottles, addressing inequality in shade and clean water access.2026–27City-wide
- Turn city sliver lots into permeable tree-planting sitesResident asks the city to review available public sliver lots and use them only for permeable surfaces and tree planting.2026–27City-wide
- Keep Pier 5 public as waterfront parkResident asks to stop privatization of Pier 5, keep it public for waterfront access, and create a park to balance environmental justice inequities.2026–27Charlestown
- Concrete tetrapods to prevent coastal floodingThe resident proposes placing concrete tetrapods along the shoreline to block high tides and sea surges and prevent coastal flooding.2026–27City-wide
- Pop-up adventure playgrounds in neighborhood parksThe resident proposes mobile trailers stocked with crates, ropes and planks for free-form play in neighborhood parks, bringing play experiences to under-resourced neighborhoods.2026–27City-wide
- Food forest and community garden at Glines & School StreetThe resident asks for a food forest and community garden with raised beds and shade on a lot at Glines and School Street, to give neighbors access to green space.2026–27Jamaica Plain
- Community garden to grow and share foodProposes a community garden where people learn to garden, share, and eat the food they grow.2026–27City-wide
- More trees at AshmontAsks for more trees to be planted at Ashmont.2026–27Dorchester
- More trees outside Madison ParkAsks for more trees planted outside Madison Park.2026–27Roxbury