John:
With soaring temperatures across the country, we are working harder than ever to create parks, trails, and green spaces that reduce urban heat, mitigate wildfire danger, and reduce and capture atmospheric carbon.
PS: Will you share how parks, trails, or green spaces help you beat the heat? Your reply may get featured in future messages!
— Alana Fink, Trust for Public Land |
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What do you do to beat the summer heat? Stay hydrated, eat light meals, wear cotton clothes? We're doing the same—but for cities and parks! On sunny days, much of the infrastructure in urban areas—from asphalt roads to dark shingles on rooftops—traps heat and drives up temperatures. Check out what we're doing to change that. |
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The Chattahoochee RiverLands will become Georgia's largest network of parks and trails. When completed, it will link 19 cities and seven counties and include 42 water access points and eight campsites. Even now, some of the RiverLands work is already complete and accessible—bringing people to the water’s edge for hiking, camping, and paddling along the iconic river. |
Photo: Allen Beauchamp/Trails and Open Space Coalition |
Climate experts say tree canopy is the most effective natural solution to urban heat islands. Southeast Colorado Springs is 7 degrees warmer than surrounding neighborhoods, but not for long! We planted over 250 trees at Panorama Park, which previously had only 12. With fresh foliage, shade awnings, and a splashpad, the newly renovated park, opening August 20, will be a cool space to beat the heat. |
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Photo: Paul Robert Wolf Wilson |
Despite the importance and popularity of our national forests, they are facing unprecedented threats: extreme drought, growing rates of pests—and worst of all—severe megafires. We cannot stand by and watch as our forests are destroyed acre by acre. Take action now and demand Congress protect our national forests! |
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Updates from across the Country
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Summers are hot, but Minnesotans can stay cool at the river or in the shaded woods. We helped protect 729 acres of forest, wetlands, and streams along the St. Croix River—just in time for a summer paddle trip or an excursion through the forest to beat the heat. |
New York City's green spaces make the city more livable, but more public funding is needed to ensure every resident, regardless of neighborhood, has access to a quality park. That’s why we are calling on the city's elected officials to support our New York City Park Equity Plan to expand the park system so all New Yorkers have access to vibrant outdoor spaces. |
Nyland Ranch sits in San Benito County and is the ancestral home of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. In August, the Amah Mutsun, in partnership with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the U.S. Forest Service, will conduct a traditional prescribed burn on the property. This cultural practice will help to deter wildfires from igniting due to increasing temperatures and dry weather conditions often found in this region. |
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Share why you're thankful for the outdoors for a chance to be featured in a future newsletter. |
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As many of us are heading to our favorite parks for vacation, there is still much urgent work to be done to conserve and protect public lands. Before heading out for your summer trip, join our Monthly Giving Society to support conservation efforts year-round. |
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Trust for Public Land has secured $2.1 million in federal funding toward the 2,000-acre Roaring Branch project in Stamford and Pownal, Vermont. In addition to providing a forested buffer to the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail, protecting this property from development and fragmentation will support climate resilience. |
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