Parks and Trees
What is it?
The natural or landscaped areas within urban environments dedicated to public recreation, environmental preservation, and aesthetic enhancement. This includes city parks, greenways, tree-lined streets, and urban forests.
These spaces are important for environmental sustainability as they provide numerous benefits such as improving air quality, managing stormwater, offering wildlife habitats, and reducing the urban heat island effect. They also serve as recreational areas for the community, promoting physical and mental well-being.
Who’s working on it in the Tri-Cities?
- Mid-Columbia Community Forestry Council (MCCFC) – Promotes recognition of the value, benefits, and importance of urban trees.
- City Parks and Recreation Departments
- Benton County Parks – Provides recreational, educational, and conservation venues for the health, enjoyment, and enrichment of the community.
- Friends of Badger Mountain – “The preservation and stewardship of the ridges in the Lower Columbia Basin for the benefit of the community and the environment. Our efforts will have accomplished the preservation of quality ridge land and have established ridge components of the Rivers-to-Ridges public trail system.”
- Benton Franklin Health District (BFHD) and Kids for Urban Trees (K4UT) – A collaboration to learn about heat and work on shade for playgrounds. Read about Hot Playgrounds and Children’s Safety
- Job’s Nursery – Helping Tri-City Gardeners Grow Since 1940! Facebook