In 1634, the first public park in the United States was created for things like livestock grazing, training soldiers, public punishments and even executions. Today, Boston Common is home to softball fields, swan boats and public gardens. Obviously, our ideas about parks have changed and so has our understanding of their benefits. Green space provides abundant advantagesto urbanites, from decreasing stress and pollution to increasing physical activity. They also combat the rising urban temperatures, reduce flooding and provide space for plants and animals.

Urban green space has increased globally since 2000, and the way we manage and design it has changed a lot. Here are a few ways green space sprouted and flowered over the last two decades.

Public climate refuges

Heat-absorbing pavement and buildings and heat-generating cars and industries can make cities up to 7 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than surrounding areas. Called the urban heat island effect, the phenomenon can exacerbate heat waves and increase the risk of illness and even death. 

Trees, vegetation and bodies of water are a natural antidote to sizzling cities by providing shade and moisture. Urban forests can be up to 3 degrees Fahrenheit cooler on average than areas without greenery, and parks and gardens are shown to have a cooling effect over three-quarters of a mile away. Green spaces also play a critical role in helping absorb floodwater from extreme rainfall events, which have become more frequent and severe under climate change. 

Cities are wising up to these benefits, transforming green spaces into climate refuges that shield residents, infrastructure and ecosystems from extreme weather. A 2022 survey of the 100 most populous U.S. cities found that 85 percent of them are adapting parks and recreation facilities for climate change. This includes improving park surfaces to reduce flooding and runoff, while adding water-retention basins and small rain gardens that temporarily hold and soak up rainwater. 

Cities are also planting trees to absorb carbon and managing woodlands to mitigate the risk of wildfires. In coastal areas, communities like St. Petersburg, Florida, are restoring wetlands, installing oyster reefs and planting native shoreline grasses to combaterosion, reduce storm surges and improve water quality. 

But these havens aren’t limited to the U.S. In London, Grosvenor Square is will turn into a climate refuge by the summer of 2026. The city is planting thousands of plants, trees and bulbs to provide cooling. By the end of the project, the square will have wetlands, shaded gardens, and a range of plant species. Other features like wildflowers, deadwood, bug hotels and natural fountains will support biodiversity. 

Despite all these benefits, park renovations aren’t cheap, and funding often falls on cities. Many lack the funds to adequately maintain their parks, let alone invest in renovations. 

Green infrastructure

Green infrastructure, a network of natural and semi-natural spaces designed and managed to provide ecological and social benefits, is another urban design concept gaining in popularity. These networks include parks, but also areas like private gardens, river canals, green roofs, city farms, churchyards and street trees. Green infrastructure first emerged as a planning concept in the mid 1990s. Since then, it’s taken off alongside our growing focus on the economic benefits of nature. 

A prime example of a city awash in green infrastructure is Singapore. Its City in Nature plan aims to make a green and sustainable home for its citizens by 2030. The city has already planted more than half a million trees and reclaimed nearly half of the area as green space. Singapore is also linking parks and nature reserves through ecological corridors that enable wildlife to move freely, find resources and maintain genetic diversity. Plus, over two-thirds of the city — including rooftops, parks, sidewalks and roads — is designed to capture rainwater and send it to reservoirs via channels and tunnels. 

The rest of the world is catching on, too. Globally, green infrastructure coverage is predicted to increase by over 20 percent by 2030. These pockets of greenery of nature bring a lot of perks. Small neighborhood green spaces let citizens have daily contact with nature and, just like parks, mitigate the impacts of climate change by cooling temperatures and absorbing rainwater. Green infrastructure also reduces energy costs, increases property values and conserves water.

Though there are a few challenges to going green. Insufficient knowledge of green infrastructure, including its potential cost savings and benefits, along with a low risk tolerance, can also hinder its implementation. Cities often focus heavily on green infrastructure’s ability to manage stormwater, overlooking its other advantages.

Reimagining the lawn

While lawns still dominate our green space, there’s a push to reimagine them. Lawns are aesthetically pleasing and provide opportunities for recreation and events, but they have a downside. In the U.S., they’re typically planted with non-native grasses, which require more care and water than native vegetation, and they only harbor a fraction of the biodiversity found in semi-natural habitats.

Spurred by water shortages and an increasing environmental awareness, an anti-lawn movement is growing. Across the globe, lawns are transformed into grasslands, prairies and even gardens, swapping out turf for native grasses and plants.In fact, 12 percent of American adults converted part of their lawn into a natural or wildflower landscape in 2023, according to a National Wildlife Federation survey. 

Across the pond, Berlin is abandoning its lawns with vigor. The city maintains semi-natural grasslands and meadows in parks, districts and a former airport. Residents are also planting herbs, clover, fruits and vegetables in community gardens, courtyards and public green spaces. The Free University of Berlin planted a mini forest on its campus, created a community garden, and adapted its maintenance cycle and techniques to be more friendly to meadow-dwelling insects and small vertebrates. 

Still, the anti-lawn movement has a few headwinds. For instance, homeowner associations may require owners to maintain manicured lawns, native vegetation often costs more and is not as readily available as non-native plants, and the time and money needed to convert a lawn can be a hurdle.

Parks for all

More than half of the world’s population lives in cities, and by 2050, that figure is expected to rise to 70 percent. While green space increased globally since 2000, access to these spaces is still far from equal. Research shows cities in the Global South — including Asia, Africa and Latin America — have experienced a decline. In the U.S., communities of color are three times more likely than white neighborhoods to have limited access to nature. As the new face of green space emerges, guaranteeing access to nature and the numerous benefits is vital for all communities.