Parks and Green Spaces

June 2, 2023

Whether we live in rural or urban settings, we need our green spaces. Unfortunately, those green spaces aren’t equally accessible to all New Yorkers. For example, in 2023, New York City’s low-income neighborhoods have 21% less access to green space and that inequity is prevalent across the state.

In the summer, lack of green spaces creates something called the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, where dense urban areas get significantly hotter than rural ones. In these urban areas, low income neighborhoods are most acutely affected.

Here are some resources to find public green spaces in your area.

Check out our video on New York City, an example of a ‘heat island’ – urban spaces that are hotter than other areas. 

Find a Park and Green Space Near You

Time spent outdoors can improve mental and physical health. Benefits include decreased stress and anxiety and reduced risks for illnesses like cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Find a park near you:

Green spaces by county:

Outdoor Events:

Heat Islands

Urban areas usually experience higher temperatures than others because of all the built-up structures that absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more than nature does.  Heat islands are urban areas that experience higher temperatures than other areas because of the concentration of buildings, roads, and other infrastructure, which absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more than natural landscapes. Learn more about heat island effects.