Nashville Tree Conservation Corps Shade Report
We just released our official Shade Report, in which we ranked Nashville's public parks to identify the most in-need-of-shade locations based on a number of factors. Here, we’ll take a look at the results and share what Nashville residents can do to contribute to our call for improved tree canopy cover for the health, safety, and comfort of all who enjoy our city’s parks. Towards the end, we’ll offer a few tips on maintaining canopy shade at home and in our neighborhoods.
Nashville Tree Conservation Corps’ Shade Report
We undertook this shade coverage study to encourage Metro Nashville to prioritize specific areas for tree conservation and planting, so our parks can be havens for all Nashvillians now and for generations to come.
To understand the state of shade coverage in Nashville parks, our team looked at four metrics for each of the 148 parks and then combined those metrics to come up with a “Heat Score” for each one. Here are the metrics we used:
Park Canopy Score: The percentage of the park that has shade canopy.
Area Canopy Score: The percentage of the surrounding neighborhood that has shade canopy.
Heat Ranking: The score assigned to the park by the Nashville Heat Exposure Index.
Climate and Economic Justice Score: Results from the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool showing which parks are disadvantaged due to underinvestment and overpollution.
By aggregating these four metrics, we can see a clear picture of which parks are most urgently in need of attention and advocacy.
Our results showed that the top 10 hottest parks are mostly near Nashville’s downtown core, where pavement and buildings absorb and radiate heat (known as the urban heat island effect), with fewer trees to mitigate the warmth. The good news is that planting and preserving trees is the best way to improve these hot conditions!
The top 10 hottest parks in Nashville currently are:
William Edmondson Park
Tony Rose Park
Kossie Gardner, Sr. Park
Wasioto Park
Watkins Park
Fort Negley
E. S. Rose Park
Dudley Park
Fair Park
Berry Hill's Columbine Park
We’re working with Metro Parks Foundation, individual donors, and neighborhood associations to raise funds and create more canopy and reduce park temperatures and sun exposure.
Look up the parks in your neighborhood or the ones you visit most often, and check where they fall on our list ranking Nashville’s 148 public parks for shade cover.
Learn more about how NTCC advocates for the integrity of Nashville’s tree canopy in our article, “Advocating for Canopies: What Does It Mean to Speak for the Trees?”
Why Shade Matters
According to the EPA, shade can lower surface temperatures by 20-45°F. Here in Nashville, that’s the difference between a beautiful day and a potentially dangerous one. But the benefits reach much further than that! By protecting existing trees and planting new ones, we’re also improving:
Air Quality
Water Quality
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Stormwater Management
Overall Quality of Life
Check out our article on shade and playgrounds, where we look at some of the best-shaded children’s parks in Nashville!
How Can You Advocate for More Shade?
Contact your Metro Council Member and encourage investment in tree conservation and planting at parks identified as high-heat priority areas in their district. You can simply say: “I support investing in tree conservation and planting to increase shade at Nashville parks identified as heat-vulnerable.”
Request sites for planting trees (like public parks and parkways in front of homes) by going to hub.nashville.gov. Submission requests can cover tree maintenance, planting, and concerns.
Creating Shade at Home and in Our Neighborhoods
Shade in our public spaces is essential, but our residential trees also contribute much of the neighborhood cooling effects that we enjoy along sidewalks, in our yards, and even indoors. Learn more about the temperature impacts of trees in our article on how canopy trees lower summer cooling costs!
Actionable steps that residents can take to maintain shade include:
Plant canopy tree species for impactful cooling effects.
Water your trees as they grow.
Prune trees for a strong, sturdy shape.
Have a certified arborist inspect your trees every 2-3 years (or sooner if you notice a problem).
Care for your mature trees.
Buy a tree from our tree sale to plant at home, whether a big canopy tree for serious shade or a smaller understory tree to shield sun-exposed windows from morning or evening sunlight. Trees of all sizes contribute to keeping Nashville cool!
Help us care for the trees of Shelby Avenue Arboretum! We’re holding a volunteer day on Saturday, September 26. Check out this post for more information on the event, or click here to sign up to volunteer!
You can also donate a tree for us to plant, or donate a dollar amount to help fund our mission to work in the interest of our urban forest. We deeply appreciate every contribution made!
Sign up for our email newsletter for regular tree news and care tips, and visit our Linktree for more ways to connect with us.