Cool the City

A collaborative effort between the City of Richmond and local nonprofit organizations to make Richmond’s hottest neighborhoods even cooler!

09/03/2026

🌳 "Trees honestly can't really get enough water."

In Part IV of our tree care series, Qui Nguyen shares how to tell when your tree has gotten enough water — and why patience matters when you’re watering with a hose!

A good rule of thumb is 5–8 gallons at a time, but newly planted trees can benefit from even more water. If you’re using a hose, use a gentle shower setting and water slowly, pausing every few minutes to let the water soak into the soil rather than run off. Expect to spend about 10–15 minutes watering. 💧

Missed Parts I–III of the series? Head to our Instagram page to catch up on the whole series! 🌱

08/30/2026

Let’s talk about depaving!

Dark, impervious surfaces such as roads and parking lots increase temperatures by trapping in heat, while green space cools down temperatures through shade and evapotranspiration. Next time you walk down the street, see if you can notice a difference in temperature when walking under a leafy canopy versus when in the direct sun!

While we haven’t featured this part of our work as much, we have concrete (😉) plans to create new tree wells in sidewalks that don’t currently have space for street trees. So far, we’ve started or are planning work on nine different blocks across the city. At these sites, pavement will be removed and replaced with amended soil and, eventually, trees! Stay tuned ☺️

08/25/2026

In this Community Conversation, we speak with Dr. Faith Harris, Executive Director of Virginia Interfaith Power and Light (VA Interfaith Power & Light), about the role that faith communities play in urban greening work.

As gathering places and neighborhood hubs, places of worship are important partners in sustainably and intentionally growing greener, cooler, more resilient communities 🌎🏘️💕

08/21/2026

We’re proud to recognize Studio Two Three as a Cool the City Champion! 🎨🌳

If you’ve joined us for a Cool the City Forum or our 2025 launch party, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced the magic of Studio Two Three.

Their space gives people room to gather, have important conversations, get creative, and do good work together. They’ve hosted our educational events, helped us bring people together around environmental issues affecting Richmonders, and even brought the fun to our launch party with their mobile screen-printing station.

That spirit of creativity, collaboration, and caring for neighbors is exactly what makes a community stronger — and cooler. 😎

We’re grateful to the wonderful people at Studio Two Three for making space for our work and so much other good work happening in Richmond. Thanks for being a Cool the City Champion! 💚

08/18/2026

Join us in congratulating the first graduating class of Groundwork RVA apprentices! 🎓

Six apprentices completed the inaugural cohort of GWRVA’s Green Infrastructure and Arbor Care training program. Graduates learned skills in areas ranging from tree climbing to chainsaw safety to green infrastructure design.

You can read more about this first cohort and their experiences at coolthecity.com/wins ✨

08/14/2026

Today we’re highlighting the Richmond Cool Kit, a great resource developed by one of the Cool the City partners, the City’s Office of Sustainability. The Cool Kit details 25 different cooling strategies that homes, businesses, and organizations can adopt to reduce urban temperatures and enhance heat resilience.

Some of these strategies look a lot like the work we do through Cool the City, such as planting street trees. And while Cool the City’s work typically focuses on increasing Richmond’s tree canopy, we can’t forget that there are many other ways to cool down the places we live and work, from installing shade sails to choosing light colored paint and heat-resistant materials in a building project.

Check out the Cool Kit and get inspired to implement or advocate for a cooling project in your neighborhood! Read it at www.rvagreen2050.com/richmond-cool-kit or through our link-in-bio.

08/11/2026

Did you know that where you live can affect your health? 🌳

A study of more than 345,000 people in the Netherlands found that people living in areas with more green space near their homes tend to have lower rates of several health conditions, including anxiety, depression, diabetes, asthma, and others.

But green space isn't distributed equally across Richmond. Not all residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park or public green space. And some neighborhoods have significantly less tree canopy — and experience more heat and fewer health benefits as a result.

Cool the City is working with Richmond communities to change that. By growing tree canopy where it's needed most, we're progressing toward a cooler, greener, healthier city for everyone.

08/08/2026

🚨 Progress update alert! Cool the City is entering its third year of USDA Forest Service grant-funded work. Since the project launched in the summer of 2024, we have engaged over 1400 people in our work and planted over 1400 trees and shrubs.

While it's just a coincidence that, so far, we've interfaced with roughly the same number of people as we have trees, these numbers speak to how interconnected people and green space are in this work. Stick around to find out what our next 1400 milestone will be! 😉

➡ Swipe for a more detailed breakdown of our progress.

07/29/2026

Join Cool the City and community partners for Community Tree Care Days at several Richmond parks! 🌳🤸🏽‍♂️🌲🛝

We're looking for volunteers to help us care for young trees and learn how you can support better health outcomes for neighbors and park visitors alike. 💞🫂

🗓️ Saturday, 8/1
⏰ 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
📍 Bill Robinson Park (701 N. 37th St.)

🗓️ Tuesday, 8/4
⏰ 9 - 11 a.m.
📍 Roy West Park (4200 Piney Rd.)

🗓️ Wednesday, 8/5
⏰ 6 - 8 p.m.
📍 Jefferson Park (1921 Princess Anne Ave.)

🗓️ Saturday, 8/8
⏰ 8:30 - 11 a.m.
📍 Roy West Park (4200 Piney Rd.)

🗓️ Thursday, 8/20
⏰ 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
📍 Bill Robinson Park (701 N. 37th St.)

Learn more and sign up for these opportunities at coolthecity.com or at the link in our bio!

Address

P. O. Box 24066
Richmond, VA
23224

Website

http://linktr.ee/coolthecity

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