COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — If you’ve spent time outside in southeast Colorado Springs during the summer, you’ve likely noticed one thing right away there’s not much shade.
That lack of shade isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s part of a bigger issue the city is now trying to fix.
Why the Southeast Feels Hotter
According to Matthew Puckett, City Forester for the City of Colorado Springs, the southeast side was identified as one of the areas that needs trees the most.
“We used data and metrics to secure this grant,” Puckett said. “And we identified that the southeast could benefit the most from trees. It was an under-shaded part of our city.”
This connects to what’s known as the urban heat island effect, where areas with more pavement and fewer trees trap heat. Colorado College did a study in 2019, led by Professors Corina McKendry and Miroslav Kummel along with their students.
In their findings, southeast Colorado Springs measured about six to eight degrees hotter than other parts of the city.
Puckett added that while heat varies across Colorado Springs, certain parts of the southeast especially commercial areas do run hotter.
“The commercial side of the southeast… is certainly a couple degrees hotter than, say, the west side,” he said.
Why Trees Make a Difference
Puckett says trees do more than just look nice they actively cool the environment.
“It’s very measurable,” said Puckett, “Trees help with evaporation, they help with heat… I mean, I wish I was underneath a tree right now.”
That cooling effect can make a big difference for people walking, working, or spending time outside.
What It Feels Like for Residents
For Carlos Chaparro, a Southborough resident, the lack of trees is something he deals with every day.
“The sun is just right there kissing you,” Chaparro said. “It is just a bit ridiculous how there isn’t enough trees to cover the area.”
Chaparro says the heat impacts even simple routines—like walking his dog.
“She’s a small dog, so she gets very tired very easily,” said Chaparro. “When she gets home, she just sleeps all day.”
He also pointed out that the issue goes beyond comfort.
“People who walk every single day, who do not have a car they feel the heat,” Chaparro said. “They feel just the agony of the sun.”
A $9 Million Effort to Add Trees
To help address the problem, the city launched a major tree-planting effort funded by a $9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Inflation Reduction Act.
According to Puckett, the plan includes planting 12 thousand new trees and maintaining thousands more across the city, with a strong focus on the southeast.
“We already have well over 300 trees designated for planting areas in the southeast,” said Puckett.
How the Program Helps Residents
One of the biggest barriers to planting trees is cost.
“They can be anywhere from $100 to $300 depending on what nursery you go to,” Puckett said. “It is an investment.”
Through the city’s program, residents in eligible areas can apply to have trees planted for them, sometimes with help maintaining them early on.
“There are programs where the city will water [the tree] for the first three years,” said Puckett. “Then the maintenance would be on the resident.”
After those first few years, trees are typically strong enough to survive with normal rainfall.
Where Trees Get Planted
Residents can have a say in where trees go.
“They take a photo of where they would like their tree,” Puckett explained. “If it works for us, that’s where we’re going to plant the tree.”
Still, the city focuses heavily on planting trees where they can have the biggest impact.
“Oftentimes, we see the most benefits… shading sidewalks [and] asphalt,” said Puckett.
Community Voices Driving Change
Chaparro says he would absolutely take part in the program.
“Yes, 100%,” he said. “Those areas need trees.”
If he could choose one place, he already knows where he’d start.
“I think it would have to be Jet Wing,” Chaparro said, referring to a street near his neighborhood. “If we just plant [trees] along the sidewalk… it can give us shade.”
He also pointed to nearby parks.
“[Giberson Park] has like… four or five trees,” said Chaparro. “If there was at least more trees, it would just be a bit better.”
How to Sign Up and Deadlines
Residents in southeast Colorado Springs can apply for a tree through the city’s forestry program.
According to Puckett, the process is simple.
“If you have a place that you want a tree and you live in that area that’s pretty much it,” he said.
To apply, click here. Applications are open now through 2027, but timing matters.
“We don’t encourage planting in June or July,” Puckett said. “It’s just too much heat stress on the trees.”
That means spring and fall are the main planting seasons, and earlier applications are more likely to be included sooner.
What Success Looks Like
For the city, success isn’t just about planting trees, it’s about long-term impact.
“At minimum, we’re doing a one-to-one tree replacement,” Puckett said. “But… we’re trying to plant more trees than what we’ve taken out.”
The goal is to eventually expand the program beyond the southeast but for now, this area is the starting point.
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