In early November, the Greenwich Tree Conservancy planted eight new trees at the Cos Cob Railroad Station parking lot, a commuter hub on the New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad. Serving residents traveling to New York City and other destinations along the line, the station is one of Greenwich’s primary public transportation centers.
Its parking lots were found to contain substantial unused space suitable for additional trees, including areas where trees once stood but were never replaced after removal.
The Greenwich Tree Conservancy selected the Cos Cob Station parking lot as the latest site in its Parking Parks initiative, which has brought shade and beauty to municipal lots across Greenwich. Unshaded parking lots are major contributors to the urban heat island effect. Air temperatures in full-sun lots can be 4–8°F higher, while the surface temperature of unshaded asphalt can soar nearly 40°F hotter than shaded surfaces. Inside unshaded parked cars, temperatures can spike by as much as 50°F when compared to cars parked under trees.
The eight newly planted trees will help reduce these extreme temperature swings and also improve stormwater management, which is an important benefit for an area that experiences frequent flooding during severe storms. Trees are also important for softening the appearance of parking lots, which can otherwise prove unsightly in suburban neighborhoods.
This planting emphasized native species and trees well-suited to the demanding conditions typical of parking lots. The selected varieties include Kentucky coffeetree, scarlet oak, swamp white oak, and Shumard oak.
