Share with us how we can enhance NATURAL SPACES & SYSTEMS
🌎 How to give feedback:
🌻 Click the button "Submit your idea". You can leave comments, photos, and specific locations about your comments.
Trees, plants, soils, waterways, and wildlife – all of these are part of the natural systems that cool our cities and keep us healthy, safe, and happy. Natural systems are complex and interconnected and must be addressed holistically and not just as a set of independent actions. Healthy ecosystems naturally reduce water and air pollution, lessen the effect of heat islands, sequester carbon, and contribute to human health and well-being. This Climate Action Section focuses on being responsible stewards of our environment so we can fully realize the benefits of functioning and healthy ecosystems.
Strategies to Improve Natural Systems
Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan
N-1: Expand the network of trees and natural areas
N-2: Promote regenerative, ecologically healthy soils and landscapes
N-3: Sustainable water supply and use
N-4: Use natural systems to manage stormwater runoff
To ask specific questions about the Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan, please contact the Office of Environmental Quality by phone at (816) 513-3452 or by Email to OEQ.
Phases
Summarize the Feedback Received
During this phase, a comprehensive summary of the feedback will be shared with residents and City staff across multiple departments. This process ensures that community input remains central to decision-making, allowing the City to make well-informed choices that reflect the needs and priorities of its residents.
📌 Kansas Citians emphasized the need for more greenery and sustainable landscaping in urban areas. Many suggested integrating rooftop and vertical gardens, vines, and shaded pedestrian spaces to combat heat and reduce the "concrete jungle" effect. Native plants and pollinator-friendly species were frequently mentioned, with calls for incentives like tax breaks or subsidies to encourage their use. Respondents also highlighted the importance of replacing traditional grass with drought-resistant alternatives like buffalo grass to address stormwater runoff and future water insecurity.
📌 Tree care was another recurring theme, with concerns about the lack of maintenance for existing trees and the high mortality rate of newly planted ones. Respondents urged a focus on proper care rather than just planting large numbers of trees. Suggestions also included removing invasive species like honeysuckle and engaging local communities, particularly seniors in high-poverty areas, in tree maintenance efforts.
📌 Creating accessible, comfortable "third spaces" in neighborhoods was seen as a way to foster community, improve safety, and enhance outdoor experiences. Respondents also expressed frustration with light pollution, advocating for measures like shielded streetlights and lower-wattage outdoor lighting to preserve the night sky.
📌 Finally, there was a call to bring animal control back under city management to improve conditions for animals in Kansas City.