Hesse cities double park watering budgets as climate change extends dry spells

The German cities of Frankfurt and Kassel are struggling to keep their parks green as hotter and drier summers increase the need for watering. Both cities have had to sharply raise spending and staffing, and in Kassel the city says it still cannot water enough to prevent damage.

Frankfurt triples its watering budget

In Frankfurt, only young trees are watered, around 8,000 trees across 1,600 hectares. Each receives about 200 litres per watering cycle. The frequency depends on the weather. Christian Dienst of the city's green space office says the trees "would not survive without water."

Without water the trees would not survive.

The cost has more than doubled in five years: €187,000 in 2021, €361,000 in 2022, and €447,000 in 2025. Dienst attributes this to climate change and the fact that young trees are now watered until their fifth year, whereas previously only the first two years required irrigation.

Kassel doubles staff and still falls short

Kassel, in the north of the state, reports a similar strain. The watering season has extended from April to as late as October, and both the number of staff and watering vehicles has had to be doubled. A city spokesperson said far more watering would be needed, but a lack of personnel and financial resources makes it impossible.

It should actually be watered significantly more, but this cannot be done due to a lack of personnel and financial resources.

The city now expects damage to vegetation and the loss of trees, because insufficient watering leaves parks vulnerable to heat and drought.