Budapest’s Urban Trees Need You: Join the Volunteer Water Giver Campaign

Budapest is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities — and a big part of that beauty comes from its trees. Those leafy giants lining the boulevards, shading the parks, cooling the sidewalks on a scorching July afternoon. But here’s something most visitors don’t realize: many of Budapest’s youngest trees are quietly struggling to survive, and the city is asking for your help.

Why Budapest’s Trees Are Under Threat

Climate change is hitting urban trees hard. Longer droughts, extreme heat waves, and increasingly unpredictable rainfall are making it incredibly difficult for newly planted trees to take root — literally. On top of that, Budapest’s growing built-up areas have fundamentally changed how water moves through the city, leaving less moisture in the soil for roots to absorb.

The most vulnerable are trees under five years old. In their first few years of life, young trees haven’t yet developed the deep, wide root systems they need to find water on their own. During those critical early years, they need consistent, generous watering — at least 50 liters per week — to survive and thrive. Without it, the trees that are supposed to shade future generations of Budapestians and tourists alike simply won’t make it.

A City-Wide Movement: The Volunteer Water Giver Program

That’s where the Önkéntes Vízadó — or Volunteer Water Giver — campaign comes in. Launched in the summer of 2025, this is a joint initiative between the Budapest City Municipality, the FŐKERT Horticultural Division of Budapest Public Utilities, the 10 millió Fa (10 Million Trees) civil organization, and the developers of the eco-app Beeco. Together, they’ve created a simple, community-driven system that lets anyone — resident or visitor — adopt a young tree and help keep it alive.

The idea is beautifully straightforward. You download the Beeco app, find a “thirsty tree” near you (marked in yellow or orange on the map), fill up your watering can at one of the designated water points around the city, and water it. Then you log the watering in the app, earn points, and even enter a monthly prize draw. Beeco gives out more than 30 prizes every month, with a grand prize draw each September.

How to Become a Volunteer Water Giver

Joining couldn’t be easier. Download the Beeco app from Google Play or the App Store (available at beeco.hu). The app shows every young tree managed by FŐKERT, indicates each tree’s water needs in real time, and sends you a notification when a tree in your area needs watering.

When you water, keep a few things in mind. Always aim for the watering dish — the shallow earthen basin around the base of the trunk — and use a gentle stream or spray head to avoid washing soil away from the roots. Pour at least 50 liters per session; less than that evaporates before it can reach the roots. The best times to water are early morning or late evening, when the heat won’t steal the moisture before it soaks in. Watering season runs from March through October, and frequency scales with the temperature: twice a month in cooler weather, three to four times a month when temperatures climb above 30°C.

Watering Parties: Where Environment Meets Community

One of the most charming aspects of this campaign is how it turns an environmental act into a social one. Throughout the summer, the 10 millió Fa organization hosts “locsolakomák” — community watering picnics held on Sunday evenings, complete with music, expert talks, and a communal dinner. It’s the kind of only-in-Budapest experience that blends civic pride with genuine fun.

If you’re visiting Budapest this summer, checking the Beeco app and watering a tree or two is a genuinely meaningful way to connect with the city beyond the usual tourist trail. You’ll be contributing to the green future of a city that has given you shade, beauty, and cool corners to explore — and you might just make some local friends along the way.

The Bigger Picture

This campaign isn’t just about watering. It’s about reshaping how city dwellers — and city visitors — think about their relationship with urban nature. Trees cool streets by several degrees, filter air pollution, reduce noise, and provide habitat for birds and insects. A Budapest without enough trees would be a hotter, louder, less livable city. By joining as a Volunteer Water Giver, you’re investing in the version of Budapest that keeps drawing people from around the world.

So next time you’re strolling along a Budapest street and you spot a young tree with a yellow marker on the Beeco map, grab a watering can. The tree will thank you — and so will every future visitor who gets to sit in its shade.