BOSTON — In Chinatown, where sidewalks bake and green space is scarce, three mature shade trees are now at the center of a growing community protest.

The trees sit outside 55 Hudson Street, in a dense, concrete-heavy stretch officially labeled by the city as a “heat island.” For parents, grandparents, and elders, this small patch of shade is one of the only places to rest and cool off.

“We live in a place with almost no trees,” one resident wrote in a petition now gaining momentum. “And now we’re being asked to lose three of the few we have left.”

One family described how their grandmother waits beneath the trees every day while picking up a younger sibling from school. Without them, she’d be forced to stand in the sun — with no public seating — or get asked to leave private lobbies for loitering.

Chinatown has some of the lowest tree coverage in Boston. Residents say they’ve been promised more trees for years. Instead, they’re losing what little they have.

The petition urges city planners and ACDC, the nonprofit developer, to find a solution that preserves the trees while moving the project forward. A peaceful protest is planned for Monday at 5 p.m., where neighbors will gather — under the very trees they’re trying to save.

They’re not opposing the development. In fact, they say they’re excited for the new library and housing. But they refuse to accept a future where growth means losing the last bit of shade their neighborhood has left.