Urban green ecological space is an important measure of sustainable urban development. Among them, landscape connectivity is one of the key factors in maintaining landscape function. Ecological networks can effectively improve regional ecological quality and promote urban landscape connectivity. However, previous studies on ecological networks have mainly focused on biodiversity conservation and lack research on landscape connectivity. This study used morphological spatial pattern analysis methods and utilized connectivity indices to identify ecological sources in the Chaoyang and Nanguan districts of China’s Changchun City and selected environmental and anthropogenic factors to construct an integrated resistance surface. The minimum cumulative resistance model and network structure index were used for urban ecological network construction and node optimization. The results show that the potential ecological network comprises 17 ecological sources and 34 potential corridors, primarily located in forests and water bodies in the east and south regions. However, the northwest has poor habitat quality and uneven distribution of ecological corridors, that warrant prioritization in future planning, construction, and protection efforts. By introducing six supplemental sources and 25 additional corridors, the function and overall connectivity of the regional ecological network can be improved. The study confirmed that the selection of appropriate connectivity thresholds can improve the accuracy of ecological sources identification, and that the influence of anthropogenic factors on ecological resistance cannot be ignored. This study will provide a scientific basis for promoting urban construction and ecological balance.

Pocket parks, play a crucial role in enhancing residents’ thermal comfort and promoting ecological sustainability. Despite their significance, thermal comfort in cold-region spaces remains underexplored, especially vegetation impacts. This study investigates the impact of vegetation configuration on cold-region pocket park thermal environments, using Changchun as a case study via field measurements and ENVI-met simulations. Through the integration of Mean Thermal Sensation Vote (MTSV) and Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) indices, the study established the thermal comfort range for Changchun during transitional seasons as 16.69–23.63 ℃, with a thermal neutral temperature of 20.16 ℃. The study developed 27 experimental scenarios to analyze vegetation parameters—tree coverage, Leaf Area Density (LAD), and green patterns. Orthogonal design analysis of simulation results identified the hierarchical impact on thermal comfort: tree coverage > LAD > green patterns. The study proposes three optimal vegetation design strategies for cold-region pocket parks: (1) maintain tree coverage above 50% (ideally 70%); (2) select tree species to complement coverage with LAD of 1.2–1.4; (3) adopt tree-grass combined green patterns for green space layouts. This research presents novel insights and practical guidelines for designing vegetation in micro-scale green spaces in cold-region cities, advocating a sustainable model integrating ecological and social well-being.