Urban trees

Trees in cities are another of our goals. We have already talked a lot about the benefits of planting trees in general. Today we want to focus on planting trees in cities. We consider it no less important to restore cut down forests.

The greenest cities

The Swedish company Husqvarna has published a ranking of the greenest cities in the world in 2020. There are 155 city centers in total.

The rating is based on data from satellite images. The size, proportions, distribution and condition of green spaces in urban areas were taken into account.

The city of Charlotte in the USA ranks first. The total amount of green spaces here is 68% of the city area. There are 560 m² of green space per inhabitant. Trees cover 56% of the area and grass 12%.

Second place goes to the coastal city of Durban in South Africa. Further down the list are Dortmund in Germany, Krakow in Poland, German Stuttgart, Austin in the USA, Wurzburg in Germany, Swiss Zurich and the German city of Heidelberg.

Benefits of green spaces in the city

What do trees give cities?

• Green spaces in cities are a source of clean air. City air polluted by vehicle exhausts is the cause of disease. If taken globally, this leads to climate change in a certain region.
• Shadow. Asphalt in cities is heated by direct sunlight. Accordingly, if trees are planted, there will be more shade and the average temperature in the city will be at least a little, but lower.
• Parks are places where people can spend time and improve their mental health. For many, against the background of an unstable ecological situation, eco-anxiety appears. Green spaces become a great place to reduce anxiety.
• Ecosystem support. Cities have their own ecosystem: in parks, squares and city forests. Planting trees in the city supports this ecosystem.

Of course, it is not a complete list of what trees give the city. But in general terms, we have described the most important things — clean air, shade, support for mental health and the creation of an ecosystem.

Opinions on the benefits of urban greening

According to the USDA Forest Service, “Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30% and save 20-50 percent in energy used for heating.”

According to the World Health Organization, it’s estimated that air pollution kills 7 million people each year, with 9 out of 10 people breathing air which contains “high levels of pollutants.”

“Every benefit that trees can deliver is delivered to a far, far greater extent by large trees,” says Mary Gagen, professor of geography at Swansea University

According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) trees in cities also help to revalue the area where they've been planted, helping to achieve an increased revenue of up to 20% in comparison to those areas of the city where there is no vegetation.

"Trees can make a huge difference to a city's temperature," says Tobi Morakinyo, an urban climatologist at the University College Dublin, whose research into the cooling effect of trees in Akure, southwest Nigeria, showed using trees to shade buildings could cool them down by up to five degrees Celsius.