Madrid has once again been recognised as ‘Tree City of the World 2023’, a title it has been awarded five times. It is the only Spanish city to have maintained its Tree City status for so long.
Tree Cities
The Trees in Cities accolades were launched in 2019 by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The initiative invites mayors and local governments around the world to pledge to plant more trees as well as work towards targets that will help make urban environments greener and more sustainable.
To become a “Tree City”, cities must demonstrate that they have met five key tenets of the project. They include putting in place planning and financial resources for tree management and creating an up-to-date tree census of the trees in their care. Their ideas must be backed by relevant legislation and regulations for tree maintenance, as well as support for ecological projects.
Nearly three quarter of a million trees
Among the reasons for Madrid’s success is its council’s approach to planting, with 210,000 new trees appearing city-wide over the last four years and a commitment to sew half a million more.
The city boasts over 6,000 hectares of green zones, including beloved parks and gardens such as the sprawling green lung at the heart of the city that is El Retiro, as well as Casa de Campo, Parque del Oeste, Madrid Río, Parque Juan Carlos I, and El Capricho. Don’t miss the lookout tower next to the pond in El Retiro, giving a fantastic view of the park’s verdant offering to the local neighbourhoods.
Trees boost well-being – and property prices
Cities are blamed for around 75% of all carbon dioxide emissions globally but also must live with the effects of warming, as they roast in higher summer temperatures than ever before – and by 2050 it is anticipated that “two thirds of humanity could be living in urban areas” according to Trees in Cities.
Trees have been shown to help create cooler spots within urban environments, as well as boosting air quality by absorbing pollution and promoting greater biodiversity. What’s more, greater tree density has been shown by researchers to generate wealth in cities and contribute to property values. Some estimates put the return on investment at 2.25 dollars for every one dollar spent. Madrid has certainly shown it knows how important its rooted population is for dwellers’ well-being.