The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundation teamed up to launch the Tree Cities of the World initiative in an effort to maintain healthy, livable, and green environments for cities worldwide. This will urge cities to invest in, properly maintain, and sustainably manage urban forests and trees.
In today’s article, we want to highlight Campo Grande – a Tree City through the Tree Cities of the World program.
The Importance of Urban Trees
Trees play a critical role in reducing climate change and improving air quality, making cities healthier places to live. They’re also necessary in warm-climate areas. In fact, strategically planted trees in cities may assist to cool the air by two to eight degrees Celsius, making the oppressive heat of the cities a little more tolerable.
Large trees are also good at collecting polluting gasses and filtering small particles like dust, filth, and smoke from the air by trapping them in their leaves and bark.
Living close to green areas, for example, has been shown to benefit physical and mental health by lowering high blood pressure and stress levels.
About Tree Cities of the World Program
(FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundations initiated the Tree Cities of the World program as a joined effort to recognize cities and towns with a commitment to the sustainability of their urban forests and trees. The program employs afforestation to reduce the city’s air, noise, and visual pollution, thereby improving residents’ quality of life and contributing to the preservation of local biodiversity.
According to Mayor Marquinhos Trad, the Tree Cities of the World program is the outcome of a collaboration between the government and the community in the protection of the local trees.
To earn recognition as Tree City, a city or town must: 1) have a responsibility statement for the care of trees by city leaders; 2) have an official law in place that administer the management of forests and trees; 3) possess an assessment of the local tree resource; 4) have an annual budget to implement tree management plans; and 5) hold annual tree celebrations to make publicity.
This global initiative’s first year of eligibility saw 68 cities from 17 nations recognized for their dedication to urban forestry. Since then, the program has nearly doubled in size, with 120 cities from 23 countries now participating.
Campo Grande As Tree City of the World
What Makes Campo Grande A Tree City?
Being one of the most afforested cities in the country, Campo Grande treasure the veteran trees which have stayed with the cities since many decades ago. The community here holds a high value for urban forestry and greening, just as their leaders do.
Currently, Campo Grande is part of a limited worldwide network of areas with international reputations for urban and community forest leadership, all thanks to their effort in forest preservation and restoration.
Campo Grande’s Tree Week
Annually, the city commemorates Tree Week, which was established by legislation in 2005. During that week, numerous activities are held to educate people about the value of trees.
They would organize lectures and discussions, as well as promote tree plantings in green places during this time. This yearly event has become a tradition to the local people since its creation. It also gathers quite a few local media attention (newspapers, radio, and TV channels).
Campo Grande’s Aim
The city’s aim is to create a biophilic, biodiverse metropolis that functions as a biodiversity corridor. As a result, the city provides better living circumstances to all of its residents–humans and other species.
The city and its people wish to preserve current forests while also planting new ones and restoring their permanent preservation zones, where all trees are protected with great care.
Furthermore, they plan to spread tree culture even more as they are their largest source of environmental services. These giants are essential components for the city’s people to have a healthier, more enjoyable lifestyle.
Conclusion
Green spaces aren’t only there to make cities look nice. Trees are the lungs of the Earth, the beating heart of the forest, and they are essential for producing healthy, livable, and sustainable cities all over the world. Therefore, it is critical that trees be seriously taken in modern urban planning. The case of Campo Grande city is one example. Global efforts are required to establish a foundation for more tree city projects.
Stay tuned for the next update on Tree City Spotlight on Tenere’s blogs.
