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Forests and trees

A healthy city for healthy people will necessarily associate its development with tree cover. The green healthy city will be an integrated element of the watershed, the landscape and the ecosystem, resulting in the better protection of the city against floods and landslides, reducing damages to the roads, infrastructure, poor neighbourhoods and human lives. The quality and quantity of water supplied to the city also depend on its connectivity with its surrounding environment.

A direct effect of urban trees on human health is in reducing air pollution. Urban trees as element of beautification and recreational space also contribute to reduce stress, improve social ties, as well as physiological and mental health.

The economic benefits from these environmental functions have been demonstrated around the world, such as in terms of i) significant savings in energy for climatization and heating; ii) savings in rehabilitation works by mitigating storm impacts (wind and water runoff); and, iii) increasing of properties values.

The good practices of design, selection and management of the tree resources systems need to respond to these environmental issues. For instance:

•  The use of waste water for tree systems irrigation, in line with safety and healthy guidelines;
•  The maintenance of greenbelts, hedgerows and windbreak plantations for wind and temperature control (e.g. reducing sand encroachment and regulating the microclimate).
•  The selection of species resistant to air pollution.
•  The protection of forest and tree cover surrounding the cities against degradation and land use change due to the urban pressure for wood material, fuelwood and built-up land.
•  The protection of biodiversity.

The art of developing a sound network of trees, path through residential, industrial, private and public areas, is not only that of the “urban architecture landscape”, but also that of the “integrated forest and agriculture landscape”. The resulting mosaic of agroforestry systems, street trees, gardens, forests and recreational parks, is a challenge for the cities to respond to the environmental and health needs of the cities, communities and people.

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