[ECO]Paris Urban Forest Plan will Transform 50% of the City

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A new Paris urban forest plan aims to reduce temperatures, increase flood resilience, and lower carbon emissions.

A new Paris urban forest plan is forging ahead to transform nearly half the city into a “

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” by 2030. This week marked a significant milestone as the city began planting a micro-woodland of 478 trees in the Place de Catalogne, a busy square in southern Paris, signalling a new chapter in urban environmental management.

The Paris urban forest initiative, part of a larger urban greening strategy, aims to reduce summer heat, increase flood resilience, and lower carbon emissions. By 2030, Paris hopes to have 50% of its ground area covered by water-permeable surfaces, including green roofs, tree-lined avenues, mini-gardens, and new parks. This target represents a substantial increase from 29.6% in 2013 and 32% in 2020, positioning Paris as a leader in urban forestry among global cities.

Compared to other major urban centers, the Paris urban forest plan is notably ambitious. While cities like New York and London have their own tree-planting initiatives, Paris’s goal to cover half the city with permeable surfaces sets a new benchmark. For instance, New York City’s Million Trees NYC program, completed in 2015, increased the city’s tree cover but didn’t approach the scale of Paris’s urban forest vision.

The Place de Catalogne project exemplifies the pressing need for a Paris urban forest plan. Developed in the 1970s and ’80s with a car-centric approach, the square currently stands as a stark heat island, devoid of shade and dominated by hard surfaces that impede rainwater absorption. City officials estimate that by converting 60% of the square’s surface to planted areas, summer high temperatures could be reduced by up to 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 Fahrenheit).

This temperature reduction is not just about comfort; it’s a critical factor in public health and climate resilience. Urban forests play a crucial role in mitigating the effects of climate change. Trees act as natural air conditioners, reducing ambient temperatures through shade and evapotranspiration. They also sequester carbon, with a mature tree absorbing up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide annually. In urban settings, this can significantly offset emissions from transportation and industry.

The newly planted trees, a diverse mix including oaks, ashes, maples, and cherries, range from saplings to semi-mature specimens. This variety is expected to create a more resilient and biodiverse urban ecosystem. The Paris urban forest and greening of Place de Catalogne goes beyond aesthetics; it’s a strategic move to improve public health and safety in an area redesigned to prioritize cyclists and pedestrians over cars.

Since November 2020, Paris has planted over 63,000 trees in the Paris urban forest initiative. The city’s ambitious target is to add 170,000 more trees by 2026, with plans to green 200 additional streets in the coming years. This large-scale planting is complemented by other projects, such as the opening of a 3.5-hectare (8.7-acre) park on Paris’s eastern edge, built along a disused railway line.

The economic impact of Paris’s urban forest plan is expected to be significant. While the initial investment is substantial, the long-term benefits could far outweigh the costs. Urban forests have been shown to increase property values, boost tourism, and reduce healthcare expenditures. A study by the U.S. Forest Service found that every dollar invested in urban trees yields two to five dollars in benefits, including energy savings, improved air quality, and stormwater runoff reduction.

However, the path to a greener Paris has faced some setbacks. Initial plans to transform iconic locations like the square in front of the Opera Garnier and the area around Gare de Lyon into lush, forested spaces have been scaled back or scrapped due to technical challenges and budget constraints. Proposals for greening the Place de l’Hotel de Ville remain under discussion, with original concepts appearing increasingly unlikely to materialize.

The Paris urban forest initiative is part of a broader strategy to make Paris more resilient to climate change. By increasing the city’s green cover, officials hope to mitigate the urban heat island effect, improve air quality, and enhance biodiversity. The new plantings are also expected to create a network of cool oases across the city, connected by green corridors that will benefit both residents and wildlife.

One such corridor is already taking shape, with the Place de Catalogne marking the beginning of a “green route” for cyclists accessing Paris’s southern suburbs via protected, tree-shaded cycle tracks. This integration of green infrastructure with sustainable transportation underscores the multifaceted approach Paris is taking to urban planning and climate adaptation.

While the progress is promising, experts caution that planting trees is just the first step in a complex and ongoing process. Maintaining urban forests requires significant resources and long-term commitment. Cities worldwide have demonstrated that keeping newly planted trees alive in urban environments can be challenging and costly, with no guarantee of success.

Despite these challenges, the Paris urban forest plan represents a significant shift in how cities approach climate resilience and quality of life. By reimagining urban spaces as potential forests, Paris is not only working to cool its streets but also setting an example for other global cities grappling with similar climate-related issues.

As the project progresses, Parisians can look forward to a greener, cooler, and healthier city. However, the true test of Paris’s urban forest will come in the years ahead as the city works to nurture and expand its green spaces in the face of ongoing climate challenges. The success of this initiative could inspire a global movement towards more extensive urban

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, potentially reshaping our understanding of what cities can look like in the 21st century.

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