By the beginning of 2020, FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and  Arbor Day Foundation announced the first cities recognized under the Tree Cities of the World programme, which aims to promote more resilient and sustainable cities. Madrid is one of the first cities awarded, along with other great capitals like Paris, Dublin, Quito and major metropolitan areas like New York, San Francisco and Toronto. Mantua is the selected city for Italy. In Spain the city of Arroyomolinos, which is located in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, has been recognized as ‘Tree City of the World 2019’, along with Madrid.

The title-winning cities in 2019 showed compliance with the 5 standards required by the organization:

●          the existence of a structure dedicated to forest management

●          the availability of a trees’ census

●          the definition of financial resources for the harboreal heritage management

●          the annual organization of events to promote and raise awareness on the importance of trees.

These standards shall be validated every year to keep the recognition.

In addition to promoting the effective management of urban trees, the ‘Tree Cities of the World’ programme aims to create an international network of cities that facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices for the sustainable management of urban forests and green areas.The 11th sustainable development objective of Agenda 2030, established by the United Nations Member States, requires cities to be inclusive, safe, resilient and more sustainable.

The programme, born from the cooperation between FAO and Arbor Day Foundation, was launched in 2018 during the celebration of the first global Forum on urban forest in Mantua (Italy). It stems from Tree City USA,  a platform created in the United States in 1976, which includes over 3,400 communities. Here, in addition to promoting best practices, citizens are made aware of the importance of trees and their care in the cities; the platform also provides the necessary framework for the management and development of public trees.

Another 2,300 trees immediately

Last June, to be confirmed as one of the greenest and full of trees cities in the world, the Municipality of Madrid allocated a budget of 1.3 millions euro to plant 2,300 new trees. Trees have then been planted in neighborhoods such as Ciudad Lineal, Hortaleza, San Blas e Barajas, in July.