BARCELONA TREES

Barcelona, Spain
City of Barcelona

Barcelona's city blocks, built as part of Plan Cerda, were planned with double lines of trees on each city block. The project was realized with single lines of trees, mostly plane trees, with additional species introduced in the years thereafter. Today, eighty percent of Barcelona's municipal areas are developed, while twenty percent are woodlands, primarily in Serra de Collserola Natural Park. Across the city, there is 25% tree canopy with over 1.4 million trees across streets, parks, and both private and public gardens. The Barcelona tree masterplan sets out a criteria for urban forestry that specifies using species that are adapted to lower rainfall, increasing heat waves and high levels of solar radiation that creates a different palette and maintenance regime for city trees than trees planted in nearby forests and natural preserves. Barcelona's dry mediterranean climate allows for rich species diversity which has not been effectively taken advantage of with the current planting scheme, and has also used species that require significant amounts of water and labor. The Barcelona Tree plan specifies that 40% of trees are adapted to climate change, and a broad variety of tree species are planted for biodiversity. Additionally, the plan highlights educational opportunities that should accompany tree planting, with information on green infrastructure and the characteristics of each tree planted in the urban canopy. The project includes a budget of almost ten million euros, and specifies city contracts to provide ongoing maintenance for trees, including soil amendments and watering, with the majority of the project budget allocated for pruning and safety.

2013 - ongoing
25177 acres
39 feet above sea level

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