Beyond tree plantations: Celebrate mature trees that provide great benefits for cities and citizens!
Spring is here, and until June 2025, BiodiverCity partner cities are loud with BiodiverCity Festivals celebrating urban biodiversity. Our ad-hoc expert, Rita Szerencsés, facilitated partner cities in the last months to activate residents along those festivals and raise awareness towards the magnificent ecosystem services trees provide for us.
Tree plantations, guided tours, promotion of monumental trees, forest bathing, craft workshops, art exhibitions, cultural programmes and interactive activities promoting biodiversity are organised for all generations in these weeks in 10 corners of Europe. Urban green areas are indeed great assets to engage residents and explain the benefits of nature (the so-called ecosystem services). But while thousands of residents actively participate in tree plantations, which is great, of course, fewer people know that most of these ecosystem services are provided by mature trees. And in many parts of Europe, they face serious challenges: never seen drought, increased pollution (traffic, dogs, humans) and neglect by public utility companies when earthworks are needed.
So, how to raise awareness towards these essential issues? Our ad-hoc expert, Rita Szerencsés, summed up what is going on during the BiodiverCity Festivals and what challenges partner cities faced while organising the festivals.
