Plants provide respite for those who are constantly exposed to the sun’s rays. When trees can be found around, the temperatures lower to comfortable levels. Unfortunately, the green areas are constantly being cleared and demolished to give way to progress.
With progress comes the downfalls. Citizens all over feel the extreme heat during summers. Even worse is that the people breathe in the CO2 emissions that come from the many forms of transportations. The only solution to this is to plant trees once again. This could help keep the balance.
The people of the US call it a “Beltway.” The ones who live in Europe call it a “Ring road.” What exactly are these? These are the forest areas that surround the cities. These are their answer to the rising temperatures and the CO2 emissions. As for Madrid, the city will be calling it the “green way” not too long from now. This Spanish capital has a goal, and that is to combat the city’s island of heat by encircling themselves with a luscious forest that’s covered with all the greens they need.
This urban forest project will involve work, but the people are more than ready for it. They will be planting nearly a half million trees around a 46-mile perimeter (75-km) around the buzzling city. When the trees have fully grown and matured, these plants have the ability to absorb around 175,000 tons of CO2 each year.
The government plans to plant a variety of species such as the black pine, beech, Spanish juniper, and different oak species. Once the plans fully unfold, these will be strategically placed in the arid middle of Spain where the Spanish capital can be found. They chose these native trees because these require minimal watering and can thrive on specialized soil conditions that will comprise the new forest that will be found in the midst of the urban life.
Mariano Fuentes spoke to Euronews about this latest endeavor and said, “What we want to do is to improve the air quality in the whole city, to fight the ‘heat island’ effect that is happening inside the city, to absorb the greenhouse emissions generated by the city, and to connect all the existing forest masses that already exist around the city.”
Fuentes plays a big role in this project as he is Madrid’s councilor for the environment and urban development. He further explained that for cities that belch three-quarters of all human-caused CO2, the element tends to absorb much more heat and poor air than the areas in the surrounding countryside. Hence, strategies for fighting climate change and general environmental degradation need to be implemented and properly planned according to what the area needs.
Fuentes further said, “It has to be a global strategy. It’s not only about cars, but also a pedestrianization strategy, the creation of environmental corridors in every district… and most of all… to engage citizens in this new green culture, it is essential for every city to face the near future in the best conditions.”
Experts also explained to reporters that showed concerned that “it’s not a park,” but certainly for nature-loving Madrileños, this will be the perfect spot for respite, shade, and bird habitat. The forest has the natural ability to work nonstop to absorb excess heat as well as clean the air around this major European city. Not only will the surrounding forest protect the environment, it will also add aesthetic beauty that the people will truly appreciate.
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
True Activist / Report a typo
