A towering 240-year-old purple beech tree is one of 143 ‘Remarkable Trees” in the French city of Sceaux, renowned for more than 65,000 trees across parks, green spaces and private properties. Protecting this plant heritage “is something that builds itself over time, it requires both individual and collective action”, says Mayor Philippe Laurent. To protect the trees from stress, pollution, diseases, reduced rainfall and extreme weather, the city has adopted a Tree Charter. The city now plants only species adapted to the local soil and climate; runs workshops and holds regular guided walks for residents and schoolchildren; encourages major landowners to protect trees on their properties; and has rules about trees damaged or felled during construction work. Residents can get a subsidy of up to €200 to plant trees. The city’s tree team is inventive, installing wheelchair-friendly grills to protect tree roots and injecting nutrient supplements into the soil around ailing trees. “We see trees as a long-term investment,” says Mayor Laurent. “They boost biodiversity, they contribute to urban resilience, they help us to relax.” Urban forests also have a multiplier effect. For example, Lisbon earns $4.48 for each $1 invested in urban forestry projects.
