We moved from Dublin to Wicklow, the “Garden of Ireland”, because of the booming economy that favored the wealthy. I was eleven. The house was small, but the scenery was spectacular: a patchwork of hills and forests facing 15km of coastal wetlands and pebble beaches.
The passage of time, the slow but unstoppable ticking of development, was marked by the gradual encroachment of new housing developments on that green expanse. It was only after a year or two of our moving in that place that we began to tell visitors, “It used to be all green.” When I visited last month after a long absence, I found the transformation complete. Every inch of green on that hill is now concrete.
It is hard to hear the word progress and not think of this slow suffocation, of buying up land, stripping it, building on it, feeding the slaughter that consumes everything we call “the economy.” In some ways, progress is measured by every tree cut down, but progress (scientific or not) is measured by our growing awareness of the climate and our place in it. Indeed, a quick glance at any recent article on trees will show how important trees are to the present and future development of Europe’s urban and rural landscapes.
Read between the lines Bartira AugelliIn the article of Dublin Inquirer The relative leafiness of a neighbourhood can reveal something about the income bracket of its residents. Augelli compares and contrasts different neighbourhoods in the city, looking at the Dublin Tree Map initiative, which maps all of Dublin’s trees to “identify and assess the city’s urban forest” and “identify where there may be deficits”. The affluent Donnybrook, Ballsbridge and Rathmines, for example, have “very high” tree densities, while the historically working-class Crumlin has “low” tree densities. The distribution of trees in Dublin is “uneven” and also unequal. Another relevant data point highlighted in Augelli’s article is that only a third of Dublin’s 300,000 trees are public trees.
Is this an interesting article?
It became possible Voxeurop’s Community. High-quality reporting and translation costs money. We need your support to continue producing independent journalism.
Subscribe or Donate
Augelli spoke to researchers at University College Dublin who are working on the INTERVAL project, which aims to “tackle the unequal distribution of urban street trees through community-led scientific research to minimise environmental injustice.” As one researcher told Augelli, getting to know the community is essential and often mutually educational. “Engaging with the community helps us understand how many trees there are around us, where we could plant more, and how that benefits the wider ecosystem.” The conversations have extended to “community members, public authorities, environmental NGOs and many other groups,” reaching out to “sports clubs, schools, seniors and youth groups, scouts and religious groups.”
Starting with a pilot project in Crumlin, researchers will work with communities to create a database and maps that can be used to appropriately address and communicate the environmental benefits of specific trees. “The data (…) can be used to calculate how much carbon a tree sequesters, how much oxygen it releases, how much rainwater it absorbs, how much pollutants it filters from the air, and how hot it is.” With this information, communities can “figure out where more green infrastructure is needed” and act or campaign accordingly.
As the UCD researchers’ work shows, it’s not just the quantity of trees that counts, but their variety as well. Henrik Sjöman, science curator at the Gothenburg Botanical Garden, told the Swedish technology magazine: technology The types of trees that should be planted in Swedish cities must change with the climate. As the climate warms, cities need trees that can withstand more heat and more drought. In addition, cities present specific challenges. “Large buildings retain heat like hot rocks. It can be several degrees warmer inside a city than outside.”
For this reason, Sheman is testing trees in other countries (such as Romania) and collecting data. This data collection is important for two reasons. The first, and perhaps most obvious, is precautionary. Invasive species are known to spread like weeds and become invasive. The second reason is the limitations of current knowledge. “Today, the whole industry is based on guesswork. It’s believed that ‘this is probably drought tolerant.’ But we need to know exactly how drought tolerant and how sensitive it is.” Sheman also complains that politicians and authorities are “resistant” to the idea of planting invasive species, which the scientist blames on ignorance.
Get the best of European journalism delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday.
In a Swedish conservative daily Småland-Posten, Thomas Hermansson Despite the enthusiasm of authorities for tree-planting projects, “interest in urban trees feels cool. Oddly enough, a Sifo survey a few years ago found that almost all Swedes think it is important to have trees in their cities.” For Hermansson, the argument for more urban trees is clearer than ever. Trees improve air quality, provide habitat for animals and insects, boost biodiversity, make cities more resilient to floods, and even help lower local temperatures and prevent cities from becoming “heat islands.” Plus, in relation to the aforementioned inequalities, Hermansson points to research showing a correlation between lower tree density and higher crime rates.
Outside the cityA recent series of articles reporter“Fruit of the Future” highlights how climate change is affecting the types of fruit and nut trees planted across France. Fabien Loiseau We look at the case of a farmer near Paris who is taking advantage of longer, hotter summers to plant American pecan trees. Laurie Ann Colez It records the first farmers to cultivate bananas in mainland France. Marie Astier We explore why the Mediterranean pistachio tree is becoming increasingly popular among French food producers because it is drought tolerant.
