In February, in Rome, the first 59 pioneer cities for urban forests were announced — cities that have earned the title of Tree city for the commitment they have shown in ensuring that their forests, trees and urban green spaces in general are properly managed and preserved in a sustainable manner.

Among the cities that have received the international recognition, awarded by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and the Arbor Day Foundation as part of the Tree cities of the world programme, are three Italian cities: Milan, Turin and Mantua. The list also includes major European cities such as Dublin, Paris and Ljubljana; American metropolises such as New York, San Francisco and Toronto; and smaller centres such as Bradford (in the United Kingdom), Thunder Bay (in Canada) and Tempe (in Arizona). More than a hundred other cities have committed to taking part in the programme and are expected to qualify in the near future.

The Tree cities of the world initiative

It was in Mantua, during the first World Forum on Urban Forests in 2018, that the Mantova challenge was proposed: a challenge for the cities of the world to join the Tree cities of the world programme, with the aim of creating an international network of cities committed to maintaining their own green spaces.

Today, two years on, 59 urban centres have distinguished themselves through their management of green spaces. "We congratulate the first recognised localities," declared Hiroto Mitsugi, Assistant Director-General of the FAO's Forestry Department. "Together, the mayors of these 'tree cities' form a new global network of leaders who share the same values towards trees and urban forests. We are proud to recognise these cities for their initiatives in favour of healthier, greener places to live."

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"We commend all the cities that have earned the Tree city designation," adds Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation, "for the exemplary planning and management of their urban forests. Many of the cities that have received the recognition have gone well beyond the use of trees for their green infrastructure. This honour celebrates their creativity and sustainability in favour of healthier communities. In addition to promoting the sustainable and efficient management of green resources in urban areas, Tree city aims to create an international network of cities that share knowledge and good practices for the proper conservation of urban forests and green spaces."

The five standards for an ever greener city

There are five fundamental criteria that a city must meet in order to merit the Tree city recognition:

1. Establish the authority: the community has a written declaration from city leaders delegating responsibility for the care of trees within the municipal boundary to a staff member, a city department or a group of citizens, known as a "tree board".
2. Know the rules: the community adopts policies, best practices or industry standards for the management of urban trees and forests. These rules describe how work must be carried out, and when penalties for non-compliance apply.
3. Know your resources: the community has an up-to-date inventory or assessment of the local tree resource so that a long-term plan for the planting, care and removal of the city's trees can be established.
4. Allocate the resources: the community has a dedicated annual budget for the routine implementation of the tree management plan.
5. Celebrate the goals: the community organises an annual tree celebration to raise residents' awareness and to recognise the commitment of the citizens and staff members who carry out the programme.

Cities pollute heavily — more sustainable planning is needed

As the FAO itself has highlighted, cities represent a fundamental and indispensable starting point for achieving Sustainable Development Goal number 11, which aims to make cities more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable: urban centres, which occupy just 3 per cent of the world's surface area, are home to almost 60 per cent of the population, costing the planet more than 75 per cent of natural resources.

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"The projected urbanisation trends," explains an FAO spokesperson, "make sustainable spatial planning all the more important." Trees, for example, "can reduce noise, protect water sources, prevent soil erosion and reduce energy costs for air conditioning and heating." But, above all, "they can improve people's health and wellbeing."