Arboriculture: A Tool for Building Sustainable Cities
May 29, 2024
Due to the benefits ranging from improving air quality to conserving biodiversity, there is no doubt that trees are valuable assets in building habitable and healthy urban environments. However, in the face of the growing expansion of cities around the world, achieving a harmonious balance between urban planning and the environment has become a major challenge./p>
This is where arboriculture - a discipline related to the care, management and conservation of trees, ecological corridors and forests in urban environments - has come into play and has become a fundamental component for the creation of more sustainable cities.
Based on one of its fundamental premises: "the right tree in the right place," arboriculture emphasizes the importance of carefully selecting tree species and their location based on the specific conditions of the urban environment – such as infrastructure, streets, sidewalks and public services – also considering factors such as the suitability of the species in terms of its adaptability, as well as its height, foliage and roots, among other elements.
By applying these principles, cities can maximize the benefits that trees offer, such as regulating the climate, capturing CO2, providing shelter and food for wildlife, reducing erosion and beautifying the urban landscape for a long time, not to mention the benefits for the health and well-being of citizens that comes from being surrounded by a green environment.
AES El Salvador: Eight Years Promoting Sustainable Urban Development
By prioritizing the careful selection of urban trees and the strategic location of vegetation, cities can make the most of their benefits, thus promoting a more resilient, healthy and habitable urban future for all.
Since 2016, AES El Salvador has been promoting urban arboriculture by implementing and sharing technical and scientific knowledge to help cities fulfill the mission of becoming greener and more sustainable.
Its Urban Arboriculture Seminars, held annually, have attracted the interest of more than 500 people – including academics, students and various professionals from the public and private sectors involved in environmental management – who, through their participation, have had the opportunity to reflect on the importance of proper management of urban trees and to share knowledge and initiatives on the relevance of proper planning in cities to ensure harmonious coexistence between trees and infrastructure.
At a time when cities face various environmental and social challenges, arboriculture emerges as an ally in the search for balanced and sustainable urban development. Therefore, in 2024, AES El Salvador will continue to promote this discipline through a new edition of its Urban Arboriculture Seminar, as part of its commitment to promoting environmentally responsible practices to promote sustainable city management and thus contribute to the protection of terrestrial ecosystems and the quality of life of people.