Poland's greenest cities 2026 ranking highlights Zielona Góra

The portal GetHome.pl analyzed land‑use data from Geoportal.gov.pl to rank Poland’s voivodeship cities by the share of forests, tree‑covered and shrub‑covered land in 2026. The study finds that most cities saw little change over the past year, with a few even expanding green areas.

Zielona Góra tops the list, with green spaces covering about 55 % of its area, followed by Katowice at 43 % and Bydgoszcz at 30 %. Toruń, Olsztyn and Kielce round out the top six, while Rzeszów, Gorzów Wielkopolski and Kraków rank at the low end with 3‑6 % green cover. Zielona Góra’s high share is attributed to the 2015 incorporation of surrounding rural land, which enlarged its administrative boundaries and increased its total forested and agricultural area.

Experts, including GetHome.pl analyst Marek Wielgo, note that Polish municipalities increasingly treat trees, parks and urban forests as essential climate‑adaptation infrastructure. Green areas help mitigate heatwaves, retain rainwater and improve residents’ quality of life, prompting cities to invest in "blue‑green" projects.