Spanish environmental groups launch nationwide urban tree mapping initiative

Various environmental and social organizations, including Greenpeace, Ecologistas en Acción, and Intermon-Oxfam, have launched the ‘Ecomapeo Estatal-Aquí falta un árbol’ initiative. This citizen-led project aims to measure the lack of urban greenery across Spain by identifying specific issues through a dedicated web platform.

Participants are encouraged to map empty tree pits, dried stumps, dead trees, and tree pits that are suffocated by cement or insufficient soil. The initiative is active in over 150 municipalities across 17 autonomous communities. In the province of Cádiz, eleven locations including Algeciras, Cádiz, and Tarifa are participating, while Palencia will host mapping activities on October 3 and 4.

Organizers emphasize that urban trees are essential for reducing temperatures, improving air quality, mitigating noise, and enhancing public health. The mapping serves as a tool to identify concrete problems and demand better urban planning, such as appropriate species selection, adequate root space, and the prevention of abusive pruning.