Trees for All pushes urban greening of forgotten spaces across Dutch cities

The Dutch initiative Trees for All has mapped tens of thousands of square metres of underused, paved corners – narrow strips beside roads, sealed courtyards, barren verges and spare parking tiles – in cities throughout the Netherlands. It argues that planting trees, shrubs and other vegetation on these forgotten spots can create a network of green islands that cool streets, capture rainwater and boost biodiversity.

Stef Röell, ecologist and director of Trees for All, says, “The space for more green in our cities is there, but we often overlook it… One small paved corner may seem insignificant, but greening thousands of them makes a real difference.” More than half of neighbourhoods in the country’s largest municipalities are heavily paved, contributing to heat‑island effects that, according to RIVM data, added roughly 900 excess deaths between 22 June and 5 July 2026. A tree‑lined street can be up to ten °C cooler than a barren one, and a single tree can process hundreds of litres of stormwater, helping curb heat stress and flood risk.