The Urban Forest, towards a greener Madrid

Summary

The Urban Forest project aims to create a 75-km long green forest ring around the city, helping to remedy some of the negative effects of urban sprawl, such as heat islands, poor air quality and loss of biodiversity. The ring will connect large existing parks with new forests and native green areas, following the concept of green infrastructure. It will consist of 450,000 trees, new parks and leisure areas and greed bridges over some of the main motorways that surrounds the city. This green infrastructure will be composed of native species and adapted to the city’s specific characteristics, with the objective being to generate quality spaces, reduce the effects of climate change and pollution, and promote sport and healthy activities in the immediate surroundings of residents The Urban Forest is a long term project but the first phase is currently ongoing. During its development, Madrid is implementing various initiatives to encourage the participation of citizens and companies in this ambitious project.