Bogotá was recognized as one of the "Tree Cities of the World" by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundation.
With this recognition, the Colombian capital joins the 120 cities in 65 countries around the world that hold this membership and reaffirm their commitment to the improvement, care and protection of trees and green covers of their territories in a global context.
The Tree Cities of the World Program annually assesses the efforts of the world’s cities to ensure the protection of their forests and urban trees as well as their actions of recovery, maintenance and sustainable management of their vegetation cover.
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This recognition is granted at a strategic moment for Bogotá, taking into account the commitment of the administration of Mayor Claudia López to greening the city through the fulfillment of one of the goals defined in the Development Plan 2020-2024, as it is to plant about 802 thousand trees throughout the city.
So far in 2021, more than 53,000 trees have been planted in both rural and urban areas of Bogota, with species suitable for each type of ecosystem in the capital. More than 330,000 existing trees have been maintained to ensure their optimal development.
As part of the commitments acquired with this FAO recognition, Bogotá continues with strategies that promote citizen participation in the care and protection of trees, therefore, with the guidance of the Botanical Garden, networks of caretakers of environmental environments have been formed through the sessions called "Replantando Confianza". (Replanting Confidence).
At the same time, social campaigns are carried out to show to the communities the silvicultural activities, that is, the maintenance and care of the city's trees, in which society not only observes but also gets involved in the activities to take care of the green covers.
It is important to remember that the contribution of trees and green areas to the environmental sustainability of cities contributes greatly to protecting air quality, regulating the microclimate, mitigating the climate crisis, preventing soil erosion and conserving water resources, among other benefits.
The improvement of people's physical and mental health, the enjoyment of a beautiful landscape and even the appreciation of real estate, are also part of the benefits that, according to the Botanical Garden, green spaces in the city provide us with.
According to the FAO report, it has been shown that properties located near parks, green areas or forests are more appreciated when choosing a space to buy or rent in any city in the world.
With this mention, Bogotá becomes the second city in Colombia, after Barranquilla, to take part in this initiative.
