In the context of its status as European Green Capital in 2024, the city of València has carried out an extensive study of its urban forest. The number of trees in the city exceeds the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of one tree for every three inhabitants.
The city has 15.5 square metres of greenery per inhabitant and one tree per 1.92 inhabitants. Of the total of 419,034 trees, most are located in non-municipal green zones. Nearly 44% of the trees maintained by the municipality are white pines.
Valencia manages an area of 1,254 hectares of parks and green areas. This amounts to 15.5 square metres per inhabitant and is slightly above the 15 square metres recommended by the WHO. In addition to municipal zones, there are private and public green spaces that make up 38% of the tree cover.
The research shows that there are 405 different tree species in municipal maintenance. This puts Valencia in sixteenth place among cities in the west with the most number of trees. It is the third largest city in Spain and the eighth in Europe in this regard. Herewith, the Green Capital of Europa Valencia is on the same level as cities such as Los Angeles and close to London and San Francisco.
Trees and their value
Despite the cultural significance of the orange tree in València, it accounts for only 4.7% of the trees on public land. The most common tree is the Aleppo pine or Pinus halepensis (43.7%), followed by the common plane tree Platanus x hispanica (3.8%). Other common species are the bead tree or Melia azedarach (3%), the whip tree or Celtis australis (3%) and the palm tree Washingtonia robusta (2.9%).
The value of these green zones is estimated at €404.66 million. They store more than 48,000 tons of carbon and capture approximately 3,700 tons of carbon annually. This amounts to an economic value of more than €11.7 million. In addition, urban vegetation helps retain rainwater, which saves costs on water management infrastructures.
Distribution of the urban forest per district
- Poblats del Sud: This district has the highest structural value (€170.46 million) and the most annual benefits (€3.3 million), and the most pollution capture per year.
- Quatre Carreres: This district ranks second with total annual benefits of €996,346.38 and a structural value of €32.09 million.
- Campanar: Third in benefits with €619,963.25 per year and a structural value of €20.78 million.
- Poblats del Nord: Although it has lower annual benefits (€882,678.33), it has a significant structural value of €40.71 million.
Turia Park
The Parque Turia in Valencia is a great example of urban transformation and nature conservation. It is located in the old riverbed of the Turia River, which was diverted after the great flood of 1957. The park was officially opened on April 13, 2007. Now it is one of the largest urban natural parks in Spain, with a length of more than 9 kilometres.
The park offers a unique space for relaxation, sports and culture, and extends from the Parque de Cabecera to the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Within the park there are three large forest areas, which together cover an area of 4,684 hectares.