Trees in urban areas offer great benefits for personal well-being and air quality in densely populated cities. They remove air pollutants, release oxygen and keep the streets cooler during the hot season. Various cities, from Sacramento to Sydney, are now focused on increasing the number of trees.
In accordance with recent research made through Google Street View, a green view index was created that provided a rating while quantifying each city’s percentage of canopy coverage based on aerial images. In this article, we list the top ten cities with the most trees in accordance with the Green View Index.
Top 10 cities with the most trees
10. Amsterdam
In March 2019, the Dutch capital announced the removal of more than 11,000 parking lots by 2025 to plant more trees. Amsterdam’s tree-hugging tradition dates back many centuries, even when it wasn’t considered a crime to damage or harm trees.
9. Geneva
The city of Geneva has around 40,000 trees and 70 hectares of woodland. The Geneva canton not only has thousands of trees planted, but it also has some unexpected varieties of plants, such as the Lebanese cedars, California sequoias, and even the odd-looking plantanus plants.
8. Frankfurt
This German city is known for its thick and deep green forest. Frankfurt is home to one of the largest urban forests in the world. The Stadtwald, as the locals call it, is a city forest area of around 5,000 hectares.
Read more: Trees are nature's water managers: the importance of trees in water conservation
7. Sacramento
Not only is this city known for its abundance of trees, but during the springtime, it brings in the beautiful scents of citrus fruits. Grapes, oranges, lemons, and mandarins are grown all over the city.
6. Johannesburg
Johannesburg, or the city of gold, is known to display its vibrant lilac jacarandas, which generally line the city streets. Originally coming from South America, these alien plants are still praised and loved by the locals.
5. Durban
KwaZulu-Natal, or the Garden Province, has almost 23.7% canopy tree cover. Furthermore, the coastal city is also known for its creamy and large avocados, which can be picked and eaten straight from the tree.
Read more: Why we need to plant more trees
4. Cambridge
Tree planters in Cambridge are still active as volunteers while they continue to grow the Cambridge gardens in the United States.
3. Vancouver
Vancouver comes third on the list with the most trees. Moreover, the Canadian government has designed a free app that can be downloaded and used to identify trees around the city through a library of images.
Read more: Breathe easy: How trees are nature's air-cleaning machines
2. Sydney
The Sydney administration has planned to plant at least five million trees by 2030. Their main plan is to boost tree canopy by a whopping 40%. Furthermore, Sydney’s botanical garden is the home of Wollemi Pine, also known as the Wishing Tree by the locals.
1. Singapore
Singapore is known for its varied and sleek high rises and even its emphasis on plazas or trees. By 2030, Singapore is on its way to expanding its overall green space even more. The Singapore administration's main role is to make 85% of its residents live within 400 meters of a park.
In conclusion, these 10 cities with the most trees serve as examples of how urban areas can be transformed into greener and healthier spaces. The benefits of trees are undeniable, from mitigating the effects of changing climates to improving air quality and mental health. However, there is always more that can be done to increase tree cover and improve the environment for both people and wildlife. By planting more trees and supporting reforestation efforts, like DGB Group's large-scale reforestation projects, we can all contribute to creating a more sustainable and beautiful future.
Join DGB in planting more trees globally
