Civilization and nature, city and forest - can they coexist? Natural areas around the world are suffering from the rapid growth of urbanization, but now there is a project in which cities are working to preserve forests. Find out more about Cities4Forests here.
Green spaces, trees and forests are indispensable for cities and their citizens, as green zones offer a multitude of benefits and bring nature into the city. Trees purify the air, provide a home for wildlife even in the city and are a recreational opportunity for people that is simply good for them. At the same time, parks and forests in and around cities are a link to forests further afield. They remind us of the global added value of large areas of forest in the tropics, but also in northern latitudes, which regulate our climate and help to preserve biodiversity.
What is Cities4Forests?
Cities4Forests aims to harness the political, social and economic support of city administrations and citizens to include inner, near and distant forests in urban development plans and programs. All participating cities and citizens are united in their efforts to reduce deforestation, reforest and manage forests more sustainably.
We start with the inner forests: the forests in the city, but also the nearby areas. The inner forests - these are the trees in the city. Avenue trees and parks. Shade trees, cooling groups of trees, groves. They all keep out the sun, purify the air and provide city dwellers with plenty of oxygen. And they remind us that there is much more forest outside the city - forest worth preserving. If we succeed in making city dwellers aware of how important forests are, even in large cities, and how valuable they are for people's health and regeneration, then the step towards protecting the "distant" forests on other continents will no longer be so difficult.
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Preserving forests - in the city and beyond
As forests become increasingly valuable, even in cities, there are more and more supporters of forest restoration and sustainable forest management worldwide.
Nevertheless, forest areas are disappearing everywhere. Around 5 million hectares of forest are cleared every year. This has terrible consequences for the species living there, but also for the increase in greenhouse gases. In order to raise awareness of the value and beauty of forests, they must be brought back into the cities. Only in this way will it be possible to awaken and maintain a connection with the forest in people.
Who participates in Cities4Forests?
Cities4Forests is a voluntary coalition of city administrations from around the world, supported by water suppliers and sustainability organizations. Cities from all over the world are already taking part, some with ambitious and innovative projects such as Milan's "Vertical Forest", a green high-rise building. Learning, awareness-raising and inspiration are promoted. At the same time, the organization offers technical support in the areas of forests and water, climate change, communication and politics.
These are just a few of the many cities taking part.
Training courses are also offered to help overcome challenges and provide a solid scientific basis for further work. Cities4Forests also helps with one-to-one meetings if required. Participating cities can join one or more working groups to develop a deeper understanding of thematic issues, challenges and opportunities.
We are committed to forests
At NIKIN , we donate to the planting of a tree through our partner OneTreePlanted with every product purchased from us, thereby also doing our part to preserve the world's forests. The work of organizations like OneTreePlanted helps to ensure that the world's forests are managed more sustainably and that lost areas can be restored.
You can find more information about the projects here: Cities4Forests
