Escaldes-Engordany Plants 63 New Street Trees to Green Urban Areas

Escaldes-Engordany parish council is planting 63 new street trees across public areas to integrate nature into urban settings and boost environmental standards.

The project aligns with Dia de la Natura on 3 March, emphasising trees' value in bridging natural landscapes and city environments. Council teams installed 18 trees in 2025 at multiple streets and open spaces, with the remaining 45 scheduled for March 2026, subject to weather.

Efforts extend beyond filling gaps, focusing on optimal growth conditions. Workers expanded planting pits, broke up dense soil to support roots, replaced clay with sandy loam substrate, and layered gravel in varied sizes to enhance drainage and resist compaction.

Choices prioritise species resilient to the area's high-altitude climate and site needs: maples (*Acer freemanii*, *Acer campestre*, *Acer saccharinum*), lindens (*Tilia cordata*), oaks (*Quercus rubra*, *Quercus robur*), hornbeams (*Carpinus betulus*), sweetgums (*Liquidambar styraciflua*), Callery pears (*Pyrus calleryana*), ginkgos (*Ginkgo biloba*), Chinese pistache (*Pistacia chinensis*), Persian parrotia (*Parrotia persica*), and Syrian hibiscus (*Hibiscus syriacus*).

Sites include Avinguda de les Nacions Unides, the new Plaça de l'Església, and Parc de la Mola, plus Carrer Sant Antoni, Avinguda del Fener, and Carrer Copríncep François Mitterrand. Work continues or awaits completion at Avinguda Esteve Albert and Carretera de l'Obac. Under mayor Rosa Gili, additional plantings will support the expanding green area on Carrer dels Veedors, now in construction, alongside fixes for other vacant pits.

Urban trees moderate heat in populated zones via evapotranspiration, trap CO2 from daily activities, and elevate living standards, according to the council. The initiative underscores dedication to natural assets and a more verdant, vital parish.