• PROJECT – TREES FOR EUROPE’S GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE

The main objective of the Polish-German LIFE Project “Trees for Europe’s Green Infrastructure” Project (LIFE15 GIE/PL/000959), is to improve the management of trees as green infrastructure in the two countries and further. This happens through the creation and dissemination of guidelines and good practices concerning tree maintenance, as well as support for trees from the general public and decision makers alike. The Project outputs are further disseminated to other countries of the European Union and efforts are made to improve position of trees in the EU policies.

We created standards and guidelines that will help tree managers take care of them properly. We support community participation in the protection of trees and we train activists. We are gaining broad support for the needs of maintaining green spaces among citizens and decision-makers. We create a platform for cooperation and knowledge exchange.

Standards

of tree care, diagnostics and protection of trees are created with the participation of experts and representatives of the institutions they are to serve. We are working on the following main themes concerning trees as green infrastructure:

  • How to assess trees and perform pruning and maintenance.
  • Trees in the agricultural landscape – their role in promoting agricultural production.
  • Roadside trees – how to optimally maintain them and how to improve traffic safety in tree-lined roads.
  • Tree biosecurity in the era of climate change and global trade, including invasive diseases and pests.
  • Trees along waterways – green infrastructure along blue infrastructure.

Guidelines and standards were developed by expert working groups, then they were consulted and are being disseminated – to practitioners for use. We will also distribute them in other European countries and work to promote trees in the European Union.

Publication are available here: http://drzewa.org.pl/en/knowledge/

Tree management tool

Another task was to create an affordable and practical database for trees in public places, regardless of their manager or owner, to enable their effective control and management. A Czech database CheckTrees was adapted for this purpose and is being offered to municipalities and professionals.  https://www.drzewapodkontrola.pl/

Tree Friends Forum and Tree Friends Academy

Another important action is to support Friends of Trees, i.e. activists who care for trees where they live. Tree Friends Academy provides them with knowledge needed to become competent partners and critics of local governments in their efforts to green cities and villages. For them and for tree managers, we organize the annual meeting of the Tree Friends Forum, which provides space for the exchange of knowledge and experiences.

Annual avenue conference

The annual avenue conference, organized by BUND M-V in cooperation with the Mecklenburg-West Pomeranian state agency for the environment, nature conservation and geology

Long-distance cycling rally along the German avenue

Like green veins, avenues have been running through the German landscape for hundreds of years. They are not only considered a valuable cultural asset, but also provide a vital habitat for countless animal and plant species and are an essential component in protecting the climate. To bring this issue into the public spotlight, the cycling group “Tour d’Allée” teamed up with BUND Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to organize a long-distance cycling rally along the Avenue Road, the longest cultural road in Germany.

Help desk

For several years, we have been running a help desk, under which we provide advice and institutional support to people who intervene in the case of trees. We deal with receiving applications concerning:

  • planned tree felling (outside forests),
  • illegally removed trees and shrubs,
  • damage and destruction of tree crowns,
  • poorly performed earthworks causing damage to trees (in particular, destruction of tree roots).

Information, promotion

We provide information about trees, actions and campaigns, as well as other communities dealing with the subject of trees. If you are interested in obtaining more info please follow our social profile on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrzyjacieleDrzew/

To be continued…

The activities started under the LIFE project are being continued under other projects by both project partners and other organizations and entities. Details on this can be found in the report below – AfterLIFE TreesGreenInfra