Medellin is known as a “Tree City” with over 600,000 trees in its urban area and more than 250,000 trees in the surrounding municipalities of the Aburra Valley Metropolitan Area. This abundance of trees provides numerous benefits to the city, including:
- Oxygen production: Trees release oxygen, which is essential for human life.
- Shade: Trees provide shade, which can help to reduce heat stress and improve comfort levels in outdoor spaces.
- Air purification: Trees absorb air pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide.
- Water filtration: Trees help to filter rainwater, which can reduce pollution in waterways.
- Biodiversity: Trees provide habitat for a variety of plant and animal species.
- Aesthetics: Trees add beauty to the cityscape and can make neighborhoods more livable.
The city of Medellin is committed to the care and maintenance of its trees. The Environmental Secretariat and the Physical Infrastructure Secretariat, in conjunction with the Botanical Garden, carry out important work for the entire city and for the benefit of its inhabitants. The Botanical Garden has squads or crews throughout the city and reaches many of them to clean, fertilize, and recover them.
Medellin is also a participant in the Tree Cities of the World program, which recognizes cities and towns committed to ensuring that their urban forests and trees are well-maintained, sustainably managed, and duly celebrated. The city has received this certification for two consecutive years.
In addition to the work of the city government, there are also a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are working to protect and promote trees in Medellin. One such NGO is the Corporación Jardín Botánico, which runs a number of educational programs and initiatives.
The most common tree species in Medellin include mango, yellow and pink guayacán, urapán, false laurel, yellow acacia, and African tulip.