The project concerned important and still insufficiently highlighted problems: drastically falling numbers of trees in Polish cities which leads to visible deterioration of the quality of life, the lack of public information on the situation in tree and green areas management in cities (e.g. on planned cuttings), insufficient control from citizens over the authorities responsible for green areas management, and hampered social participation in protecting green areas in cities.
The aim of the project was to control the standards of tree green areas management in 16 voivodeship cities in Poland and to start the discussion and dialogue between activists and bodies responsible for tree management and protection. As a result of the project, a dialogue for tree protection was launched between organisations, local activists and authorities: regional meetings organised in 12 cities resulted in agreements on further cooperation.
Under the project, data on tree cuttings in voivodeship cities were gathered and a report was prepared that presently forms the most comprehensive and available information base on approvals for cutting trees (analysed e.g. as to the quality of justifications for cuttings and balancing the social and applicants’ interests), official monitoring of replacement tree planting, and gathering and using resources from fees and fines. A material was prepared on the problems and barriers in the existing legal regulations that make it difficult or even impossible to protect trees, meetings of the Social Dialogue Group for green areas in Wrocław were conducted with participation of the city authorities, where the need to prepare and implement model standards for city green areas management was discussed. 12 regional meetings and a two-day Forum of Tree Friends were organised that gathered 100 persons. The project benefited inhabitants of cities and authorities responsible for city green areas management. The cooperation with partners helped to organise regional meetings in voivodeship cities.