A pedestrian forest of 1,000 trees takes over a Dutch town » The Horticulturist

A traveling event that took place in the city of Leeuwarden, in the north of the Netherlands, gave people the opportunity to discover an alternative and greener future

Dubbed Bosk, the event created a traveling forest, where 1,000 native trees planted in wooden containers were transported by volunteers to various points in the city center over a 3.5 km stretch. The idea is to understand the difference it makes to have trees in different places and also create hope that it is possible to build a better future.

Volunteers have signed up to participate in the event and move the trees. | Photo: Anne Pinto Rodrigues

Each tree has a QR code that provides details such as species, average lifespan and preferred soil type. A soil sensor alerts the city’s gardening team when trees need water. About 70 native species were chosen for planting, including alder, ash, elm, maple, oak and willow.

City map of Leeuwarden showing the route of the tree | Photo: Anne Pinto Rodrigues

In addition to the great spectacle of the moving forest, Bosk’s program included debates, exhibitions and performances around the theme of reuniting with nature.

Trees of native species were planted in wooden boxes | Photo: Anne Pinto Rodrigues

The idea for the Bosk event came from landscape architect Bruno Doedens and his collaborator Joop Mulder, who questioned the relationship between man and the natural world. “Right now, we as a species are behaving like teenagers who don’t want to clean their room,” Doedens says. “We have to grow up and stop messing things up. We must take care of our environment. »

Within 100 days of the event, trees were planted across the city, including in low-income neighborhoods where green is scarce.

The forest occupied several barren spots in the city, demonstrating what the place would look like if they were there. | Photo: Anne Pinto Rodrigues

More tree cover in an urban setting means lower ground temperatures. A study of almost 300 European cities showed that urban trees can cool the earth’s surface temperature by up to 12°C in summer.