Prague 7 to get more trees

The Prague 7 district will have more trees. The city, district and the Technical Communications Administration (TSK) have agreed to plant 100 trees there. The first should be planted along the streets in the autumn months, the remaining ones will be planted in spring 2018.

“Prague 7 is a part of the city where climate change is reflected in summer overheating. At the same time, we feel a lack of trees in the streets, and therefore we are working on planting projects. We are also very interested in expanding cooperation with the capital and TSK so that we can increase the number of trees in the streets and in all other areas where possible,” Prague 7 Deputy Mayor Ondřej Mirovský said, according to Pražský deník.

The replacement of dried out or diseased trees for new ones could take place in the autumn of this year. At the same time, some new planting will take place. The trees in Prague 7 that have been scrapped have been checked to make sure that replacing them will not interfere with underground networks.

Early next year Argentinská and Bondyho streets should get between 30 and 40 trees. The space in front of the National Agricultural Museum (Národní zemědělské muzeum) could get 34 trees. The TSK will pay for and implement the planting.

In addition, the TSK will independently identify appropriate land under its management and make other proposals for new planting.

Trees are one of the ways to help regulate temperatures in the city and also to clean the air. Trees help to stop the urban heat island effect by stopping solar radiation before it hits the ground, where it would be absorbed and released at night to remain trapped in urban canyons. Black asphalt, in particular, can store a lot of heat from the sun.

Sunlight also causes trees to release water into the atmosphere, which also has a localized cooling effect. The trees also trap carbon from the air, which helps to reduce the greenhouse effect.

The city of Prague as a whole has been looking at solutions to the rising temperatures. Options being considered include changing the colors of roads so they absorb less heat from the sun, planting greenery on rooftops, planting a bigger variety of deciduous trees in parks and forests, and restoring urban wetlands.