Aberdeen is the European Forest City 2019!
EFI’s Director Marc Palahí presented the Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Councillor Barney Crockett with a certificate on 11 April, to mark Aberdeen’s nomination as European Forest City 2019.
The award recognises Aberdeen’s commitment to forests and trees, as well as to forest research and education.
The four great forests around Aberdeen provide crucial environmental, social and economic benefits to its citizens. In addition, the city council has taken important actions regarding the tree coverage of the city; maintaining existing trees and plating new trees, for instance within the project “a tree for every citizen”. Aberdeen is also a recognized forestry knowledge centre in Europe thanks not only to its University but also to EFI’s member organisation, the James Hutton Institute.
In his speech Marc Palahí also praised Aberdeen’s visionary and ambitious Nature Conservation Strategy. “Such a strategy is in my view very unique, as it places nature at the heart of the city’s sustainable development”, he said.
Since 2014, the European Forest Institute has granted the title of ‘European Forest City’ to the city which hosts the EFI Annual Conference. Previous holders include Sardinia, Oslo, Vienna, St Petersburg and Bilbao.
The EFI Annual Conference will be held in Aberdeen from 18-20 September.
Photo: Adam Walker, James Hutton Institute.
