Forest-City projects are a large urban operation that takes place with the cooperation of local authorities and community and with the support of companies and organizations in the Israeli economy, creating green, shaded cities where the air is clean and which benefit the citizens and surroundings. Read about the program and join the change.
The use of the term ‘Forest-City’ or ‘Urban Forest’ started more than a decade ago in advanced western countries and is used to express the required approach to trees in nature and to urban nature. The terms relate to planting, maintenance, caring for and protecting trees in the urban space, as well as trees that are planted in public spaces, in forests, public gardens, streets, courtyards of institutions, municipal plazas and private courtyards.
The recognition of the need for urban forestation has come up the that constructed public spaces expanded, and the more the effects of climate change grew. The constructed public space is characterized by a phenomenon known as urban heat islands, which appear in climate conditions that are different from those that exist in open-air spaces outside of the city, including places with a higher temperature.
This phenomenon is due to worsen with the changes in climate, rise in dense-construction and human activity in the cities. Given these conditions, and in light of the expected rise in temperatures and recurrence of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and floods, planting trees in the cities and cultivating vegetation and urban nature play a central role in creating a quality and sustainable urban space, and improving the chances of Israel’s cities to cope with the changes in climate.
In a document written by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the National Economic Council it is stated that:
‘Despite their many benefits, many Israeli cities are characterized by a paucity of street trees. The current state of affairs stems from gaps that exist both in the planning and development of neighborhoods, and in the management and maintenance of the built space. As part of the planning and development procedures of neighborhoods, due to various constraints, mature trees are cut down, and the new trees that are planted in the street, are not provided with the necessary conditions for their prosperity. In fact, the development and construction procedures lead to a decrease in the shaded areas. Also, the vast majority of local authorities have difficulty carrying out plantings on existing streets, as well as maintaining and managing the street trees, without sufficient prioritization of the issue or allocation of dedicated resources’.
The methodology is based on circles of management, influence and execution that keep expanding.
Inner core – overseeing committee: regular participants in the overseeing committee – a project manager on behalf of the local authority, a project manager on behalf of Venatata, director of the public works department or a representative on its behalf, director of the gardening department, director of the education department or a representative on its behalf, director of the welfare department or a representative on its behalf.
Additional participants in overseeing committee, as needed – a representative of the Venatata NGO management, a representative of the local authority’s management, other officials on behalf of the local authority (such as: a representative of the engineering department, a representative of the public relations department, a representative of the youth and community centers department, a representative of the environmental protection committee, etc. as needed) , representative of investors/donors, external expert.
Forest-City director on behalf of the local authority: A person of influence who believes in the vision of a Forest-City and who will implement and execute the plan in the local authority.
The overseeing committee should be supported by the head of the local authority who will guide, steer and integrate the Forest-City plan in the city’s vision and municipal work plan, and who will attend the overseeing committees’ meetings from time to time and according to the need.
First circle:
Second circle:
Third circle:
This methodology enables the gradual involvement of officials and residents of the local authority to integrate into the Forest-City plan. Each stage will train local ambassadors and activists which will multiply, and spread the news and the concept to officials, public institutions, and residents throughout the authority. Each stage will be an infrastructure and preparation for the expansion of the application throughout the authority in the subsequent stages.
Venatata NGO has extensive advantages and experience in building socio-ecological infrastructure in educational and rehabilitative institutions.
The implementation of the program in educational institutions will train dozens and hundreds of ambassadors in the residents’ homes in the city, who will train more hearts for the next phase. In addition, the work with the professional departments at the local authority will build an infrastructure of knowledge and training in its application in their daily work at the local authority.
