INTEGRAL PLANNING FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF URBAN FORESTRY IN ARGENTINE ARID CITIES

M. ANGÉLICA RUIZ; LEONOR M. ATENCIO; CLAUDIA F. MARTINEZ

Vancouver, BC

Congreso; International Urban Forestry Congress 2018; 2018

Canadian Urban Forest Conference (CUFC). Pacific Northwest Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture Conference (PNW-ISA). Urban Tree Diversity Conference (UTD)

The urban forestry in Mendoza-Argentina represents an environmental strategy with marked relevance to the city built model and its sustainability. Based on previous diagnostics, it is seen the need to elaborate a strategic plan that ensures the permanence, planning and an efficient management of the urban trees.The work develops criteria and guidelines for urban and peri-urban trees under irrigation that includes afforestation in alignment of streets and avenues; parks, squares and other green spaces. It highlights the multiple environmental, ecological and economic benefits they give to cities, their inhabitants and the ecosystem as a whole, when are strategically managed. The negative impact of an urban trees incorrect planning or its inefficient management on the built habitat.The general objective is to reduce the tree environmental vulnerability within the Mendoza urban model, evaluating the seven departments that make up the provincial Unicipio. The specific objectives state:i) Consolidate the information base and the analysis of the forest resource at an urban scale, the water resource destined for its irrigation and the main climatic urban variables.ii) Achieve institutional strengthening through training actions, communication and support for planning processes, public policies design and sustainable management of urban trees.iii) Implement pilot measures of Adaptation to Climate Change, the mitigation of the Urban Heat Island phenomenon and the improvement of the life quality.Methodologically, a quali-quantitative diagnosis of urban afforestation is carried out through sampling and dasonomic mapping. Interviews are conducted with municipal agents of the street trees and green spaces management. Then a comparative scheme is developed between the needs surveyed during 2016 and the specific energy-environmental benefits provided by afforestation according to different urban scenarios to be afforested.Finally, all the information obtained is processed and compared with the data resulting from scientific research in reference to environmental indicators of sustainability for urban greenning. A plannification to be developed in the short, medium and long term is presented. This one includes a current diagnosis of the Mendozaa urban and peri-urban forestry, and a planning and proposals of scenarios to reforest. This will be complemented with a technical training to municipal workers related to forest management and a comprehensive citizen environmental awareness program applicable to the different educational fields and sustainable in the time that will mark a course of action, with goals and objectives for environmental education aimed to preserve and strengthen the Tree Culture.