The Dutch city of Leeuwarden is greener than usual this summer, with 1000 portable trees moving around the centre.
The walking forest has been part of the Arcadia art festival, which brings together artists, performers, and debaters, on the topic of humans, nature, and positive global change.
1000 trees and a long walk ahead
The project is called Bosk (which means ‘forest’ in Frisian) and was developed by landscape architect Bruno Doedens in an attempt to reevaluate humans’ relationship with nature, writes The Guardian.
The 1000 trees cover 3.5 km of Leeuwarden city centre, and the project is designed to inspire locals and festival visitors to reconnect with nature and green living.
More trees in urban areas make cities far better equipped for reducing temperatures on the ground and cleaning the air from dangerous carbon dioxide — two key features of future-proof cities.
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And the man who came up with the idea of the walking forest, Doedens, is clear about the intention behind the project: “We as a species are behaving like adolescents who don’t want to clean up their room. We need to grow up and stop making a mess of everything,” he wrote in a 2021 essay.
Great support
The walking forest has become very popular among locals and visiting festival goers alike, and there’s no shortage of support.
The new, green vibe has has had a noticeable effect on the local population, who seem to feel like it gives the city a more relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
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There are always some haters
Of course, no new, hip, green, and sustainable initiative would be complete without some complaints. These mainly concern the fact that the trees take up quite a bit of space, leading to some logistical issues in the city centre, reports Omrop Fryslan.
Thankfully, angry car drivers are a minority, and most people are welcoming and enjoying the green change.
Would you like this in your city? Tell us in the comments below!