Rita de Sousa e Silva in The Conversation: local residents help nature flourish around street trees
In the media
A small patch of soil around a street tree can become a green space full of plants and insects. On the academic news platform The Conversation, ecologist Rita de Sousa e Silva and researcher Kelly Baldwin Heid explain what happens when local residents actively care for these street tree beds.
The researchers studied 200 street tree beds in the German city of Freiburg. Half were planted and maintained by residents. These beds contained, on average, 1.6 times as many plant species as those that were not actively maintained. In total, the researchers recorded 474 different species.
These small green spaces also offer social benefits. Gardening helps residents relax and connect with their neighbours. A visibly well-maintained tree bed can also encourage others to follow their example. According to the researchers, this creates ‘small, flowering islands’ that provide space for plants and insects while strengthening connections within neighbourhoods.
Want to know more?
Read the full article on The Conversation: ‘Small, flowering islands’: German city reveals how nature thrives when neighbours care for street tree beds.