More than 1.7 million trees planted on public land in Bucharest were recorded through the Green Register project, but the capital needs around 450 more hectares of green space, to meet the European Union requirement of 26 square meters per capita by 2013.

Bucharest has an average of 23.21 square meters of green space per person. Sector 1 is the greenest, with 77.19 square meters per capita, while sector 2 is the least green, with 12.43 square meters per capita. The EU requirement is 26 square meters by 2013. Bucharest mayor Sorin Oprescu said that damaged land can be turned into parks and 500 hectares on the banks of the Dambovita river can be converted into green space.

The Green Register project's objectives include creating a digital map of protected trees and compact green spaces on public and private land, as well as trees planted near roads, public institutions, public schools, culture institutions, housing complexes, churches and in cemeteries. The map should also cover damaged land that can be converted into green space.

Another objective is developing a dedicated geographic information system (GIS) application, to keep the map up to date and allow a user to generate and print reports, and read about documents issued by City Hall's Environment Department on cutting/planting authorization.

The project also aims to create a set of norms for data collection and validation, recommendations on the city's tree species, technological suggestions for green space management, recommendations for the rehabilitation of degraded land.

Mediafax

(photo source: Sxc.hu)