Within the framework of the International Day of Forests, Barranquilla reaffirms its commitment to environmental sustainability with a robust network of urban ecosystems that today transform the landscape and the quality of life of its inhabitants.
The district Administration, led by Mayor Alejandro Char, currently maintains 136,646 trees throughout the city, along with a network of five urban forests distributed in three strategic locations. This system is consolidated as one of the most outstanding models of urban tree planting in Colombia.
These spaces, managed through the Siembra Más program, function as true green lungs that contribute to climate regulation, improving air quality and conserving urban biodiversity. Altogether, the city supports an operation that includes 500 gardeners in the field and six weekly maintenance days, reflecting the magnitude of the institutional effort.
The network of urban forests is made up of the Miramar Urban Forest, Campo Alegre, Hogar Caribe, Ciudad Caribe and El Pueblo, located in the Suroccidente, Norte-Centro Historico and Riomar localities. Each one houses between 2,500 and 6,000 trees of native species adapted to the tropical climate, such as the white ceiba, the silver mangrove, the purple oak, the almond tree and the ceiba bonga.
According to experts, these ecosystems are part of the so-called urban green infrastructure: living systems that operate continuously to mitigate the effects of climate change. In the case of Barranquilla, each tree can capture between 30 and 50 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year, retain up to 500 liters of rainwater and reduce the thermal sensation by up to 20 degrees Celsius under its shade. On an urban scale, tree cover can reduce the perceived temperature between 3 and 8 degrees.
“Urban forests are not simply decorative areas. They are living infrastructure that works 24 hours a day, regulating the climate and protecting natural resources,” said Richard Fernández, manager of the Siembra Más program.
The maintenance of this system requires high-range logistics. The city has a fleet of about 50 specialized vehicles and carries out technical tasks that include pruning, fertilization, phytosanitary control and scheduled irrigation. Young trees receive daily care in their early stages, while adults are watered alternately, especially in dry seasons.
The dimension of the project is evident in concrete figures: the Bosque Hogar Caribe alone, with nearly 2,700 trees, demands approximately 54,000 liters of water per full day of irrigation. In total, the urban tree system functions as a large-scale water and ecological network.
Beyond the numbers, the bet is long-term. An urban tree takes an average of a decade to reach maturity and can live up to 150 years, making each planting an environmental investment that transcends generations.
The United Nations established the International Day of Forests in 2012 with the purpose of raising awareness about the importance of these ecosystems. In this context, Barranquilla is positioned as a city that understands urban green not as an ornamental element, but as an essential infrastructure to face the challenges of the climate crisis.
