Painting the City Green: Trees for a Desert City

A PROEXPOSURE presentation for World Water Day 2013

Lima, Peru’s capital is the second biggest desert city in the world: smaller only than Cairo. No recorded rainfall and a rapidly growing population means water is a major issue.

A population of over 10 million means more and more demand not only for water but also for housing, more cars and an ever more polluted environment.

With all the issues that come with a rapidly growing city, until recently making the city green had not been a priority. Now this is changing….

The municipality of Lima’s ‘Adopta un Arbol’ programme has been working with local groups to plant trees to improve Lima’s harsh environment. In just over a year almost 200,000 trees have been planted.

Local residents are shown how to plant their trees and are responsible for caring for and using their waste water to water the trees. Only species that adapt well to desert conditions are being provided.

The ‘Adopta un arbol’ team return regularly after a month, 3 months and a year to ensure that the trees stand the best chance of establishing themselves. The chosen trees are all fast growing species.

More and more high rise buildings grow up around Lima to house the ever growing population. Concrete replaces dry sandy earth but now more and more green is being appearing.

School children are getting involved in the programme planting trees in their school yards. In summer months the sun in Lima is strong and everyone appreciates the shade of a mature tree.

These children from Carabayllo are helping plant trees. These trees should mature quickly so by the time they are teenagers the environment around where they live should have changed…

SPAB 181

…and they too can enjoy the shade of mature trees as here in the ‘ Parque de la Exposicion’, one of Lima’s more established parks, founded in 1872.

A PROEXPOSURE production for World Water day 2013 Adopta un Arbol is a SERPAR programme. http://www.serpar.gob.pe Trees used as part of the programme include mainly: Molle Costeño, Molle Serrano, Huaranguay, Papelillo, Mimosa, Melia and Jacarandá