Charter for Trees - Nancy

Nancy's Charter for Trees ('La Charte de l'Arbre de la ville de Nancy') was first signed in 1996 and renewed in 2013. The Charter accentuates the legal protection of trees in the heart of the city and strengthens tree and plant diversity. In 2013, the new version of the Charter made it possible to engage diverse urban policy actors and to adapt to new legal, urban, ecological and social developments, while still in line with the 1996 Charter.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Legislative, regulatory and strategic instruments›Dedicated strategy, plan, or law

Challenges addressed

Ecologic connectivity
Soil quality
Water management (e.g. reuse)
Green space management (e.g. accessibility)
Watershed restoration/water quality
Drought and fire risk
Flood risk: pluvial and fluvial / soil permeability
Heat stress and heat island effect
Landslide risk
Human health, comfort and well-being

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

The Charter aims to maximize tree diversity in the city by improving the multiplicity of services provided by trees, both aesthetic and practical. The Charter also considers biodiversity as an effective response to address challenges related to plant protection and climate change, and thus aims to maximize tree species to support adaptation toward climate change. In addition to being a source of humidification, trees are viewed to fix polluting particles in the air and stock important quantities of carbon dioxide, reducing the greenhouse gas effect. Additionally, trees are seen for their ability to act as retention basins as an efficient water management measure and prevent soil erosion and floods through their root structures.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Parks and (semi)natural urban green areas

Urban green space connected to grey infrastructure

Good practice characteristics:

Effective

Support multifunctional NBS

Sustainable in the long-term

Locally appropriate

Potential to be replicated / upscaled

Inclusivity

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

Grand Nancy Metrepole

Instrument implementation:

Type of involvement:

The management of the tree renewal is carried out by the Parks, Greens and Nature departments of "Grand Nancy Metrepole". The parks, forests and landscape plantations in the city are maintained by the City of Nancy. In order to mobilize all citizens and involve them in the preservation of the tree heritage, the city has the objective to strengthen the consultation process. In 2013, the Association Arbres Remarquables (Research and Studies and Safeguards) (A.R.B.R.E.S) certified trees in the territory of Nancy for the first time. To improve tree management in the city, Nancy aims to develop new research partnerships with leading scientists on urban ecology and training center (the National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA) and the University of Lorraine).

Type of non-governmental actors involved:

Citizen councils or consultation for co-planning (e.g. workshops, surveys)

Citizen monitoring and review

Taskforce groups, Dissemination of information and education

Targeted actors:

Researchers, university

Citizens or community groups (CBOs), NGOs

Financing

Sources of funding:

Public local authority’s budget

Budget:

Unknown

Details about instrument financing:

No figures on the budget were able to be found in publicly available literature

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

More than 28 green spaces were created in a period of 20 years, equating to more than 42 hectares. This involved the planting of more than 14,000 trees over a 15 year period. The large projects being implemented under this Charter during the last five years have led to an increase of the tree heritage of more than 40%. Consequently, the territory of Nancy - with only 1500 hectares for nearly 110 000 inhabitants - has a very high proportion of natural areas: 320 hectares, including private and public spaces.

Success factors and lessons learned:

Nancy's Charter for Trees has led to significant tangible and effective outcomes and impacts, as described above. Urban afforestation supports multi-functional nature-based solutions (biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, climate change mitigation, lowered temperature, better air quality, carbon sequestration, improved soil quality, water and flood management, etc). The policy instrument is also viewed as being sustainable in the long-run since it has been proven to be accepted, prioritized and earmarked for funding since 1996. The Charter is locally appropriate and has strong potential for replication and up-scaling.

Sources and further information

References

List of references:

1. Nancy (2013). "La Charte de l'Arbre dela ville de Nancy". Available at: http://calameo.download/00139016124d4eb47853a (Accessed: June 22, 2022). 2. Nancy (n.d). "Les arbres". Available at: https://www.nancy.fr/utile/nancy-la-ville-qui-cultive-la-vie/les-arbres-236.html (Accessed: June 22, 2022).

Photos

@Ville de Nancy/ Archivos