Paris and its urban forest madness

An “urban forest”, the third of its kind in Paris, is growing on the iconic square in front of the Hôtel de Ville, where around a hundred trees should bloom in the spring, in order to cool this island of mineral heat.

After those at Place de Catalogne (14th) and Bois de Charonne (20th), a third urban forest is about to hatch on the square of the Town Hall. Au program of this project designed to reach completion in the summer of 2025: more than vegetated surfaces to guarantee more freshness intramuralwhile preserving this space dear to Parisiansscene of gatherings and demonstrations throughout the year.

In the shade of the trees, the expected cooling is 4 degrees during periods of high heat, which corresponds to the drop measured this summer on the Place de Catalunya (south), first Parisian “urban forest”.

Between 25% and 30% of the surface area will be vegetated, with around fifty trees planted in the ground near the fountains on either side of the square, where the space for gatherings will be “preserved” although a little less vast, explained socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo on Friday during a visit to the site. “This new landscape will guarantee historic views, particularly of Notre-Dame de Paris” on the other side of the Seine. © Guillaume Bontemps / City of Paris

Two wooded areas

The set includes two wooded areasmade up of large trees, on either side of the square, and a forest cover of shrubs and ferns on the square. The existing fountains are integrated into the development as vegetation supportsas a start and extension of planted spaces.

In all, this urban forest will include:

– 49 trees planted in the ground;

– A hundred little ones trees planted in the fountains or on the square ;

– More than 20,000 plants planted;

– 1,000 square meters ofvegetated spaces in the grounda space “constrained by the underground metro and parking network“, as detailed by Amélie Astruc, head of division at the direction of city green spaces ;

– And 2,500 square meters of vegetation in total.

The planted trees have been grown for fifteen to twenty-five years, and their root systems have been adapted to be transplanted for such planting projects. The largest measuring around ten meters. © Guillaume Bontemps / City of Paris

The trees were carefully selected to favor species native to Île-de-France, such as oaks and hornbeams. We will also see species adapted to higher temperatures, such as Julian hackberry and American honeylocust. The species chosen are supposedly resistant to the urban environment. © Guillaume Bontemps / City of Paris

The planting soil was developed with agronomic and silvicultural engineers from the City of Paris: the first meter mixes 30% soil and 70% stones, 4 to 8 cm in size, made of quartzite sandstone; then, topsoil is added, in order to place the trees with their large root ball. Then, over 80 centimeters, another mixture of stones of smaller diameters and fertile soil allows the trees to be fed. Finally, on the last 20 centimeters, we find topsoil supplemented with compost. © Guillaume Bontemps / City of Paris

Technical constraints of the site

This arrangement takes into account the technical constraints of the sitewith the presence of a parking souterrainwhich it was not planned to modify, for reasons of ecological and economic sobriety. The trees will therefore be planted on both open ground spaces available next to the two fountains, on either side of the parking lot. The vegetation will be extended above the latter, with a low stratum which will accommodate ferns and undergrowth plants.

In addition, historically, the Town Hall Square is a place of gathering and festivities for Parisianswhich it was essential to preserve. From the summer of 2025, Paris Plages activities will be able to stick to it or even commemorations of the liberation of Parisamong others.

Work schedule

The work is taking place in several phases, with coordinated interventions from the various City departments and their companies:

– from October 16 to December 9, 2024: renovation of the sewers;

– from December 9 to January 15, 2025: creation of outdoor planters;

– from January 15 to March 31, 2025: planting and installation of protective grids around the planters;

– And, finally, from April 1 to June 30, 2025: repair of the central reservation.

Access to the square is prohibited throughout the period of workbut the pedestrian traffic around the site right-of-way and theaccess to buildings neighbors remain possible at all times.

In total, the estimated cost is 6 million euros, which includes the studies, the design of the project and all the work that will be carried out this winter (revegetation, resumption of paving and lighting, etc.) . For the record, the development of the urban forest on Place de Catalunya cost 9.6 million euros. © Guillaume Bontemps / City of Paris

Of the revegetation work are also in progress Place du Colonel Fabien (north-east), where the headquarters of the communist party designed by theBrazilian architect Oscar Niemeyeret Swimsuit holder (northwest).

Some 120 streets should also be planted this winter in the capitaldepending on the municipality that will consult the Parisians on March 23 on the generalization of this type of route.

Source : batirama.com / Laure Pophillat