Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo inaugurated the Bois de Charonne on Wednesday, September 11, the second «urban forest» of the capital, after the inauguration in June of a first project of this type, intended to respond in particular to the challenges of global warming. “Making green spaces means allowing future generations to live in a city in the context of climate change, but also improving our living environment by making spaces more beautiful and more peaceful.”declared the PS mayor.
Located in the 20th arrondissement on the edge of the Petite Ceinture, the former Parisian railway line, this new park includes nearly 3.5 hectares dedicated to walking. “An investment for the City of Paris of around 15 million euros”explains Christophe Najdovski, deputy in charge of greening public spaces. Winner of a call for projects «Nature 2050»the “urban forest” also benefited from support from the State, via the Green Fund, and from the Greater Paris metropolis.
An “oxygen balloon”
With more than 7,500 trees planted and a small body of water, the Bois de Charonne is one of the largest greening and climate change adaptation projects in the City of Paris. “It’s a breath of fresh air that the 20th arrondissement really needed.”rejoices Catherine de Pontevès, retired and resident of the district. “It’s wilder than the Bois de Vincennes”emphasizes Étienne, her husband. “A neighbor of the park told me that he sees a heron every morning from his window. We didn’t have this kind of species before.”.
Conducive to biodiversity, urban forests also serve as cool islands during heat waves. “In terms of temperatures, we expect decreases of around four degrees compared to artificial areas”explains Christophe Najdovski. The Bois de Charonne is the second urban forest to be created in the capital, the first having been inaugurated in June on Place de Catalogne, in the 14th arrondissement.
Two other greening projects are planned, on Place du Colonel-Fabien and on the forecourt of the Hôtel de Ville, where work should begin this fall for delivery at the end of 2026. A total of 113,000 trees have been planted since 2020 as part of the Tree Plan, which sets the objective of 170,000 trees and more than 30 hectares of green spaces created by 2026.
