Szeged to plant more than 8,000 trees across the city

NewsSzeged

Nov 18

The city of Szeged will plant more than 8,000 trees this year as part of its ongoing urban greening program, Mayor László Botka announced Tuesday at a press briefing at Stefánia, where workers have already begun planting.

The municipality planted 600 trees each fall over the past two years, but has increased the number to 800 this season. The trees, sourced from the Alsótekeres Nursery near Siófok, are being installed at more than 300 locations across the city. Environmental management crews are replacing individual trees in some areas and planting multiple saplings in others. Stefánia will receive 18 new trees, while Roosevelt Square and Korányi Promenade will bring the total in those areas to 108. The city allocated 28 million forints for the purchase.

Officials said the selected species — including maple, linden and ash — are resilient to heat, drought and urban air pollution. Slender trees are being placed on narrow streets and globe-shaped varieties in wider spaces. In all, 35 species and varieties will be planted.

Additional tree planting will accompany municipal renovation projects where utility regulations allow, including 107 new trees on the revitalized Gogol Street. The Gogol Street project includes drainage boxes designed to retain rainwater.

Szeged also plans to establish a two-hectare protective forest this year between the Liliomkert residential park in Béketelep and the BYD industrial park, planting 7,200 one-year-old saplings, including acacia, Turkestan elm, honey locust, hackberry and cherry plum.

Botka said greening efforts will continue next year with projects along the riverbank, on Károlyi Street, Hajnóczy Street, and at Szent-Györgyi Square beside the Black House, as well as improvements to the bicycle path on Csongrádi Avenue.

Szeged maintains about 250,000 trees – one of the largest urban tree populations in Hungary – and manages 3 million square meters of green space, an increase of 19 hectares since 2012.