Saving trees initiatives from an association

1. General information

Location and description of the intervention

City or FUA

Aix-en-Provence

Region

Europe

Native title of the NBS intervention

Défense des Arbres en Pays d'Aix

Short description of the intervention

After more than one 100 trees were slaughtered in a few months upon order of the city in 2016, the association "Défenses des Arbres en Pays d'Aix" was created by multiple NGOs with the purpose of saving the plant heritage of Aix-en-Provence. Their main goal was to encourage the city's council to establish a "Charter for trees" dedicated to the city of Aix en Provence (Ref. 1). The work of the association was useful as the city decided to engage in a new charter, and prepare a new planting season with 64 trees (in 2016) (Ref. 4). The Charter was developed in 2017 (Ref. 6) and an environmental management plan for activities was developed in 2018 (Ref. 7).

Address

Trees in the city center
Aix en Provence
France

Location

The NBS is a city-wide initiative, the GIS point marks the centre of the city

Type of area before implementation of the NBS

Central Business District / City Centre

Website of the intervention

https://www.helloasso.com/associations/apadem/collectes/aux-arbres-citoyens

Timeline of intervention

Start date of the intervention (planning process)

2016

Start date of intervention (implementation process)

2016

End date of the intervention

ongoing

Present stage of the intervention

Ongoing

2. Objectives of the intervention

Goals of the intervention

-Saving the tree heritage of the city and fight against unjustified tree cutting (the city council has ordered and already cut down many trees around the city without transparency, therefore the association has sued the city to court).
Objectives of the association:
-Ensure the mission of the expert appointed by the Administrative Court (financing and follow up)
- Pressure on the city council to adopt a "charter for trees" as is done for instance in other cities such as Lille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Nantes, Marseille, etc ...
-Set up a structure of dialogue between city council and citizens for better management of trees in the city (Ref. 1)

Quantitative targets

-Edition and publication of the "Prêcheur du Palais" printed at 3,000 copies (Ref. 1)
-5000 signatures goal of the petition (Ref. 3)
-More than 300 trees have been or are planned to be cut down in the city (with the justification of being "dangerous" by the city) (Ref. 2)
-"There were 44 trees felled in 2016, and 107 in 2015" (Ref. 4)
-Objective to attain is 5000€ by 2016 and 32 900€ by 2018 for the saving and planting of these trees (Ref. 1)

Monitoring indicators defined

-Edition and publication of the "Prêcheur du Palais" printed copies (Ref. 1)
-number of signatures goal of the petition (Ref. 3)
-Number of trees have been or are planned to be cut down in the city (with the justification of being "dangerous" by the city) (Ref. 2)
-Number of trees felled in 2016, and in 2015 (Ref. 4)
- amount of money raised (in EUR)
€ by 2016 and € by 2018 for the saving and planting of these trees (Ref. 1)

Sustainability challenge(s) addressed

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Habitat and biodiversity restoration

Habitat and biodiversity conservation

Green space creation and/or management

Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)

Inclusive governance

Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)

Social justice and equity

Environmental and climate justice

Cultural heritage and cultural diversity

Preservation of natural heritage

Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?

Species-focused

Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?

Protect and enhance urban habitats

Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem

Protect species

Undertake specific measures to protect species

Undertake specific measures to protect valued species

Means for conservation governance

Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use

Raise public awareness

Public engagement

What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?

Species-focused

What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?

Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems

Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)

Restore valued species

Restore ecological connectivity

Public engagement

Implementation activities

"Several actions from the association have already been taken:
-Public information meeting
-Animation of the meeting points every Saturday morning in the market since April 2016
-Edition and publication of the "Preacher of the Palace" printed at 3,000 copies
-Establishment of an online petition (4,814 signatures at closing of petition, the objective was to obtain 5000 signatures)
-Civic demonstration against the felling of all the plane trees of the square
-Obtaining a favorable court decision from the Administrative Court of Marseille appointing an independent expert
-Creation of a blog: aixenarbres.fr" (Ref. 1)
According to the interview of a city's council representative:
-The city engaged to create a new charter for trees and plant 64 trees in 2016 (Ref. 4)

Type of NBS project

Maintenance and management of urban nature

Strategy, plan or policy development

Improved governance of green or blue areas

3. NBS domains, ES and scale

NBS domain and interventions

Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented

Grey infrastructure featuring greens

Alley or street trees and other street vegetation

Vegetation Type

Trees

Please specify how many trees were planted

64 (ref 4)

Amenities offered by the NBS

Unknown

Services

Expected ecosystem services delivered

Habitat and supporting services

Habitats for species

Maintenance of genetic diversity

Cultural services

Aesthetic appreciation

Inspiration for culture, art and design

Spiritual and / or emblematic (symbolic, sacred and / or religious)

Physical and experiential interactions with plants and animals

Social and community interactions

Scale

Spatial scale

Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level

Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level

Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)

Beneficiaries

Primary Beneficiaries

Non-government organisation/Civil Society

Citizens or community groups

Other

Please specify "other primary beneficiary"

64 trees (Ref. 4).

4. Governance and financing

Governance

Governance arrangements

Led by non-government actors

Non-government actors

Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches

Citizens or community groups

Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative

Several associations are part of this project to create this partnership to save trees of the city:
-APADEM which works for the safeguarding, defense, development of the vitality and dynamism of the inner city of Aix-en-Provence intramural as well as the support and support to its inhabitants and users.
-ARIE (association for the development and economic interests of the city center)
-Colibris en pays d’Aix (Association for nature preservation)
-Aux Actes Citoyens (Citizens mobilization association)
-Auxarbrescitoyens (Association of citizens to save trees) (Ref. 1)
A study has been carried out by experts for supporting the court case. Also "This study was carried out in collaboration with MM. Daniel CHASTEL, Engineer Horticulture, President of GD.O.N. and Francis TESTE, landscaper D.P.L.G." (Ref. second uploaded document "Expert Notice")

Key actors - initiating organization

Non-government organisation/civil society

District/neighbourhood association

Land owners

Public space owned by the city

Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)

Local government/municipality

Non-government organisation/civil society

Citizens or community group

District/neighbourhood association

Land owners

Public space owned by the city

Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used

Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)

Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget

Taskforce groups

Dissemination of information and education

Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)

Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)

Co-management/Joint management

Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)

Policy drivers

NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy

Unknown

NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan

Unknown

NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan

Yes

Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"

The creation of this intervention (meaning the creation of an association of different actors to save trees), has been implemented because there wasn't actually a local regulation to protect the tree in the city. Therefore, it is because there was no regulations implemented by the city that this intervention was created.(Ref 1)

Mandatory or voluntary intervention

Voluntary (spontaneous)

Enablers

Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project

Please specify

During the intervention, there was no "Charter for trees" implemented by the city (Ref. 1) and the city council recognized "a delay in this issue and a lack of communication"(Ref. 4). However, according to the interview of a city hall representative in 2016 after the intervention and mobilization of associations and citizens, the city is working on the establishment of a Tree Charter. Also, 64 trees were planned to be planted by the end of 2016 in different areas of the city (Ref. 4).

Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project

Unknown

Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project

Yes

Please specify

The partners of this creation of association are: APADEM (Association Palais Preachers Tomorrow), ADIE (association for the development and economic interests of the city center), Colibris en pays d’ Aix, Aux Actes Citoyens, Auxarbrescitoyens. (Ref. 1)

Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project

Yes

Please specify

Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project

Please specify

The city council is the entity that the association sues. Therefore, no investments from the city would be given to create this association.

Co-finance for NBS

Yes

Co-financing governance arrangements

Yes

Co-governance arrangement

A crowdfunding project

Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?

Set up specifically for this NBS

Financing

Total cost

€10,000 - €50,000

What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?

32900 (Ref 1)

What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?

unknown

What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?

Unknown

Please specify cost savings

Unknown

Please specify total cost (EUR)

-2 410€ collected so far
-Objective was to attain is 5000€ by 2016 and 32 900€ by 2018 (Ref. 1)

Source(s) of funding

Crowdfunding

Type of fund(s) used

Donations

Non-financial contribution

Yes

Type of non-financial contribution

Provision of goods

Provision of labour

Provision of other services

Other

Please specify other type of non-financial contribution

A study has been carried out by experts for supporting the court case. Also "This study was carried out in collaboration with MM. Daniel CHASTEL, Engineer Horticulture, President of GD.O.N. and Francis TESTE, landscaper D.P.L.G." (Ref. second uploaded document "Expert Notice")
Edition and publication of the "Preacher of the Palace" printed at 3,000 copies; -Obtaining a favorable court decision from the Administrative Court of Marseille appointing an independent expert
(Ref 1)

Who provided the non-financial contribution?

Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Other

Please specify other Business model

environmental justice (Ref 1)

Business models

Risk reduction model

Local stewardship model

Other

Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?

Citizens / local communities

5. Innovation

Type of innovation

Social

Governance innovation

Novelty level of the innovation

The innovation is copied/derived from previous initiative(s) without substantial adaptation

Please specify novelty level of the innovation

"This is an important victory because, for the first time in France, a court, recognizing the threat to trees, gives them legal protection. This is an innovative justice decision that represents a breakthrough for the protection of nature!" (Ref. 1) a charter of the tree as is done for instance in other cities such as Lille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Nantes, Marseille, etc ... (Ref 1)

Replicability/Transferability

Unknown

Please specify Replicability/Transferability

Unknown

6. Evaluation and learning

Impacts, benefits

Environmental impacts

Green space and habitat

Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems

Increase in protected green space areas

Reduced biodiversity loss

Increased number of species present

Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales

Description of environmental benefits

Green space and habitat:
-Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems (local habitats for local species): quantitative, number of trees conserved and planted (63) (Ref. 1)/64 (Ref 4) . "" we will move towards softer, reasoned pruning, especially in the first years after planting so as not to weaken them" (Ref. 7).-64 trees were planned to be planted by the end of 2016 in different areas of the city (Ref. 4).

-Increase in protected green space areas: quantitative, m^2 which are under purview of tree charter (Ref. 6).

Economic impacts

Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)

Description of economic benefits

Increase of jobs: quantitative, number of jobs (1 job created): "... a tree technician must be recruited by this summer. The latter will be responsible for enforcing the tree charter, voted by the municipal council in December to program pruning, replanting and felling services if necessary" (Ref. 7).
-2 410€ collected so far (Ref 1)

Please specify other environmental justice issue

court case for justice: -Saving the tree heritage of the city and fight against unjustified tree cutting (the city council has ordered and already cut down many trees around the city without transparency, therefore the association has sued the city to court). (Ref 1)

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts

Achieved impacts

Indicators

"A few information meetings were organized by the town hall to present the project, but the drama occurred on June 29, 2016, at the announcement of the slaughter of 19 of 23 sycamores they became allegedly sick of this place!"
The stupor of this announcement has strengthened citizen mobilization, other associations have joined this cause and the tenacity of a small group of activists throughout the summer has made it possible, for the moment to avoid the felling of trees." (Ref. 1) Establishment of an online petition (4,844 signatures so far) (Ref 1) 64 trees were planned to be planted by the end of 2016 in different areas of the city (Ref. 4). -2 410€ collected so far (Ref 1)

-Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems (local habitats for local species): quantitative, number of trees conserved and planted (63) (Ref. 1)/64 (Ref 4) . "" we will move towards softer, reasoned pruning, especially in the first years after planting so as not to weaken them" (Ref. 7).
-Increase in protected green space areas: quantitative, m^2 which are under the purview of the tree charter (Ref. 6).

-Increase of jobs: quantitative, number of jobs (1 job created) (Ref. 7).
-Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces: qualitative (increased dialogue), quantitative (number of meetings held between citizens and city)
-Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure: quantitative, number of historic trees placed under tree charter (Ref. 6).
--Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful: qualitative (increase), quantitative (number of citizens who signed petition)

Environmental, social and economic impacts

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Habitat and biodiversity conservation

Regeneration, land-use and urban development

Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development

Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)

Inclusive governance

Effective management

Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)

Social justice and equity

Environmental and climate justice

Cultural heritage and cultural diversity

Preservation of natural heritage

Analysis of specific impact categories

Job creation: The NBS created ...

Paid employment positions

Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...

Improved access to green and/or blue spaces

Other

Please specify other method used to evaluate the impacts of NBS

-Animation of the meeting points every Saturday morning in the market since April 2016 (Ref 1)

Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?

Yes

Please specify the negative impacts

According to an article in La Provence, the Defense group against harmful organisms (GDON) recommended that newly planted trees should have been hackberry, which was likely to result in a monoculture (Ref. 7).
"We have feedback from other municipalities, nurserymen, specialists. The choice of this species is carefully considered. It is a fast-growing tree, which resists pollution of cities, supports heat, resists frost, wind, in other words which is adapted to the urban environment , insists Sandrine Rouden. Perhaps the easiness would have been to choose hackberry "- as suggested by the Defense group against harmful organisms (GDON) in our columns on February 27th." But we would have fallen back into monoculture, we are already planting a lot on Aix in particular on the boulevard. "" And the problem with hackberry , adds Danielle Santamaria, is that it also attracts starlings. "We know the damage in the city centers" (Ref. 7).

COVID-19 pandemic

No specific information available as of Jul 09 2020. There may have been less appreciation of trees due to stay at home orders active in all of France from March 16, 2020 to May 11, 2020 (https://www.gouvernement.fr/en/coronavirus-covid-19).

Methods of impact monitoring

Process of recording NBS impacts

No evidence in public records

Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS

Observation (including virtual surveillance methods)

Other

Where can this data be accessed? Please include a link to a report or web-page.

http://www.aixenprovence.fr/Charte-de-l-arbre-d-Aix-en-Provence

Evidence for use of assessment

Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Impact assessment mechanism

Name of any specific impact assessment tools

unknown

Link to the output of assessments

http://auxarbrescitoyens.blogspot.se/

Use of GIS in mapping impacts

Yes

Link to GIS monitoring data

http://www.aixenprovence.fr/Charte-de-l-arbre-d-Aix-en-Provence

Citizen involvement

Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation

Yes

Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment

Focus Group

Other

Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment

-Animation of the meeting points every Saturday morning in the market since April 2016 (Ref 1) ; There are different blogs posting information and updates about current trees safeguard actions.
Also, this creation of association has created a website with newsletter available. (Ref. 2) *No longer available in 2020

Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation

Yes

Please specify

Several meeting are organized among the associations and citizens (Ref. 1)

Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment

Yes

Please specify

"Animation of the meeting points every Saturday morning in the market since April 2016" (Ref. 1)

7. Sources

References

Web links relevant to the intervention

Documents relevant to the intervention

Attachment	Size
Court Action Direction (1.54 MB)	1.54 MB
Expert Notice of the Plane trees located in the squares of " Prêcheurs" and "Verdun" (150.26 KB)	150.26 KB

List of references

1. Apadem (2016). "Collectif de Défense des Arbres en Pays d'Aix". Available at: https://www.helloasso.com/associations/apadem/collectes/aux-arbres-citoyens (Accessed: Jul 09 2020).
2. Website of the association "Collectif de Défence des Arbres en Pays d'Aix". Newsletter available on this page. Website not available in 2020.
3. Petition regarding the trees saving plan and the request of a "Tree Charter" for the city to implement and follow. "Sauvons les arbres d’Aix-en-Provence". Available at: https://www.change.org/p/sauvons-les-arbres-d-aix-en-provence (Accessed: Jul 09 2020).
4. Danielides, Julien (2016). "La mairie reconnaît un retard, un manque de communication et dit "oui" à la charte". Available at: https://www.laprovence.com/article/edition-aix-pays-daix/4194516/la-mairie-reconnait-un-retard-un-manque-de-communication-et-dit-oui-a-la-charte.html (Accessed: Jul 09 2020).
5. Faillard, Dominique (2017). "Alerte Rouge". Available at: http://auxarbrescitoyens.blogspot.se/2017/03/aac15-alerte-rouge.html (Accessed: Jul 09 2020).
6. Aix-en-Provence (2017). "Charte de l’arbre d’Aix-en-Provence". Available at: http://www.aixenprovence.fr/Charte-de-l-arbre-d-Aix-en-Provence (Accessed: Jul 09 2020).
7. Danielides, Julien (2016). "Aix : les défenseurs des arbres tirent la sonnette d'alarme". Available at: https://www.laprovence.com/article/edition-aix-pays-daix/4194514/les-defenseurs-des-arbres-tirent-la-sonnette-dalarme.html (Accessed: Jul 09 2020).
8. Durand-Vial, Stéphanie (2018). "Abattage des arbres à Aix, le service Espaces verts ne veut pas reproduire les erreurs du passé". Available at: https://www.laprovence.com/article/edition-aix-pays-daix/4872557/la-gestion-de-larbre-prend-racine.html (Accessed: Jul 09 2020).

Comments and notes

Additional insights

"The Charter of the Tree of the city proposed by the association request:
-A budget proportional to the importance of the tree in the city, e.g: 3000 € / tree
-Dialogue with the residents, rather than manipulation by fear of the "risk" of trees hampering work;
-The classification and legal protection of centenarian trees;
-Development projects designed with respect for the existing trees
-The renewal and development of wooded heritage in the respect and valorisation of the identity of the city;
-Plantations carried out according to the rules of the art, ensuring the survival and full development of the new plantations"

-"It is known that the City of Aix devotes a very small part of its operating budget to green spaces. Reliable sources inform us that the city grants a budget of 200 € / tree - compared to the 3000 € / tree granted by cities which engage in a true policy of safeguarding the wooded heritage. As a result, our trees are tarred to the trunk, too severely pruned, regardless of their annual rate of growth and hibernation, and lastly, sacrifice to slaughter to facilitate any development work of the City." (Ref. 3)

-"We must know that a budget of 800 000 € has been budgeted by the city council to cut down the trees."
"And to protect and satisfy his ego, the mayor has also budgeted 800,000 more to defend himself legally, if she feels personally attacked." (Ref. 5).

There are different blogs posting information and updates about current trees safeguard actions.
Also, this creation of association has created a website with newsletter available. (Ref. 2) *No longer available in 2020

Pictures of the NBS

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/sites/default/files/nbs/images/mobilisation_du_8_aout_2016_1476210399829.jpg

/sites/default/files/nbs/images/visuelbudget_1475849414958.png

/sites/default/files/nbs/images/cours_mirabeay_2010.jpg

/sites/default/files/nbs/images/cours_mirabeau_2016.jpg

Public Images

Green vault at Cours Mirabeau

Source: https://www.laprovence.com/article/edition-aix-pays-daix/4194514/les-defenseurs-des-arbres-tirent-la-sonnette-dalarme.html

Please specify other source of non-financial contribution

legal justice system, and unknown (Ref 1)