The growth of tree mass in Valencia shows an unequal distribution among neighborhoods. While some enjoy ample shaded areas, others persistently demand more green space without administrative response. The Department of Parks and Gardens, led by Vox, has implemented policies that benefit different neighborhoods disparately.
Recently, the city council has awarded, through minor contracts, the supply and planting of trees to replace empty tree pits in neighborhoods such as Poblats Marítim, La Petxina, Sant Antoni, Monteolivete, and La Raïosa. These actions are part of the participatory budgets VLC Decidim.
In the case of La Raïosa, procedures have begun for the creation of new tree pits and the planting of trees in the vicinity of Uruguay street, including the installation of irrigation, with a budget of 15,125 euros and a three-month deadline. This neighborhood, with 16,000 inhabitants, has only 2.2 trees per 100 residents and 0.6 m2 of green space per person, far below the 10 m2 recommended by the WHO.
The neighborhood association Cuidem la Raïosa has been lamenting this situation for years. Now, the city council is launching a plan to provide trees to this neighborhood, located southwest of the city, and correct this historical deficiency.
Conversely, the city council has resolved the contract awarded to the company Activa parques y Jardines SL for the creation of tree pits and planting of trees on Padre Viñas, Daroca, and San Juan Bosco streets, in the Orriols neighborhood. The resolution is due to an unjustified delay in the verification of the survey, attributable to the administration.
The original contract was awarded in June 2023. Later, it was detected that the works would affect an Archaeological Surveillance Area not included in the initial project, which required consultations and authorizations from the Municipal Archaeological Intervention Section.
The processing of the archaeological authorization extended until September 2025. Due to the excessive delay, the company requested the termination of the contract and compensation, which was finally approved in February 2026, canceling the contract and recognizing an indemnity of 2,255 euros.
The residents of Orriols have been waiting four years for the 130 trees they were promised, intended to mitigate high temperatures and improve the neighborhood's landscape.
