The proposition: 'The lobby for urban green is too focused on green'

ARTICLE

POLICY & LEGAL

Heleen Kommers, Tuesday 20 January 2026

164 sec

Municipalities invest in trees, parks and green façades to reduce heat stress, limit flooding and promote a healthy living environment. Everyone involved seems to agree: cities deserve more green. But at the same time, criticism is emerging. Is the focus on greening too one-sided? Does this come at the expense of other urban functions, such as housing, mobility or social space?

This shows how green can also be used as a connection between people and nature

Lucy Bathgate, developer landscape and public space at Bathgate, water en meer + BuurtBomen Kansenkaart

I argue for streets with space for trees and for people

'Green is necessary, but never stands alone'

'More green in the city is, in my view, urgently needed, but it should never become a goal in itself. Green requires coherence: without water it does not work, and without engaged residents it remains vulnerable. I argue for combining functions - water retention, biodiversity and social interaction - so that green does not stand apart, but becomes part of a liveable environment. Rainwater should also be reused, streams made accessible again, and street greenery should ideally be managed by residents themselves. This creates a city that is not only climate-resilient, but also more pleasant and healthier to live in. My experience with projects such as the BuurtBomen Kansenkaart shows that this link between climate, ecology and neighbourhood ownership really works.'

'Value only emerges when residents participate'

'I notice that green only really gains meaning when people feel connected to it. In my experience with neighbourhood projects, the collective process - deciding together, adjusting and caring - is often more valuable than the greenery itself. Working together creates understanding for each other's wishes, for example when someone does not want a tree in front of their house, while another is looking for more shade. That is why I argue for streets with space for trees and for people: places where children can play, neighbours meet, and where management is shared between municipality and residents. Not only green should be central, but versatility. That way we make the city greener, more social and more functional at the same time.'

'Fifty shades of green: urban green requires knowledge, variation and vision'

Jasper Helmantel, owner Cruydt-Hoeck

'Without a plan, green remains just a colour'

'One single shade of green quickly becomes dull. There needs to be variation in types and species of greenery. Simply adding large amounts of extra green without a plan, design or expertise achieves very little. Green must be functional: it should contribute to biodiversity, cooling, tranquillity and contact with nature. That requires vision and professional knowledge. Only with the right plant in the right place and well-considered management does urban green become sustainable and valuable.'

'Green that works is accepted'

'The quality of green deserves more attention. Variation in plants, layers and management is essential. Not every flower meadow needs to be mown at the same time. Different mowing moments help create the so-called six V's: food, moisture, safety, reproduction, variation and connection. These are the basic conditions for nature restoration, also in cities. When green functions well, it is also more readily accepted by residents. The tree that provides shade or the patch of nature where children play - these are the places where people meet. Then green also gains a social function.'

'Green without a purpose is a waste of space'

Marc Meijer, director at Norminstituut Bomen

'Without vision, green becomes an excuse'

'Green is attractive, but not a goal in itself. I always ask myself: why do you want to green something? Green only really works when it contributes to something larger — to health, liveability and wellbeing. Trees and plants have a proven positive effect, both mentally and physically. Government has a responsibility to ensure a healthy living environment, and green is a powerful tool for that. Naturally, every professional field advocates its own interests, but the aim is one shared goal: a city where people can live healthily. Especially now, with the pressure of the housing challenge, we must seize that opportunity. Without space there is no green, and without green there is no healthy city.'

'Green is the best medicine'

'Investing in green is investing in people. If you do not, you pay the price later — through healthcare costs and unhealthy neighbourhoods. New urban districts offer the chance to get it right from the start: with trees, space and clear standards. The national tree standard prescribes at least 2.2 m³ of tree crown volume per m². And according to the 3-30-300 rule, everyone should be able to see three trees from their home, live in a neighbourhood with 30 per cent canopy cover and be within 300 metres of a green area. These are not ideals, but concrete guidelines for healthy cities. Just as you do not build a bridge without foundations, you do not build a liveable city without green as a base.'

This article was previously published on 19 January 2026 on the website of Stad + Groen.

Bathgate, water en meer +...

Cruydt-Hoeck BV

Norminstituut Bomen

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