With an eye to its people's health, Madrid is launching a vast urban forest project

Madrid Palacio de Oriente monument (pic) in Spain. An urban forest to fight global warming, the Bosque Metropolitano is a future green infrastructure composed of more than 450,000 trees over a 75km stretch in the city of Madrid. Photo: AFP

Holm oaks, poplars, umbrella pines... The city of Madrid will soon be sheltered by a vast urban forest more than 70km long. The large-scale project aims to reduce CO2 emissions, restore degraded areas, cool the city, and improve air quality.

With the objective of fighting global warming, the Bosque Metropolitano is a future 'green infrastructure' zone composed of more than 450,000 trees that will be spread over an area of 75km in the city of Madrid.

This vast forest will be composed of trees and plants from native species of the region including beech, black pine and olive trees, thyme and rosemary.