Moscow, 50% greenspace

"Around 50% of Moscow is already made up of green spaces . . . including parks, gardens, natural areas, parks, squares, courtyards and other public green areas . . . These spaces are protected and rich in biodiversity... 569 species of animals and plants under special protection . . . Of these, 91 species have increased in numbers, suggesting the protections in place are working . . . As part of the ambitious greening programme, in 2020 Moscow’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin decided to create 26 new protected natural areas covering 1800 hectares. When this project is complete, it will result in 136 protected areas covering a huge 19,5000 hectares – that’s 7.5% of Moscow’s entire territory. This will be expanded again in 2021 with plans to create an additional eight specially protected areas, covering 280 hectares. These new parks are being built on former industrial zones – regenerating forgotten or dead areas of the city and giving them new life. Courtyards are also being landscaped so they too can be transformed into green, flourishing spaces. This latest greening project is building on the success of a tree-planting programme that over the past decade has planted more than 9.5 million trees and shrubs in Moscow. In 2020 alone, more than 70,000 trees and 1.3 million shrubs were planted in the city . . ."