Autumn tree-planting initiative will see 2,400 trees and shrubs planted in the Axarquía and Ronda

The first event will take place on Sunday 18 October in Parauta. The planting will take place next to the children’s playground and will include carob trees, holm oaks and oleanders, as well as aromatic plants such as rosemary, lavender and thyme. Places can be booked via the Málaga Viva website. The registration period closes on Wednesday 14 October.

A week later, on Sunday 25 October, the initiative will reach the Axarquía with an event in La Vega park in Algarrobo, next to the river. The species chosen are also suited to the characteristics of the environment: carob and wild olive trees among other species will be planted alongside trees typically found in riverside habitats, such as poplars, aspens and tamarisk. Registrations can be made between 13 and 21 October.

The programme will resume on 22 November in Canillas de Aceituno, near the monument of the grape grower. The list of species to be covered is particularly extensive and includes strawberry trees, junipers, myrtles, wild olive trees, mastic trees, cornicabra olive trees, holm oaks, buckthorns, wild roses, rosemary and wild olive trees. In this case, the registration period will run from 10 to 18 November.

The final event will take place on 29 November in La Viñuela, at the recreational area near the reservoir. There, hackberry, elm, strawberry tree, wild olive and holm oak trees will be planted, as well as myrtle, cornicabra, buckthorn, wild rose, rosemary and wild olive. Those interested can register from 17 to 25 November.

Each of the four days is expected to attract around a hundred participants. The Diputación will provide a free coach with 50 seats, which will depart from Malaga city and be joined by a further 50 residents from the host village. The event will be free of charge for participants and will be organised on a voluntary basis.

The plantings form part of Malaga Viva, the provincial strategy to combat climate change managed by the Diputación's climate change service. The institution views the tree-planting schemes as initiatives that combine environmental restoration with public participation and education on the importance of conserving vegetation.

The programme attributes several environmental objectives to this type of reforestation: combating climate change, protecting the soil from erosion, helping to prevent forest fires and promoting biodiversity. Alongside the planting sessions, Malaga Viva aims to teach volunteers how to plant a tree and give them a better understanding of how the natural environment works and how to conserve it.

The initiative forms part of a wider programme of environmental awareness-raising promoted by the provincial authority. In recent years, Málaga Viva has carried out projects relating to reforestation, energy efficiency, waste, water and environmental education. The provincial nursery also takes part in initiatives to restore degraded areas and has been running training programmes focusing in particular on native species since 2014.

The three initiatives planned for the Axarquía will enable action to be taken in a wide variety of settings: from La Vega de Algarrobo park to the area surrounding the La Viñuela reservoir and an urban area in Canillas de Aceituno. The Diputación aims to combine, in each case, species adapted to the environment with public participation, so that the 2,400 specimens planned for this autumn serve both to restore habitats and to raise awareness of the effects of climate change.

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