Vélez-Málaga town hall to plant 300 new trees in 2026

Vélez-Málaga town hall on the eastern Costa del Sol has announced it will plant almost 300 new trees in different parts of the municipality. The aim is to increase shaded areas, improve air quality and reduce heat in urban areas.

The initiative forms part of an environmental transformation plan, which the mayor, Jesús Lupiáñez, explained in a statement would "make Vélez-Málaga a more sustainable town with a higher quality environment". He added that it "is not a challenge, it is a responsibility".

According to municipal data, 184 trees were planted in 2024 and 195 in 2025, meaning that with the forecasts for 2026, nearly 680 new trees will have been planted in three years.

The plan has two main lines of action. On the one hand, the afforestation of green areas to increase tree cover in parks and public spaces; on the other, the replacement and opening of new tree pits in streets and squares. Part of these actions are financed with funds from the Agricultural Employment Promotion Programme (PFEA), which also generates temporary employment at the local level.

The trees will be distributed across different areas of the municipality including Vélez-Málaga, Chilches, Almayate, Torre del Mar, Benajarafe and Mezquitilla. The planned locations include Avenida Carlos III and Calles Molino Velasco, Herreros and Tejeda, the Explanada de la Estación, the Levante roundabout in Torre del Mar and various points along the coastal path. 30 trees will be planted at Las Naciones primary school and six on Plaza de la Constitución, both in Vélez-Málaga.

The town hall is framing this strategy within a broader policy of climate adaptation and urban regeneration, with the aim of balancing residential growth with the provision of green spaces and ecosystem services in all areas of the municipality.