The importance of monumental and protected urban trees: a comparison between different European contexts

Urban trees can be protected through planning instruments, which is particularly true for monumental trees. Monumental trees are defined based on different criteria, and vary between countries and cities. In this contribution, we present results from the MONUVERSITY “MONUmental and urban trees for biodiveRSITY: improving our knowledge on their origin and microhabitats” project and, specifically, we analyse and compare protected and monumental trees in the Veneto region, and the cities of Grenoble (France) and Helsinki (Finland). The presentation first focuses on similarities and differences in terms of criteria adopted as well as other relevant data for monitoring and biodiversity (e.g., tree species). Second, a specific analysis of tree-related microhabitats will help in understanding the potential role of these trees in urban biodiversity. This analysis focuses on the frequency and variability of tree-related microhabitats considering different types of protection and of monumental trees. This study provides a contribution to biodiversity monitoring in urban areas as well as further deepening our knowledge of monumental trees. These results may also orient urban planners to better integrate biodiversity in their management plans and daily treatment of urban trees.