ABSTRACT
Bogotá, often hailed as a contemporary showcase in urban and peri-urban forestry in Latin America, has in recent decades pioneered plans for the protection and expansion of the city’s canopy, but against a backdrop that is antagonistic towards trees. This backdrop includes a tradition of disregard for native trees, a general lack of interest by local authorities, and a priority of built infrastructure over green spaces and ecological networks. After analysing the reasons for, and results of this background, this chapter dwells on the policy changes that have taken place that has led to a drastic shift in the city’s image. Today, although a lot remains to be done in terms of their governance, street trees have the possibility of contributing more to the needs of the capital’s inhabitants than ever before, but the case still needs to be made for their protection and expansion.
