Barcelona city council requires 500 trees to replace those that died during the recent drought, encountering significant difficulties in sourcing suitable specimens. This shortage is affecting several municipalities across the province, according to local authorities and tree nurseries.

Sabadell, for example, has adjusted its projects and budgets, accepting smaller trees and seeking suppliers in southern France and Italy. The council stated it has "been able to execute planned plantings, though with more difficulties in street alignments where specific species, such as hackberries or golden rain trees, must be maintained."

Santa Coloma de Gramenet also reported a "significant supply problem for the most commonly used species in the city," predicting it will "continue for a few more years" due to reduced orders and production during the drought. The local government acknowledged a setback in replacing trees lost during water restrictions, noting issues with "not only specific species, but also quality trees." To mitigate this, Santa Coloma is planting younger, smaller diameter trees, protected by four stakes. It has also changed planned species in certain sections and began reserving trees two years ago, allowing them to grow larger in nurseries before acquisition.

Supply Challenges Across Catalonia

Barcelona attributes its difficulties, particularly with warm and temperate climate varieties, to a "simultaneous increase in demand after the drought, because many councils have started intensive planting campaigns at the same time." The city expects the 500 missing trees to be planted during the upcoming summer and autumn campaigns.

Terrassa has largely secured the trees it requested. However, the council noted that "on occasion, we have had to visit more than one nursery to find some species" and sometimes had to "wait to receive species ordered with bare roots," which are sold without pots or soil covering.

Tree producers point to a combination of factors contributing to the scarcity of certain species and robust specimens. One grower in Barcelona province observed a "strong demand" and a lingering crisis since 2008, which saw many nurseries close due to their links to the construction sector. "Some tree sizes are no longer worth what they were, transport is more expensive, and perhaps someone who used to grow 1,000 trees now grows 500, because they had to eat or burn them before," the grower explained. "It's a somewhat chastened sector, and the mix of everything makes it hard to find many things."

Climate Change Drives Demand

Another Catalan nursery owner confirmed, "There is more demand than supply." They added, "We don't have producers for all the existing demand, but it's a problem across Europe. There aren't enough trees to supply, and it takes five or six years to grow them. These are very long crops, chains break because nurseries lack continuity, and there are fewer growers, meaning less product even though demand remains the same."

Nursery owners agree that the surge in municipal orders is driven more by the need for varieties resistant to an increasingly warm and dry climate than by a direct response to the past drought. One entrepreneur stated, "The strong demand has come based on climate change and the creation of climate shelters." They continued, "All councils often agree on more acclimatised species. The low availability in Spain is compounded by nurseries from other European countries coming to buy from us, because we sell cheaper and have good plants."

European municipalities are also adopting heat-adapted varieties, increasing competition for the same types of trees. A seller highlighted, "In France, they are consuming the same trees as in Barcelona." Despite rising demand and diversifying clients, production times remain long. A nursery owner reminded, "A tree can take seven to 10 years until it can be planted in the city; they are living beings, you can't rush them." They concluded, "If they want to plant, administrations often have no choice but to change varieties or opt for a smaller tree. If they don't come with that mentality, they won't plant."

Moving forward, councils may need to continue adapting their planting strategies, considering alternative species and smaller specimens, or planning further in advance to secure the trees needed for urban greening initiatives.