City to test mini forests to combat heat waves

The city of Zug is aiming to become cooler. The Building Department is now planting trees near the railway station, and wants to know what the population thinks of this.
 

The sun is shining and the sky is still blue these days, but the temperatures are already rather cool. Nevertheless, the city of Zug is currently launching a measure to help combat the hellish heat in the city in the summer. The background to this: a new measuring system was installed last summer, that permanently transmits measurement data from temperature sensors at 300 locations throughout the city via a radio network, which is then collected on a website to form a heat map. This method is called ‘thermal mapping’. The heat map shows how individual areas of the city heat up in summer. The findings are used as a ‘sound basis for targeted climate adaptation measures’.

Population to have their say
The Department of Construction (Baudepartement ) has now implemented an initial measure. Specifically, a small grove consisting of four trees in large pots has been planted in front of the railway station in the city of Zug near the bus turning loop – a large, sealed concrete area that stores and absorbs heat. Information boards explain the purpose: "It becomes very hot here in summer. The city of Zug therefore intends to plant trees. These planters are now being used to test whether the selected locations are suitable for future tree planting," they read. The Department of Construction is asking the public for feedback on the planned location for new trees via the information boards (058 728 97 12 or baudepartement@stadtzug.ch).

For testing purposes, a number of trees are currently being planted near Zug railway station, in front of the western staircase leading from the bus turning area up to Platform 4.
A group of trees will be planted here permanently at a later date            Photo: Jakob Ineichen
This is the website that shows how hot things are in the city of Zug       Image: zvg
 

Permanently planted cherry and lime trees are planned
The test trees will remain on the Bahnhofplatz until the beginning of December, said the Department of Construction in response to an enquiry from the Zuger Zeitung newspaper. The test is intended to show whether the placement of the trees conflicts with deliveries to the station forecourt or not.

Depending on the result, the mini forest can either remain or will be removed. If the test shows that the trees do not pose an obstacle at this location, trees will be permanently planted in spacious tree pits. This would create a counterpart to the existing large group of trees near the stairs opposite. Amelanchier trees (Felsenkirschen) are currently planted in the mobile planters. If trees are to be permanently planted there, cherry trees and lime trees are planned.

800 additional trees for the city of Zug
Regardless of the new thermal mapping, the city of Zug has been actively maintaining the tree population on municipal land for some time, including as part of the ‘800 additional trees for the city of Zug’ project, which is to be completed by 2030. Between 2019 and 2024 alone, 393 additional trees have been planted on municipal land. As the city administration writes on its website: ‘Trees are the most effective urban climate improvers. They reduce heat in summer, filter dust from the air and bring nature into the city.’