Can you see three trees?

Not-Ship

Charting the age of uncertainty.

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Me again! I'm so happy you're all here. Thanks for letting me nerd out in your inbox week after week.<br>💙 Amanda<br>Support Not-Ship<br>Look out your window. Can you see three trees?<br>That's the first question of the 3-30-300 test — a standard that has become the go-to for solving a universal urban problem: Does this city have enough trees, and are they in the right place?<br>The 3-30-300 test is simple. Every home, school and office should have a view of at least three trees, be in a neighbourhood with 30% tree cover, and be within 300 metres of a park.<br>Proposed just a few years ago by Cecil Konijnendijk, the rule has spread quickly. The Italian city of Florence committed to planting 50,000 trees by 2030 under the framework. Fort Collins, Colorado made it a formal planning target. Cities from Haarlem, Netherlands to Saanich, British Columbia have followed suit.<br>Its popularity makes sense: 3-30-300 is a catchy, straightforward test that sets a clear benchmark for measuring equal access to nature.<br>But is it achievable?<br>Can you see three trees?<br>Having greenery in sight, not just nearby, is good for your head. People who can see at least three trees from their window have better mental health than those who can't.<br>It seems like the easiest of the three goals to achieve, but a study assessing the 3-30-300 rule in 862 European cities found that only about half the population has a three-tree view.

There are fewer tree-lined views for southern Europeans

Population, by city, that achieves the three-trees rule.

When it comes to seeing green, Europe is roughly split down the middle. In half its cities, most residents have three trees in view; in the other half, the majority don't. Cities with the poorest tree visibility tend to be in southern Europe. Valencia, in Spain, has one of the worst records: Only one in ten residents can see three trees.<br>How do I compare?<br>I can only see two trees from where I'm working today. That's one tree too few.

How do you compare?<br>This one's easy to assess. Just look out the window!

Is 30% of your neighbourhood covered by trees?<br>Viewed from above, one third of your neighbourhood should be covered by trees. As our planet warms, the consequences of not meeting that standard are measurable: Hitting the 30% goal across all European cities could prevent 2,644 heat deaths each summer, found a Lancet study. And that's the bare minimum. Researchers in Madison, Wisconsin concluded that meaningful cooling really only kicks in at 40% tree cover.<br>Unfortunately, that study of 862 European cities found the tree-cover standard is rarely met.

One in three Europeans live in an area with at least 30% tree cover

Population, by city, that achieves the 30% rule.

In seventeen cities, at least three quarters of residents live in an area that meets the 30% tree cover requirement. However, these are all relatively small places, with populations of just a few hundred thousand. Interestingly, ten of these cities are tightly clustered together in Western Germany, near the Dutch border.<br>How do I compare?<br>Apparently the tree cover in my area is only 17%, which I worked out using Tree Equity Score. That's disappointing.

How do you compare?<br>US and UK readers: You can use Tree Equity Score to find canopy cover percentages for your neighbourhood. Everyone else: Consider getting a rough estimate by using Google Maps to look at your neighbourhood from a bird's-eye view.

Do you live 300m from a park?<br>Of the three criteria, this is the most-often met. Regular use of parks and green spaces is associated with lower rates of obesity, improved cardiovascular health, reduced stress and better mental health. But these spaces need to be close enough; park use drops sharply when it's beyond a 300-metre walking distance (roughly a five minute stroll, or the length of about three American football fields).<br>Again, northern countries fare better. Nearly all cities with the best park access are in northern Europe.

Almost 60% of Europeans live within 300m of a park

Population, by city, that achieves the 300m rule.

How do I compare?<br>I was absolutely convinced I would pass this last rule! But using Google Maps, I found that my closest park isn't 300 metres away, it's 400 metres. That's close, but a fail.

How do you compare?<br>Open Google Maps, drop a pin on your home and draw a 300m radius. Do you see a park? Or use the navigation feature to get walking directions to your nearest green space. It should note the distance.

An ambitious target<br>The 3-30-300 rule is simple, but that doesn't mean it's easy to achieve. In fact, only 14% of Europeans live in an area that meets all three criteria. And 21% live somewhere that doesn't meet a single one.

Most Europeans don't live in an area that passes the 3-30-300 test

Portion of European population living in areas that meet 1,2,3 or none of the requirements.

There are only two European cities where more than...