English city of Sheffield has the most trees in Europe

(Patria) - Nestled in the hilly region of Yorkshire is Sheffield, named after the River Sheaf that flows through the city.

The English city, once most famous for steel, which earned it the nickname "Steel City", today nurtures greenery instead of industry.

The city, with nine times more trees than people, has just over half a million inhabitants who agree that nature should be cherished.

The city districts, spread across seven hills, surround the city center located in the middle of the valley, writes Punkufer.

The city itself is located at the confluence of five water sources - the River Don and its four tributaries: Sheaf, Rivelin, Loxley, and Porter Brook - which played a significant role in Sheffield's evolution.

Fast-flowing water powered water wheels and hundreds of mills as early as the 12th century. Over time, cutlery and knife blades began to be produced there.

During the Industrial Revolution, Sheffield's production grew so much that it earned its nickname.

Today, the Steel City is considered the British champion of urban greenery. Believe it or not, more than sixty percent of its area is covered by parks, forests, and gardens, including a third of the Peak District National Park.

City authorities have decisively committed to nature conservation, with a plan to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2025.

Just over a decade ago, municipal contractors began felling numerous healthy trees. Residents protested, and in the meantime, the green initiative Sheffield Street Trees Partnership was born, which began to intensify its efforts in greening.

Today, with approximately 4.5 million trees growing throughout the city, Sheffield has more trees per person than any other city in Europe.

Some residents claim that they can thank the tree-felling incident for their healthy environment, because when they almost lost it, they became more attached to trees than ever before, and channeled the energy born from their anger into concrete actions.