Building an Arc for Future Flora in Szeged

In a short video, Attila Pálinkó, Lead Project Manager at the City of Szeged, reflects on the organisational experience of the first project year, offering practical insights for other cities managing cross-sector partnerships.

Dr Ágnes Gulyás, urban ecologist at the University of Szeged and one of the project’s scientific leads, explains that although many results will only emerge through long-term monitoring, several trends are already visible:

• Tree species with shallow root systems or large transpiring leaf surfaces are struggling to survive.

• Thuja, pine (especially spruce), birch, and even linden and many maple species show rapid decline in the Southern Great Plain region.

• The number of trees drying out while still standing is increasing faster than replacement efforts can keep up.

This decline is linked to extreme drought conditions: in August 2025, measurements showed no moisture in the upper one metre of soil, highlighting the urgency of adapting urban planting strategies.

A key project output is a climate-tolerant species list, categorised into perennials, shrubs, and trees. A technical version will be available for landscape professionals, while a simplified version will support climate-conscious residents.

Climate projections for the Carpathian Basin remain highly uncertain. Possible changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could make the region’s climate:

• more Mediterranean, or

• more extremely continental, resembling Kazakhstan’s hot summers and cold winters.

According to Dr Gulyás, species from both climates are becoming increasingly relevant, including Tilia tomentosa (silver linden), Acer tataricum (Tatar maple), and Quercus ilex (holm oak).

However, Mediterranean species alone are not a silver bullet: many depend on humid coastal air and cannot cope with the region’s growing atmospheric droughts.

These uncertainties underline the need for long-term monitoring systems beyond the 2–4-year span of typical projects. Cities need multi-decade data to respond effectively to climate shifts.

One core lesson is already clear: successful urban greening is impossible without soil improvement and water-retention measures. Planting “climate-proof” species alone will not work if the surrounding environment remains hostile.

The ReGreenX team stresses that the species list should be seen as a flexible and expanding tool, not a definitive prescription. Maintenance quality and local conditions remain decisive.

Cities introducing new greening approaches typically follow one of two paths:

1. Targeting specific urban situations that require intervention (e.g. roundabouts, narrow verge strips).

2. Starting from successful methods or best practices and searching for suitable locations.

ReGreenX experienced most delays in the second case. Finding appropriate locations is difficult due to:

• overlapping underground utilities,

• zoning constraints,

• and simultaneous municipal or utility-company works.

A more effective approach is to develop a map-based green area plan, supported by remote sensing. This gives cities a comprehensive overview of spatial opportunities, conflicts, and ecological connectivity needs.

ReGreenX highlights the strategic added value of collaborating with universities. The University of Szeged provides:

• theoretical expertise (social geography, urban ecology, urban climate),

• empirical and analytical datasets,

• and a research-driven approach.

Its century-old botanical garden also offers practical research on species adaptation and reproduction, contributing, for example, to the development of a local climate-resilient seed mixture.

ReGreenX will continue generating valuable knowledge for cities looking to strengthen their climate resilience. The project’s first-year findings already show how urgent—and how complex—urban greening strategies have become under accelerating climate change.

Happy 1st birthday, ReGreenX! 🎉

Cities interested in learning more can contact the team at:
📩 regreenxszeged@gmail.com

We thank Attila Pálinkó (City of Szeged), Dr Ágnes Gulyás (University of Szeged), and the full project team for their generous contribution and continuous efforts.