Medellín turns its botanical garden into a global classroom for city trees

Medellín's Joaquín Antonio Uribe botanical garden hosted the sixth International Urban Tree Diversity Conference, drawing 23 international experts for three days of free talks on managing the city's urban forest. Environment secretary Marcela Ruiz framed trees as allies that cool neighborhoods and shelter wildlife — no small thing in a city that tends nearly 650,000 trees across 826 recorded species, including more than 600 heritage trees. The gathering closed out Medellín's Climate Week Biodiversity, with 38 lectures, 13 information stands, and simultaneous English-Spanish translation.