The Métropole Européenne de Lille (MEL) has selected nine communes for the first planting projects under its “1 million trees” scheme. The projects will create 1.5 hectares of new woodland in the 2026-2027 planting season. They are a first concrete step towards the metropolitan goal of one million additional trees by 2035.

What was selected

The selection follows a call for expressions of interest launched in June 2026. Of the 10 communes that applied, 9 were chosen, with projects totalling about 250 trees and 3,500 shrubs. The winning communes are Armentières, Bondues, Emmerin, Herlies, Marquette-lez-Lille, Roncq, Sainghin-en-Weppes, Toufflers and Wasquehal, and their projects are mainly in peri-urban and rural areas.

Armentières and Emmerin will create groves, Roncq will regenerate the Bois Leurent park, and Bondues and Marquette-lez-Lille will plant trees. Wasquehal, Toufflers, Herlies and Sainghin-en-Weppes will create new planted spaces. Residents or schools take part in Armentières, Emmerin and Toufflers. Wasquehal and Sainghin-en-Weppes link their plantings to the municipal operations “1 birth / 1 shrub” and “1 tree / 1 bench”.

The money

For this first round, MEL provides €44,529 excluding VAT towards total spending of €185,128. The wider programme has an overall budget of €390,000 for supporting communes. MEL can cover up to 45% of project costs, capped at €30,000 per project:

  • 35% base rate
  • plus 5% for projects in an area of ecological interest
  • plus 5% when the plants carry the “Végétal local” label or equivalent

Why the metropolis is doing it

The projects aim to preserve and restore local biodiversity while responding to climate change, in particular by fighting urban heat islands. They rely on nature-based solutions to respond to heat waves. The scheme sits within MEL’s Nature and Water Strategy, which is intended to speed up greening across the territory.

What happens next

Sixteen communes with fewer than 15,000 inhabitants already receive technical support from MEL services. This support prepares them for a second call, planned for early 2027, and for plantings in winter 2027-2028. The scheme builds on earlier work: since 2024, MEL has planted 120,000 trees and shrubs. These plantings came through work on its natural sites, development projects, support for agroforestry and river restoration.