In its eighth edition, the Urban Arboriculture Seminar highlighted the importance of integrating sustainability and safety as inseparable pillars for building more resilient and livable cities.
AES El Salvador holds its 8th Urban Arboriculture Seminar
June 19, 2025
With the aim of continuing to promote sustainable urban development, AES El Salvador held the eighth edition of its Urban Arboriculture Seminar, an initiative that is part of its sustainable impact program "AES Medio Ambiente" (AES Environment). The event's main theme was "Risk Assessment in the Practice of Urban Arboriculture," and it was led by Edgar Ojeda Sotelo, a forest restoration engineer and international arborist.
"Risk assessment in the practice of urban arboriculture is an essential component to guarantee the safety of people, the protection of infrastructure, and the health of trees in cities. This practice allows us to analyze the probability of failure of a tree or part of it, the impact, and its consequences, according to the biomechanical and physiological condition of the tree, its health and environment, as well as its relationship with the surrounding infrastructure, to make informed decisions about interventions such as pruning, treatments, or removals," highlighted Edgar Ojeda.
Under this vision, the seminar addressed practices that allow for proper planning and management of urban trees, aimed at reducing electrical and environmental risks, without compromising the benefits that trees provide to the population. This approach reinforces AES El Salvador's commitment to promoting solutions that balance urban growth with the protection of the natural environment, fostering a culture of harmonious coexistence between infrastructure and nature.
Since 2016, AES has led the promotion of arboriculture as a key science for designing more sustainable cities, creating spaces for dialogue among public, private, and academic stakeholders. Over these eight years, more than 631 people and nearly 150 institutions have participated in the seminars, consolidating a collaborative network for the responsible management of urban trees.
"At AES El Salvador, we understand that trees in cities not only beautify the landscape but are also essential for improving people's quality of life, reducing temperature, capturing pollutants, and protecting biodiversity. That's why we promote spaces that foster harmonious coexistence between urban trees and electrical infrastructure," said Virginia Trujillo, Director of Communications and External Relations at AES El Salvador.
AES Brought Arboriculture to Meanguera, Northern Morazán
As a result of the Seventh Urban Arboriculture Seminar held in 2024, authorities from the District of Meanguera, in the northern part of the Department of Morazán, arranged for a specialized training session for their technical staff. In response, arborists from AES El Salvador recently provided practical training on responsible pruning and preventing electrical risks in secondary low-voltage lines, with the aim of reducing the impacts caused by uncontrolled tree growth near electrical grids and promoting safer and more sustainable management of urban trees in the region.
Meanguera, an area with abundant forests and biodiversity, faces a recurring problem: branches reaching electrical lines, causing service interruptions and endangering passersby. The training provided by AES seeks to mitigate these impacts, protecting both community safety and the natural environment.
With these actions, AES El Salvador continues to position itself as a benchmark in the integration of environmental sustainability and electrical infrastructure, fostering resilient, green, and safer cities for future generations.