The plan was initiated by the Aarhus city council in 1988, with the overall aim of doubling the municipality's forested area by the year 2000.

In cooperation with the Danish Nature Agency, True Skov was raised in 1994 west of Aarhus.

Aarhus municipality states that their initial goals have been met, but this is clearly not true, as the old forests comprise a minimum of 1,300 ha.

One example is Himmerigskov at 140 ha in the adjacent municipality of Favrskov, planted between 1991 and 1995 in connection with Bærmose Skov by the Danish Nature Agency.

The municipality highlights these specific reasons:[4] The forests—except those run by the State—are all part of the city's nature management program.