The Uforest project – providing training and education for urban forests as nature-based solutions

It is widely recognized that  urban forests can be effective NbS in responding to the harmful effects of urbanization and climate crisis. Nevertheless, several challenges often hinder or delay their implementation and mainstream. The Uforest project (https://www.uforest.eu/, a multidisciplinary EC-funded project), aims to a) identify and overcome these challenges, b) understand the training needs of the stakeholders involved in urban forestry (UF) and c) assess how innovative UF initiatives respond to the challenges.

The research employs qualitative data collection methods, namely literature reviews, an online questionnaire, in-depth interviews, and an assessment of 20 innovative European case studies. As a first outcome, Uforest outlined the challenges that hinder implementing urban forests as nature-based solutions: growing conditions, ecosystem disservices, social equity, governance, knowledge gaps and the use of technology, funding and economic development, and training gaps. In order to overcome these challenges, innovative approaches to the development and implementation of UF have been identified, but their potential for replication and scalability often get lost in the specificity of the solutions to their contexts.

The training needs survey showed urban forests were acknowledged as NbS that offer opportunities for innovation and highlighted a lack of awareness of UF as a distinct field and profession (Basnou et al., 2021). The main knowledge gaps highlighted as relevant to UF innovation relate to assessing alternative forest management scenarios, including the estimation and delivery of ecosystem services (ES) or the development of marketing strategies for trading ES. In addition, a need to integrate strategic transversal concepts and disciplines (arts, storytelling, urban forest pedagogy, permaculture, artificial intelligence) and connect technology with urban nature have emerged.

Regarding the case study assessment, almost all cases address funding and economic development, closely followed by social equity and growing conditions, with slightly less focus on governance and knowledge gaps and the use of technology. The case studies did not address forest disservices and the social equity aspect of green gentrification and displacement. The question of governance failing to tackle urban tensions and contradictions between different social groups was also found to be a relevant topic yet to be covered, as well as the monetary valuation of the attributable benefits provided by ES.

In response to these training needs in education and the challenges faced by UF initiatives, the Uforest project has developed a training programme comprising:

1.     A 50-hour transdisciplinary introductive MOOC

2.     An advanced online course with technical urban forestry project to develop

3.     A specialisation school on urban forestry held in Milan and Barcelona

4.     Urban forestry workshops for practitioners in 4 EU countries

This programme aims to enhance and promote innovation, entrepreneurship capacity and knowledge in the field of UF to facilitate the replication and scalability of solutions that respond to the challenges.

Finally, the Uforest Alliance has been created to provide network for education, training and knowledge sharing in urban forestry. Join the alliance at http://www.uforest.eu/join/.