Database of Urban Forest Management Plans across European cities

Abstract

The Urban Forest Management Plans (UFMPs) Database, developed under COST Action CA23148 (INTUF, WG2 Task 1), compiles municipal planning and management documents from European cities.  The primary objective of the data collection is to ascertain the state of the art of urban forest planning and management  strategies and plans across European cities. The database provides a structured resource for comparative analysis of current strategies, governance instruments, and operational practices in urban forest planning and management. The initial release comprises 219 plans from 33 countries, spanning a range of plan typologies (operational, management, strategic, masterplan, policy, and action plans) and thematic frameworks (stand‑alone urban forest plans and broader urban green plans). The dataset is non-exhaustive and conceived as a living resource that will be progressively expanded with additional cities, plan types, and detailed attributes. Contributions from researchers and practitioners are welcome and encouraged.

Citation

If you use the database, or any part of it, please cite our paper describing the data collection [1] and this dataset itself.

Overview of the dataset

This dataset provides a foundation for examining the current state of urban forest planning and management across European cities. It systematically compiles and analyses information from Urban Forest Management Plans (UFMPs), offering a structured basis for comparative research. UFMPs contribute to the implementation of key EU strategies, including the Green Infrastructure Strategy, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and the Nature Restoration Regulation. These plans support the implementation of European strategies related to urban tree canopy, ecosystem services, and climate resilience at the local level.
A total of 219 plans from 33 countries were collected. Some cities are represented by multiple plans due to several reasons, including the coexistence of different plan typologies, or the presence of area-specific documents complementing citywide strategies. To support comparative analyses, a classification framework was developed to categorize UFMPs by their purpose, scope, and functions. The collected plans display a wide variety of formats across countries, ranging from operational and policy-oriented documents to strategic and long-term management plans. While many plans are stand-alone documents dedicated exclusively to  urban forestry, others are broader urban green plans that include sections on urban forestry. A smaller subset of biodiversity and climate adaptation plans also incorporates relevant urban forestry measures. Most of the screened documents focus on the management of public trees, although some extend to private trees, or concentrate on specific urban forests, parks, or other green assets. Together, these materials provide an overview of the planning approaches currently used in urban forestry across Europe. The dataset follows FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and is designed to support transparent reuse, comparison, and future extensions.

Methodology

The methodology consisted of three main phases: data collection, filtering, and extraction.

1. UFMPs collection

The collection of Urban Forest Management Plans (UFMPs) was carried out between March 2025 and October 2025 by members of the Urban Forestry Network (CA23148). This process involved a comprehensive review of municipal websites, combined with direct correspondence with local government units to identify documents related to the assessing, planning, managing, and monitoring of urban forests in European cities. The collection focused on publicly accessible documents or those for which explicit approval had been obtained, ensuring the integrity and relevance of the research process. Approximately 10-15 plans per country were targeted to secure  a diverse sample that reflects different urban scales. City scale was defined according to the urban centre classification established by the European Commission (EC, 2012). While the primary focus was on urban centres with a population of at least 50,000 inhabitants, smaller cities were also included in some cases to ensure broad geographic representation.

2. Data filtering

The process involved filtering and excluding plans based on predefined criteria. To qualify for inclusion, a plan had to be explicitly referenced at the city level and officially adopted by the local government. Because no unified definition of an UFMP exists across Europe, the term was applied broadly to encompass documents that provide a roadmap and shared vision for the urban forest ecosystem, outlining how it should be planned and managed to maximise long-term benefits for the community. These documents may include inventories, budgets, activity schedules, procedural manuals, standards and specifications, public education and monitoring strategies, and relevant ordinances. Documents that did not meet these criteria - such as materials that do not constitute a plan, plans not designed for the city scale (e.g. national or regional guidance) and unofficial documents - were excluded from the dataset.

3. Data extraction

For each plan, key information was recorded, including the type of plan, its political position within the hierarchy of municipal policies, its scope in terms of geographic or administrative coverage, its functions, defined as the planning and management elements supported by documented procedures; and the responsible administrator or author. This information was extracted directly from the original-language documents, or where available, from their English translations.                                        

Table of contents

-         Database of Urban Forest Management Plans in European cities

-         Definitions for data collection and categorization

-         Country Report

License and reuse: The dataset of Urban Forest Management Plans is provided under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License and are free to use. We encourage other researchers to use the data collected and contribute with new plans to the dataset. We also encourage the use of these collected plans for further research purposes on urban forestry. Please provide the proper attribution and get in touch with the authors if you would like to contribute new data or for any other collaborations. To provide new plans to be integrated in this collection, please contact: COST.INTUF@gmail.com

Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank Oskars Krisans, Cecilia Lundin, Erika Meszarosova, Bulent Ozel, Helder Viana for their support.

The activity has been developed through the COST CA23148 European Network for the Integrative Approach of Urban Forestry (INTUF) WG2 Task1.