Introduction

After an overall introduction of the interdisciplinary field of urban forestry and a Module on the ecosystem services and benefits provides by urban forests, we will now look at urban forest governance. While the next (and final) Module discusses urban forest management and maintenance, here we study the more strategic decision-making aspects of urban forestry, as for example related to developing and deciding on plans and programs. We focus on the actors and stakeholders involved in urban forest governance, as well as the topics they discuss and the way in which decisions are made.

Outcomes

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

• Describe and debate what is meant with ‘governance’ and apply this concept to urban forestry.
• Describe and analyse examples of urban forest governance, for example by discussing the key governance dimensions of discourses, actors, resources, and rules of the game.
• Discuss the importance of public involvement in urban forestry and some of the challenges associated with it.
• Apply ways of mapping stakeholders in urban forestry.
• Relate knowledge from this Module to your own local situation.