Leipzig Takes the Baton for the European Forum on Urban Forestry 2027

Leipzig Takes the Baton for the European Forum on Urban Forestry 2027

by | May 30, 2026 | EFUF2027

In a ceremonial passing of the baton in Malmö, Leipzig was officially announced as the host city for the European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF) 2027. The conference will bring together forestry and arboriculture experts from across Europe and beyond to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and explore innovative approaches to urban green infrastructure.

Since its founding in 1998, EFUF has become one of Europe’s leading platforms for discussion and collaboration on urban greenery and forest management. Every year, practitioners, researchers, policymakers, public administrators, and educational institutions convene to address pressing issues such as climate adaptation, public engagement, innovative management strategies, and nature-based solutions for resilient cities.

Clive Davies, Chair of the European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF) reports that

“the EFUF Association is delighted that it’s 2027 conference is being held in the City of Leipzig.  EFUF is an annual event  for those engaged in research, practice and policy on the management of urban trees and urban green infrastructure across Europe and beyond. These topics are now recognised as very important for nature recovery and public health and well-being.  Our delegates are looking forward to viewing the work being undertaken in the City as well as the opportunity to share latest research ideas and examples of good practice”.

Leipzig previously hosted EFUF in 2012 and now continues its strong tradition as a hub for urban forestry. Following previous conferences in cities such as Stockholm, Barcelona, Helsinki, Krakow, Zurich, and Malmö, Leipzig will once again welcome the international urban forestry community.

The 2027 conference will provide a forum to discuss current challenges and future perspectives for urban forests in Europe while highlighting innovative approaches to creating livable, climate-resilient cities. The event will take place at the New Town Hall.

Further details on the program and registration will be available on the websites of the City of Leipzig and EFUF.

Published in German at: https://www.lvz.de/lokales/leipzig/nach-malmoe-und-barcelona-european-forum-on-urban-forestry-kommt-2027-nach-leipzig-3YMQ4JXGEBDM7E5MIWLIOHJHIE.html

EFUF2026 – Book of Abstracts

EFUF2026 – Book of Abstracts

by | May 17, 2026 | EFUF2026

The Book of Abstracts is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21277624 (updated version).

Corrections

  • Luisa Di Lucchio is affiliated with the Urban Biodiversity Hub (UBHub)
  • Session 4 (Thursday 28 May):
    • The title of the talk by Lorenzo Rotella will be ““An Open-Source Digital Street Tree Inventory for Neighborhood-Scale Assessment in Rome”.
    • The title of the talk by Philip Chambers and colleagues will be “Mapping Communication and Participation Tools in urban forestry across Europe”
  • Session 7  (Friday 29 May): The talk by Rene Van der Velde – Worlding trees: Reflecting on placemaking, reciprocal care and multi-species commons in the ‘Bos op Poten’ Living Lab, Handelsplein Rotterdam – will be co-presented by Sanne Keizer (Kornova, The Netherlands)
  • The following talks have been cancelled:
    • Session 3 (Wednesday 27 May) – Global perspectives on tree equity – Livia Shamir (Italy) (moved to Session 6 obn Thursday 28 May)
    • Session 6 (Thursday 28 May) – Connecting Research, Education, and Society: Innovative Approaches to Outdoor Learning in Urban Forests – Urša Vilhar (Slovenia)
    • Session 7  (Friday 29 May) – Reinventing Urban Nature – The Science of Tree Choice in a Warming World final – Franscesco Ferrini (Italy)
  • The following poster contributions have been cancelled:
    • Site- and species specific carbon storage in urban trees – Anna Levinsson. SLU. Sweden
    • Species-specific effects of artificial light at night on the seasonal physiology and growth of urban trees – Ermes Lo Piccolo. Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence (Italy)
NextGen – Welcome Webinar 30.11.2025

NextGen – Welcome Webinar 30.11.2025

by | Oct 7, 2025 | NextGen

🌿 Are you a student, PhD candidate, young researcher or early-career professional interested in urban forestry and related fields?

Join our EFUF Welcome Webinar next week, an open session to discover who we are, what we do, and how you can get involved! 🌍
🗣️ There will also be a small interactive session to share ideas and connect with others.

📅 Date: 30 October 2025
 🕓 Time: 04:00–06:00 PM (UTC+1)
 💻 Where: Online on Zoom

You’ll learn about:
 🌱 The EFUF association and its history
 🌿 The young generation of EFUF
 🌳 The pre-Forum excursion in Malmö
 💬 Collecting ideas for future topics and skill-building activities

✨ This session is especially designed for students and young professionals, but if you’re curious to hear from us, you’re warmly welcome to join!

Reserve your spot today here: https://lnkd.in/dGpBzRqg

Webinar: Integrating successful co-management in the forest sector

Webinar: Integrating successful co-management in the forest sector

by | Sep 21, 2026 | Events, Webinar

Join us to discover practical approaces, lessons learned and innovative models for collaborative forest governance that can help restore nature, strenghten climate resilience and improve forest management.

🌍 A space to share experiences, learn from other territories and look for new ways to manage our forests in a more collaborative way.
📅 22 October
🕥 10.30 – 12.00 h
💻 Online
💬 In English
👉 Save the date and register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Vm4xr_o6S9iuVpQlqtyIiQ#/registration
Drawing on the LIFE Metroforest project in Barcelona’s Sierra de Collserola National Park, this webinar will explore successful experiences of forest co-management from different regions. Experts from different territories will share case studies on how to involve owners, administrations, communities and other actors in forest management, especially in urban and peri-urban environments.
🌲 Vienna Woods Biosphere Reserve (Austria) – Harald Brenner
🌲 The Mersey Forest (United Kingdom) – Anna Lawrence (UHI Perth )
🌲 Golovets Forest, Ljubljana (Slovenia) – Jurij Kobe
🌲 hashtag#LIFEMETROFOREST (Catalonia) – Sean Cahill
👤 Moderated by Simone Borelli and Jerylee Wilkes-Allemann of the European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF)

 

Webinar: Urban forests for climate change adaptation

Webinar: Urban forests for climate change adaptation

by | Sep 21, 2026 | Events, Webinar

As cities face rising temperatures, urban forests are emerging as a practical tool for climate adaptation. Urban forests for climate change adaptation: nature-based solutions to reduce urban heat islands, the second session in the EFI Biocities webinar series, explores how on 30 September (17:00–18:30 CET).

The session brings together global perspectives, practical case studies, and scientific expertise from three speakers: Eleni Myrivili (Global Chief Heat Officer, UNEP/Cool Coalition), Ana Sousa (Landscape Architect, Laboratório da Paisagem, Guimarães), and Fabio Salbitano (Professor, University of Sassari).

Organised in collaboration by the European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF) and the European Forest Institute, and moderated by Simone Borelli, the 90-minute session includes three presentations, a moderated panel, and live Q&A.

Register Here

LIFE Metroforest – improving adaptive agroforestry management in metropolitan forests

LIFE Metroforest – improving adaptive agroforestry management in metropolitan forests

by | Sep 21, 2026 | LIFE Metroforest

LIFE METROFOREST is an innovation project aimed at improving agroforestry management planning instruments with the objective of restoring nature and enhancing the resilience of forest systems to climate change in metropolitan environments. EFUF is proud to be part of the consortium.

The Serra de Collserola Natural Park is proposed as a testing ground: a territory of more than 8,000 hectares located within the metropolitan area of Barcelona, representing a singular situation that nevertheless concerns many territories of the European Union. These are Mediterranean forests, more vulnerable to climate change, where management is more urgent yet less profitable from a traditional perspective. Many of these forests are part of the Natura 2000 network and therefore of high natural interest. They are largely privately owned, which fragments ownership and makes it difficult to make strategic decisions. Finally, they are peri-urban forests, which increases anthropogenic pressure but also social interest, requiring reconsidering the prioritisation of ecosystem services over conventional forest management.

To address these management challenges, the LIFE METROFOREST project proposes the development of innovative planning instruments:

  • An advanced digital multi-criteria tool (EMC), based on Geographic Information Systems, to enable agile, objective, data-based, and adaptive decision-making.
  • A management strategy at the scale of the range or natural space, focused on ecosystem services, which defines management priorities in a territorialized way, allowing to overcome a traditional farm-based forest management and with the conventional parameters of silviculture.
  • An agroforestry management and nature restoration planning instrument at farm level, in line with the range strategy, which allows the identification of opportunities, the cost-benefit analysis and prioritisation of actions, and links them to authorisation procedures and public–private collaboration.

The proposed analysis and diagnosis tools aim to facilitate private agroforestry planning and implementation and coordinate public intervention within a large-scale territorial co-management framework. In summary, the project proposed a new paradigm that, considering the limited economic resources, allows for efficient planning, facilitates access to financing instruments, prioritizes investments, and aligns public and private actions with a common strategy.

The European Forum on Urban Forstry is a proud member of the project consortium. Our contribution lies in the internationalisation of the project results, and the organisation of three webinars.

Project details

EFUF members involved: Jerylee Wilkes-Allemann, Mariateresa Montici, Simone Borelli, Rik De Vreese

LlinkedIn logo, CC BY SA , by AmarChauhan1

Follow the LIFE Metroforest on LinkedIn

Green Future Ride 2026: Exploring Urban Forestry Across Borders

Green Future Ride 2026: Exploring Urban Forestry Across Borders

by | Jun 22, 2026 | EFUF2026, NextGen

Green Future Ride 2026:

Exploring Urban Forestry Across Borders.

What if the journey to a conference became part of the learning experience itself?

That was the idea behind the Green Future Ride 2025, an initiative organised through the EFUF NextGen network.
Before arriving at the European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF) in Malmö, a group of students, researchers, and early-career professionals from across Europe spent several days cycling through Denmark and southern Sweden.
The aim was not simply to reach the conference, but to experience urban forestry, landscape architecture, climate adaptation, and sustainable mobility first-hand.
Along the way, participants explored innovative green spaces, discussed urban challenges, and built connections that extended far beyond the conference itself.

A city designed for cycling

The journey began in Copenhagen, a city where cycling is deeply embedded in everyday life and urban planning. Over half of the residents use daily cycle lanes, cyclist-friendly traffic lights, countdown systems, resting rails at intersections, and clear route hierarchies create a safe and efficient mobility network.  Travelling by bike offered a unique perspective on the city’s green infrastructure. Street trees, parks, green corridors, and urban forests revealed themselves as connected elements within a larger urban landscape. For many participants, Copenhagen demonstrated how thoughtful design can encourage sustainable mobility and gave the group and in doing so gave the group their first tangible experience of the improved quality of life this brings.

Learning from urban resilience

One of the inspiring stops was Enghaveparken, a historic park that has been transformed into a multifunctional climate adaptation project capable of retaining approximately 22600 cubic metres of rainwater during extreme storm events. Integrated levee structures, underground storage systems, retention basins, water channels, and recreational facilities allow the park to function both as public green space and as critical urban infrastructure.
The participant discovered how individual squares and open spaces can be designed to be multifunctional, so that both the needs of the local population and the prevention of extreme weather disasters in densely populated areas can be addressed.

Another highlight was ØsterGro, Denmark’s first rooftop farm. Built on top of a former car dealership building, the project combines food production, biodiversity, environmental education, and community engagement.
For the group, the project overlooking the city was a source of inspiration, demonstrating how, with just a few initiatives, an idea can be turned into an exemplary space where rooftop production and consumption in the adjacent greenhouse can go hand in hand.

Historic Landscapes and Living Heritage

The excursion also explored how cultural heritage and urban forestry intersect.
At Charlottenlund Palace Park and Jægersborg Dyrehave, participants encountered landscapes shaped by centuries of history. Among the highlights were some of Denmark’s oldest trees, including the legendary Skovfogedegen oak, estimated to be around 850 years old.
These veteran trees sparked discussions about ecological continuity, conservation, and the long timescales involved in managing trees and landscapes. They served as powerful reminders that urban forestry often requires thinking far beyond a single generation.
The group also visited the Karen Blixen Museum, where cultural heritage and biodiversity conservation come together. Following the author’s wishes, the surrounding landscape was protected as a bird sanctuary and remains an example of how individual visions can leave lasting ecological legacies.

From Denmark to Sweden 🚴_🚴‍♀️_🚴‍♂️

Crossing the Øresund strait into southern Sweden marked the next stage of the journey. Travelling slowly by bicycle allowed participants to observe subtile differences in landscape character, urban form, and management approaches, encouraging discussions about how geography and culture influence urban forestry across Europe.
In Helsingborg, participants took on a more active role. Divided into small teams, they explored local landscapes, collected observations, and presented their findings to the group:
1) Ecological transition from the coastline to Palsjö Forest: examining how vegetation and habitats change across the landscape.
2) Relationship between trees, design, and visitor experience at Sofiero Palace and Gardens.
3) How trees contribute simultaneously to biodiversity, recreation, education, and cultural heritage at Fredriksdal Museum and Gardens.

Later, over a delicious BBQ dinner, the group shared and discussed their experiences. With this exercise each person got encouraged by critical thinking, teamwork, and observation skills, which was a pleasant change in a smaller group.

More than a study tour…

While the sites themselves offered valuable lessons, many participants considered the conversations and shared experiences equally important.

Throughout the journey, discussions ranged from urban forestry and climate adaptation to career development, research and work challenges, and personal aspirations.
Shared rides, meals, and collaborative fieldwork created space for meaningful exchanges that unfortunately rarely occur during formal conference sessions!

Ultimately, the Green Future Ride demonstrated that investing in young professionals means investing in the future of urban forestry itself.

Participants arrived in Malmö with new knowledge, fresh perspectives, and a stronger network of colleagues and friends from across Europe.

At a time when cities face growing challenges related to climate change, biodiversity loss, and urban resilience, initiatives like the Green Future Ride show the value of combining sustainable travel, experiential learning, and international exchange. The journey proved that sometimes the most valuable part of a conference begins long before the opening session by just being active together.

News & Updates

EFUF2026 – Book of Abstracts

EFUF2026 – Book of Abstracts

by | May 17, 2026 |

The Book of Abstracts is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21277624 (updated version). Corrections Luisa Di Lucchio is affiliated with the Urban Biodiversity Hub (UBHub) Session 4 (Thursday 28 May): The title of the talk by Lorenzo Rotella will be ""An...

NextGen pre-forum event: from Copenhagen to Malmö

by | Jan 7, 2026 | EFUF2026, NextGen

🌿 Are you a student, PhD candidate, young researcher or early-career professional interested in urban forestry and related fields?

Join us on a unique three-day cycling journey from Copenhagen to Malmö before the EFUF 2026 conference!
Together, we’ll explore inspiring urban forestry projects, connect with like-minded peers, and turn ideas into action — combining movement, collaboration, and creativity along the way.

Highlights

  • Bike tour through Denmark’s blue-green infrastructure
  • Hands-on workshops on forest conservation, art & greening initiatives
  • Shared villa stay in Sweden with relaxed evenings & group cooking
  • Final ride to Malmö and group presentation at EFUF

Estimated cost

€300 (incl. accommodation (2 nights), bike rental, ferry & food)

Apply now! Limited to 10 participants!
REGISTRATION FORM LINK
Registration deadline 28.02.2026

22-25.05.2026

Download the full program here

Friday 22.05.2026
Get together in Copenhagen and check-in

Saturday 23.05.2026
Explore the Blue-green infrastructure in Copenhagen and the cycling-tour Kronborg Castle in Helsingør

Sunday 24.05.2026
Choosed activity:
1) Outdoor & Forest conservation at Pålsjö Forest
2) Woodworking Workshop at Helsingborg Makerspace
3) Planting Day with Plantan Helsingborg
4) Educational activities at Naturum Söderåsen

Monday 25.06.2026
Personal exploration and check-out
Trip towards Malmö, following the scenic coastline along the Öresund.
Conclusion of the cycling journey

For additional info, send an email to: stefan (dot) stevanovic (at) zhaw (dot) ch

If you’re interested in joining the EFUF Next Gen community, ask to be added in the reserved Whatsapp Group.

We want to hear from you @EFUF2026 – submit your ideas now

by | Nov 8, 2025 | EFUF2026

We warmly welcome submissions from everyone interested in trees, people, and urban nature. While we encourage contributions that connect to the conference theme “Diversity in Urban Forestry – bringing People, Trees and Ideas together,” we also invite presentations that explore other relevant aspects of urban green environments — including urban trees, parks, shrubs, green infrastructure, and vegetated spaces of all kinds — even if they do not directly align with the main theme.

At EFUF, the term urban forestry is understood in its broadest sense, encompassing all aspects of planning, managing, and studying trees and vegetation in cities and towns, not limited to traditional forestry or peri-urban woodlands.

Submission of abstracts

Abstracts must be submitted not later than 18th of January 2026 by filling in the on-line abstract submission form.

Click Here

Abstract content and submission

Abstracts must be written in English and should not exceed 2,000 characters, including spaces.

The deadline for submission is 18 January 2026 (23:59 CET, Brussels time). Abstracts received after this date will not be considered.

Authors are solely responsible for submitting their abstracts according to the submission guidelines and ensuring that they meet the deadline

In case you find any difficulty in submitting your abstract electronically, please contact rik.devreese@efuf.org. 

Evaluation Criteria

All submitted abstracts will be reviewed by a joint panel of experts from EFUF and the Local Organising Committee. The evaluation will be based on:

  • Relevance to the conference theme or contribution to the broader field of urban green infrastructure and tree management
  • Originality and quality of content
  • Potential impact and clarity

Accepted abstracts will be presented as oral or poster presentations. All presented abstracts will be published in the EFUF2026 Book of Abstracts, which will be published in our Zenodo Community. Selected presenters will be notified by 8 March 2026.

 

Accepted abstracts will be removed from the programme if none of the authors is registered by 24 April 2026.