Urban forestry: A quick reference guide.

Urban forest and urban forestry.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) describes urban forests as “networks or systems comprising all woodlands, groups of trees, and individual trees located in urban and peri-urban areas; they include, therefore, forests, street trees, trees in parks and gardens, and trees in derelict corners.” (FAO, 2017).

Also, in the same paper, the FAO describes urban forestry as “an integrated, interdisciplinary, participatory and strategic approach to planning and managing tree resources in urban and peri-urban areas for their economic, environmental and sociocultural benefits. In practical terms, UPF may consist in planting trees where they never existed before, in enhancing existing natural vegetation or in harmonizing urban sprawl into green spaces “(FAO, 2017).

This guide is based on Parco Nord Milano experience on urban forestry consisting of recreating temperate low-land forests in urban and peri-urban areas.