Date and venue: 16-20 October 2023, Washington DC, US

Organizers: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Arbor Day Foundation (ADF), Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI), USDA Forest Service, District Department of Transportation of Washington DC, International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), Smithsonian Gardens, and the Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF).

Scope:

• Take stock on progress made in the implementation of the Call for Action and Tree Cities of the World Programme, launched at the 1st WFUF in Mantova in 2018 and identify follow-up measures and actions.
• Support the implementation of the Agenda 2030, in particular SDG11, and the New Urban Agenda and optimize actions related to urban ecosystems and green spaces.
• Provide a venue where urban forests and green infrastructure actors and stakeholders can showcase successful initiatives to maximize the contribution of urban forests to environmental justice and inclusivity.
• Bring a wider spectrum of actors on board, especially from sectors that are not traditionally involved, by demonstrating the importance of urban forests and trees to the generation of social and economic benefits.
• Create links between ecosystem restoration opportunities and initiatives with businesses interested in building a solid portfolio of sustainable production and impact investment in and around urban areas.

Participants: the event brought together more than 1,200 participants from all over the world, including representatives of national and local governments, research and academic institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), urban planners, urban foresters, arborists, landscape architects, and professionals from many other sectors. The event featured over 120 presentations across plenary and parallel sessions, delivering a rich panorama of urban forestry within the Forum's overarching themes of health, inclusivity, and resilience.

Outcomes: the event resulted in the launch of the Washington Declaration, which acknowledges the ongoing need for intensified efforts in confronting the challenge of ensuring equitable access to green benefits among urban residents worldwide, in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Website: World Forum on Urban Forests - WFUF 2023 

Date and venue: 28 November - 01 December 2018, Mantua, Italy

Objective: the Forum aimed to highlight positive examples of planning, design and management approaches implemented by cities with diverse cultures, forms, structures and histories, which have used urban forestry and green infrastructure to develop economic and environmental services and to strengthen social cohesion and public involvement. More than 150 speakers from all over the world intervened during the parallel events, plenary sessions, focus discussions and side events organized in the framework of the Conference.

Participants: the event brought together more than 600 participants from all over the world, including representatives of national and local governments, research and academic institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), urban planners, urban foresters, arborists, landscape architects, and professionals from many other sectors.

Scope: (i) supporting the process of the New Urban Agenda and optimizing the potential of urban forests in contributing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals; (ii) creating an international appointment (through periodic worldwide meetings) for the urban forest and green infrastructure actors and stakeholders; (iii) strengthening the already existing international networking giving concrete opportunities to meet and exchange experiences and build partnerships; (iv) preparing a Mantova Chart, an international declaration including a set of recommendations for future collaboration on urban forestry towards a better quality of life of world cities.

Outcomes: the event resulted in the launch of the Call for Action and the Tree Cities of the World programme, both urging cities governments to take concrete actions to make cities greener, healthier and happier places. 

Website: https://www.wfuf2018.com/

Call for Action - EN                        Tree Cities of the World - EN 

Call for Action - FR                        Tree Cities of the World - FR 

Call for Action - ES                        Tree Cities of the World - ES 

Call for Action - ZH                        Tree Cities of the World - ZH