Urban Forests for Healthier Cities:
Policy, Planning, Regulations, and Institutional Arrangements

Main Question: What are some of the plans, policies, regulations, and institutional arrangements that cities can use to maintain, strengthen, and expand urban forests?

Who is this guide meant for?

City- and community-level leaders, urban planners, government and NGO officials, and other decision-makers and stakeholders involved in the planning, implementation, and management of urban forests.

What will you learn by reading this guide? After this guide, the user will be able to:

• Define urban forests
• Understand why urban forests are important to creating healthier, more livable cities
• Identify key stakeholders and interventions relevant to urban forests at multiple spatial scales and levels of government
• Explain the importance of integrated city planning and policy actions to conserve, manage and expand the city’s urban forests
• Draw inspiration from a sampling of international “good practices” to meet multiple goals and objectives across the city