In the framework of COST Action CA23148 – European Network for the Integrative Approach of Urban Forestry (INTUF), the meeting and conference Building Capacity for Urban Forest Management across Europe: Indicators, Knowledge, and Participation held in Antalya, Turkey, from 27–30 April 2026 brought together researchers, professionals, practitioners, and stakeholders working on integrative approaches to urban forestry across Europe.
The meeting gathered 50 researchers from 24 different countries all over Europe. Day one was dedicated to the annual Management Committee meeting where progress across all the working groups was shared, next steps discussed, and future opportunities explored. Days two and three were back to Working Group delivery, with each WG presenting a focussed session to not only propel progress within their working group but also to build integration across the teams. Participants discussed ongoing activities related to urban forest assessment and monitoring, strategic management, stewardship, and outreach and dissemination. Particular emphasis was placed on interdisciplinarity, citizen perspectives, stakeholder involvement, and future joint activities within the network.
Within the Working Group sessions, discussions focused on the identification of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for improved urban forestry management, identification of key stakeholders, valuation of ecosystem services provided by urban green spaces, governance approaches, and the role of citizen participation in urban green space planning and management.
Each day of the event featured a keynote lecture from invited experts. On Day 1, participants attended an online session by Pascal Verheye from Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO), entitled “Information Session on Horizon Europe”, which provided valuable insights into the potential of Horizon Europe projects, including practical tips and guidance on the application process. On Day 2, Prof. Thomas Randrup delivered the presentation “From Maintenance to Strategic Management of Urban Forests”, emphasizing the transition from traditional maintenance approaches towards more strategic and long-term urban forest management. On Day 3, Naomi Zürcher presented “Growing the Urban Forest’s Stakeholder Capacity: Exploring the Art and Science of Participatory Management”, highlighting the importance of participatory approaches and stakeholder engagement in urban forestry.
Each keynote speaker reinforced the importance of applied and practice-oriented research, emphasizing that scientific findings should be understandable, transferable, and useful across different stakeholder groups in order to support real-world implementation and decision-making.
The conference sessions also provided an opportunity to present recent research findings and exchange experiences related to urban green spaces, ecosystem services, governance, climate resilience, and sustainable urban development. In total, 26 presentations were delivered, including 19 oral presentations and 7 poster presentations. The conference abstracts and presentations can be accessed through the official Book of Abstracts (accessible soon from our Resources section of our website).
On the final day of the program at the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Education and Innovation Center garden, Dr. Ana Macias and Martina Dell-Unto explained the benefits of conducting a tree inventory. Afterwards, Naomi introduced the “i-Tree” tool, and Dr. Milutin Milenković presented the “Tree-Quest” application both theoretically and practically. The session concluded with an outdoor activity carried out together with the municipality’s technician and COST members, with additional support from Claudia Menendez and Dr. Ana Macias.
An important aspect of the event was its practical relevance for managers and practitioners responsible for urban green spaces, urban trees, and parks. The presented approaches, experiences, and innovative solutions can contribute to more evidence-based, participatory, and sustainable management of urban green infrastructure. Strengthening the connection between science, policy, and practice remains essential for improving the quality, accessibility, resilience, and long-term sustainability of urban green spaces. Networking conversations also continued to highlight the challenge internationally in the use of the term ‘urban forest’, with representatives from many countries noting that the term doesn’t communicate well.
The event further strengthened international collaboration and opened opportunities for future scientific cooperation, joint publications, and cross-working group activities within INTUF. Managers, practitioners, researchers, and other interested stakeholders are encouraged to follow the activities and future developments and indeed join Working Groups of the Action through the official COST Action website: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA23148/ as well as the INTUF website: https://urbanforestrynetwork.eu/, where they can stay informed about ongoing activities, future events, collaborative opportunities, and possibilities for active participation within the INTUF network.
Greater involvement of urban green space managers, local authorities, practitioners, and community stakeholders in these processes can significantly contribute to the development of more resilient, inclusive, and sustainably managed urban environments.
