In a recent Makeathon organized in Malmö under the COST Action European Network for the Integrative Approach of Urban Forestry (INTUF), researchers and urban forestry experts came together to design a shared framework for analysing urban forest management plans from across Europe—and beyond—through a coordinated, scientific approach.
Building a Common Framework for Urban Forest Management
During the Makeathon, participants developed a strategy to collect and analyse urban forest management plans using a standardized method. This ensures consistency in data collection and paves the way for meaningful comparative analysis. Through the analysis of the plans the COST Action will identify a dashboard of indicators— such as canopy cover, biodiversity, and tree mortality—that can help cities monitor the health and sustainability of their urban forests. These indicators will ultimately support evidence-based decision-making and better communication with citizens and policymakers.
Participants also discussed the methodological challenges involved in conducting a meta-analysis of urban forest management plans in various languages and identified potential AI tools for translation and thematic content analysis. This will streamline the coding of key themes, strategies, and language used in different planning documents.
Looking Ahead: The Hackathon in September 2025
The Makeathon concluded with a roadmap for the next step: a five-day Hackathon in September 2025. This event will bring together a group of early career researchers (mainly PhDs and Post-docs) to begin the actual content analysis of the submitted plans. The Hackathon will help generate a draft scientific publication and a checklist for comprehensive urban forest planning—both key outputs for the COST Action.
A call for participants and host institution is expected soon. The Hackathon will be the beginning of a multi-year effort to build a powerful, data-driven understanding of urban forest governance across Europe.
Makeathon Call for Urban Forest (Tree) Management Plans
Join the Meta-Analysis by COST Action CA23148 – European Urban Forestry Network
Are you shaping the future of greener, healthier cities? The COST Action CA23148 on the Integrative Approach of Urban Forestry invites municipalities across Europe to submit their Urban Forest Management Plans (UFMPs) or Urban Tree Management Plans for inclusion in a comparative meta-analysis.
This initiative aims to synthesize and compare UFMPs from diverse European contexts to identify best practices, innovative approaches, and common challenges in urban forest governance, planning, and implementation.
Why Participate?
- Contribute to European knowledge exchange on sustainable urban forestry.
- Showcase your municipality’s efforts in urban greenery, climate resilience, and biodiversity.
- Gain visibility in an upcoming publication.
- Support evidence-based policy making at local and European levels.
- Connect with potential partners for future collaboration and infrastructure projects (e.g., Interreg funding).
- Learn from peer municipalities to strengthen and refine your own urban tree management strategies.
What to Submit:
- Your municipality’s management plan for urban trees (any format/language; executive summaries in English appreciated).
- Supplementary materials (e.g., maps, policies, evaluation reports) if available.
Deadline for Submissions: 1st July 2025
How to Submit:
- Please send documents and inquiries to: COST.INTUF@gmail.com
- Subject: UFMP Submission – [Your Municipality Name]
We welcome contributions from municipalities of all sizes and look forward to your involvement in this important European initiative.
Help us build a collaborative, data-driven foundation for the future of urban forests in Europe.
