Guidelines on Urban and Peri-Urban Forestry

Although cities occupy only 2 percent of the planet’s surface, their inhabitants use 75 percent of its natural resources; by 2050, 70 percent of the global population will live in cities and towns. Sustainable urban development is crucial, therefore, for ensuring the quality of life of the world’s people. Forests and trees in cities, if properly managed, can make important contributions to the planning, design and management of sustainable, resilient urban landscapes.They can help make cities more pleasant, attractive and healthy places in which to live, as well as safer, wealthier and more diverse. A few years ago, FAO initiated a collaborative process to develop voluntary guidelines aimed at optimizing the contributions of forests and trees to sustainable urban development. Scientists, practitioners and public administrators from cities worldwide were brought together to discuss the elements and key challenges of urban forestry, and a smaller team of experts was assembled to distil this vast knowledge. This document is the ultimate result of that process. Intended for a global audience comprising urban decision-makers, civil servants, policy advisors and other stakeholders, it will assist in the development of urban and peri-urban forests that help meet the present and future needs of cities for forest products and ecosystem services. These guidelines will also help increase community awareness of the contributions that forests and trees can make to improving quality of life, and of their essential role in global sustainability.