Cultivating communities who care for urban trees

Renewing biodi e si y h ough
a people-in-na u e app oach
Mission Repo
Cul i a ing communi ies
who ca e o u ban ees
2
Cul i a ing communi ies who ca e o u ban ees
Mission Repo
RENEW is a i e-yea pa ne ship p og amme o de elop solu ions o one o he majo en i onmen al
challenges o humankind: he enewal o biodi e si y.
We a e in a biodi e si y c isis. A million species o plan s and animals a e h ea ened wi h global
ex inc ion, and wildli e popula ions ac oss much o he plane ha e been d ama ically educed. This
is o p o ound conce n because biodi e si y unde pins human exis ence. RENEW is wo king, wi h a
sense o u gency, o eshape unde s anding and ac ion on biodi e si y enewal ac oss scales, c ea ing
knowledge, and in luencing na ional ins i u ions, communi ies and indi iduals. Ou ocus is on a
‘people-in-na u e’ app oach, e lec ing he wo-way, dynamic ela ions be ween people and na u e
and he need o de elop a ela ional app oach o enew ou li e-suppo sys ems.
Funded by he Na u al En i onmen Resea ch Council (NERC), he p og amme is a collabo a ion
be ween he Uni e si y o Exe e and he Na ional T us , and has been co-designed and de eloped
wi h o e 30 pa ne s om a di e se ange o sec o s.
Acknowledgemen s
We would like o ex end ou wa m hanks o hose who helped us o scope and de elop his esea ch
p ojec and who pa icipa ed in ou in e iews and pa icipa o y wo kshop. You ime, expe ise and
insigh s ha e been in aluable. A u he hanks o Da id Coughlin, Emma Zimme man and Max Kei h
o hei addi ional con ibu ions.
This wo k was suppo ed by he Na u al En i onmen Resea ch Council unded Changing he
En i onmen p og amme’s p ojec ‘Renewing biodi e si y h ough a people-in-na u e app oach
(RENEW)’ (NE/W004941/1).
Lis o pa icipa ing o ganisa ions
F ui and Nu Village, Bi mingham T eePeople, S ee T ees o Li ing, Mo e T ees BANES, The O cha d
P ojec , Tiny Fo es s (Ea hWa ch UK), U ban Fo es , NHS Fo es s, The Walking Fo es , Eden P ojec
Communi ies, T ee Muske ee s, Ha ingay Bo ough Council, London T ee O ice Associa ion, England’s
Communi y Fo es s, A bo icul u al Associa ion, T ees o Ci ies, Na ional T us , Fu u e Pa ks Accele a o ,
U ban Fo es Accele a o , Na u e Towns and Ci ies, Na u e Neighbou hoods.
Au ho : Cla e Bissell
Ci a ion: Bissell, C., Twena, M., Ba in, D., C owley, S., and Hea d, M. (2025). Cul i a ing communi ies who ca e o
u ban ees. Uni e si y o Exe e and he Na ional T us . RENEW, UK.
Design and in o g aphics: Xan hia Hallissey.
Co e image: ©Na ional T us Images/T e o Ray Ha .
CONTENTS 1/2
Mission o e iew
Wha is an ExCASES mission?
Mission con ex
Mission pa ame e s
Repo s uc u e
Me hods
Ou pu s
Insigh s om place-based
u ban ee ini ia i es
Wha is wo king well o place-based u ban ee ini ia i es
Wha a e he challenges acing place-based p ojec s?
Lessons om collabo a i e
wo k ac oss scale and sec o
Wha ne wo ks and esou ces al eady exis ha suppo
collabo a i e c oss-sec o wo k?
Wha a e he challenges and ba ie s o collabo a i e
c oss-sec o al wo k?
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
2
2.1
2.2
3
3.1
3.2
5
5
5
7
7
8
9
10
10
24
30
30
36
33
CONTENTS 2/2
Recommenda ions: e ile g ound
o g owing he u ban o es
Think like an u ban o es
Nu u e e ec i e ecip ocal ela ionships ac oss sec o s
Inno a e o enable g ea e access o land
Ensu e holis ic unding and inancial ag eemen s
P oposal: he case o he
U ban Fo es Ne wo k (UFN)
Why do we need an U ban Fo es Ne wo k?
Wha could he U ban Fo es Ne wo k (UFN) look like?
How do we s a he UFN?
Re e ences
Appendices
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
6
7
44
39
40
41
42
42
43
43
44
45
46
48
49
52
55
58
62
1. Mission o e iew
1.1 Wha is an ExCASES mission?
ExCASES is pa o he RENEW p ojec – a Na u al En i onmen Resea ch Council (NERC) unded
pa ne ship be ween he Uni e si y o Exe e and he Na ional T us ha akes a ‘people-in-na u e’
app oach o he challenges o biodi e si y enewal. The ole o ExCASES is o unde ake agile wo k
(which we e m ‘missions’) on p essing biodi e si y enewal issues. ExCASES missions can consis o
o iginal esea ch, pa icipa o y p ocesses, and he syn hesis o exis ing knowledge o c ea e impac ul
ou pu s o eal change. The ExCASES app oach is based on collabo a ion ac oss disciplines and
sec o s, co-design wi h s akeholde s, and agile deli e y. This epo is one o he ou pu s om he
ExCASES’s mission, ‘Cul i a ing communi ies who ca e o u ban ees’.
The design and deli e y o his mission was led by D Cla e Bissell (Pos doc o al Resea ch Fellow, he
Na ional T us ), based wi hin he ExCASES eam on he RENEW p ojec . I was accoun able o he
wo Leads/Co-In es iga o s o he ExCASES eam, P o esso Ma hew Hea d (Head o En i onmen al
Resea ch and Da a a he Na ional T us ) and D Sa ah C owley (Senio Lec u e in Human and
Animal Geog aphy a he Uni e si y o Exe e ). The Na ional T us is a la ge landowning he i age and
conse a ion NGO wi h inc easing wo k in u ban spaces h ough i s in e nal ‘U ban G een Team’ and
ini ia i es like Na u e Towns and Ci ies. I is also an Independen Resea ch O ganisa ion wi h a wide-
anging po olio o esea ch p ojec s which includes se e al UKRI- unded p ojec s. One o hese is
RENEW, on which he Na ional T us pa ne s wi h he Uni e si y o Exe e . This esea ch p ojec was
he e o e e iewed by he Facul y o En i onmen , Science and Economy, Co nwall E hics Commi ee
a he Uni e si y o Exe e ( e e ence numbe : 6199430).
1.2 Mission con ex
U ban ees ha e long se ed an impo an ole in communi ies h ough hei beau y, seasonali y,
longe i y, and cul u al signi icance. They p o ide an a ay o ecological and social bene i s, including
be e ai quali y, g oundwa e con ol, esou ces, and cooling shade (Bene i s o U ban T ees, n.d.).
U ban ees a e i al o biodi e si y p o ision in UK ci ies due o he di e si y o animal, plan , and
ungi species ha ely on hem o habi a , ecological connec i i y, ood, shel e , wa e , canopy co e ,
and o he li e-suppo ing oles (End eny e al., 2017; an den Bosch & Sang, 2017). Resea ch om he
Biodi e si y in U ban Ga dens in She ield (BUGS) p ojec ound ha ee p esence and canopy co e
abo e wo me es we e among he mos in luen ial ac o s in suppo ing u ban wildli e. The Fo es y
Commission’s U ban Fo es y and Woodland Ad iso y Commi ee Ne wo k (UFWACN) emphasises
ha u ban ees (especially hose ou side woodlands) deli e immedia e ecological bene i s and
should be managed wi h he same ca e as u al o es s. Toge he , hese s udies unde sco e he
impo ance o s a egic u ban ee planning and managemen o maximise biodi e si y gains and
ecosys em esilience.
5

U ban ee canopy co e in he UK a e ages 17.3% bu a ies widely ac oss egions. Indeed, only
a qua e o u ban wa ds ha e a ee canopy co e ha exceeds 20%, which is widely conside ed
a minimum a ge o u ban a eas (Sales e al., 2023). F iends o he Ea h has colla ed he op and
bo om 20 local au ho i ies o canopy co e in England. Bos on in Lincolnshi e has only 2.3% ee
co e , which is he lowes pe cen age in he coun y o a p edominan ly u ban local au ho i y. Two
o he mos s iking examples o low ee co e a e Ha lepool in Coun y Du ham (5.7% ee co e )
and Thane in Ken (5.2% ee co e ), as hese a eas also ha e high p opo ions o he na ion’s mos
dep i ed neighbou hoods – a 38% and 20%, espec i ely. A he o he end o he scale, Su ey Hea h
in Su ey has he highes ee co e a jus o e 36% and a co esponding 0% o neighbou hoods
being amongs England’s mos dep i ed. The T ee Equi y Sco e UK (see Box 1) shows a de ailed
b eakdown o ee canopy co e o each ‘u ban lowe a ea supe ou pu a ea’ (LSOA) and illus a es
he s ong co ela ion be ween low ee co e and high le els o dep i a ion ac oss he coun y.
Add essing dispa i ies in u ban ee canopy co e is essen ial o ensu e equi able access o he
en i onmen al, heal h and social bene i s ha ees p o ide ac oss UK communi ies. Fu he mo e,
his ep esen s a majo oppo uni y o a ge ed ee co e expansion in line wi h a numbe o a ge s
o he UK Go e nmen and de ol ed na ions. The Depa men o En i onmen , Food & Ru al A ai s
(DEFRA) aims o inc ease England’s canopy co e om 14.5% o 16.5% by 2050 h ough ini ia i es like
he T ees Ou side Woodland Fund (T ee Council). The Sco ish Go e nmen aims o expand woodland
co e o 21% by 2032 (Na u eSco ). Finally, he Welsh Assembly is aking a bespoke app oach o a ge
a eas o low exis ing ee canopy co e (Na u al Resou ces Wales).
The plan ing, ongoing ca e, and p o ec ion o u ban ees in he UK ha e ypically been he
esponsibili y o local au ho i ies. One impo an way his happens is h ough he c ea ion o
u ban ee s a egies (Hand e al., 2022). Se e al s udies ad oca e o he inc eased in ol emen
o communi ies in hese p ocesses h ough ‘p ope ’ consul a ion (Papas a ou, 2019; Ro he ham,
2023). Whils local au ho i ies usually hold he decision-making powe , u ban ees ha e o en been
suppo ed by g ass oo s ac ion, small communi y g oups, and he olun a y wo k and pa icipa ion o
local communi ies who ca e abou g een spaces. The e a e examples o his in many owns and ci ies
ac oss he UK: u ban ood o es s, communi y o cha ds, s ee ee wa dens o gua dians, and e en
coo dina ed ‘gue illa plan ing’ and ee-p o ec ion ac i ism.
The e is widesp ead esea ch in e es in u ban ees, and many ini ia i es (bo h academic and
p ac ical) a e seeking o add ess challenges in he main enance and expansion o he u ban ee
canopy. Fu he mo e, an inc easing numbe o p ojec s ake a landscape app oach, spanning bo h
u al and u ban con ex s, in ol ing mul iple local au ho i ies and ne wo ks o NGOs. Two no able
landscape p ojec s ha a e c ea ing na u e eco e y co ido s, which a e inclusi e o u ban spaces, a e
Weald o Wa es and Ti Canol, bo h o which ha e been p aised o hei success ul wo k wi h small
place-based g oups. The Na ional T us has ecen ly launched hei ‘g een co ido s’ ini ia i es, one
o which connec s Ba h Ci y wi h i s su ounding a eas h ough he Ba hamp on Meadows p ojec .
Ac oss he UK, hese co ido s will connec di e en meadows, woodlands, i e sides, canals and
public pa ks, c ea ing la ge and connec ed g een spaces ha span he u al and u ban. Impo an ly,
hese e o s also aim o emo e ba ie s which p e en people in u ban neighbou hoods om
accessing expansi e g een spaces. Ano he ee canopy-speci ic landscape ini ia i e is The No he n
Fo es , which is plan ing 50 million ees ac oss he no h o England om Li e pool o Hull, wo king
wi h he egional communi y o es s (Manches e Ci y o T ees, Humbe Fo es , Whi e Rose Fo es ,
and he Me sey Fo es ) and The Woodland T us . They ha e also been coo dina ing wi h o he smalle
o ganisa ions and ele an local au ho i ies on plan ing p og ammes.
6
To su icien ly alue, ampli y, and consolida e local pa icipa ion in he ca e o and decisions abou
u ban ees, hese la ge landscape-scale ini ia i es need o connec and wo k e ec i ely wi h he
small- and medium-sized o ganisa ions who a e al eady cul i a ing and ca ing o ees in u ban
spaces. Some la ge -scale ini ia i es a e doing his well al eady, and he e a e oppo uni ies o lea n
lessons om hese successes – along wi h he a ied wo k o lesse -known communi y-based p ojec s
– o in o m u u e landscape ini ia i es. Communi y-based u ban ee p ojec s a e o en wo king
wi h e y ew esou ces and ye doing powe ul, impo an wo k. These p ojec s ha e aluable bu
some imes o e looked insigh s abou how o cul i a e good ela ionships ac oss scale and sec o and
ensu e he meaning ul pa icipa ion o communi ies in he ca e o and decisions abou u ban ees
o e ec i e biodi e si y ou comes. Re iew and syn hesis o wo k in his a ea is use ul o inc easing
unde s anding o wha kinds o communi y-based app oaches wo k in he u ban ee space, and
which o hese can be eplica ed. This will enable be e ela ionships be ween place-based g oups,
local au ho i ies, and la ge en i onmen al o conse a ion NGOs who a e in ol ed in ee plan ing,
planning, communi y consul a ion, and ongoing u ban ee ca e and managemen .
1.3 Mission pa ame e s
The mission had h ee o e a ching aims:
i. Lea n and sha e bes p ac ice on how o in ol e communi ies meaning ully and equi ably
in u ban ee ca e and decision making (including bu no limi ed o u ban/ iny o es s, ood
o es s, o aging ne wo ks, u ban o cha ds, s ee ee gua dians, and pa klands).
ii. Iden i y exis ing bes p ac ice and no el app oaches and highligh he good wo k being
done a bo h he g ass oo s and landscape scale le els.
iii. C ea e ou pu s which p o ide ele an , p ac ical guidance o mul is akeholde g oups and
coali ions o inc ease communi y/public pa icipa ion in he ca e o u ban ees.
To suppo hese aims, we iden i ied wo key esea ch ques ions, each wi h wo sub-ques ions.
I. How can place-based p ojec s e ec i ely in ol e communi ies in he ca e o u ban ees?
• Wha is wo king well o place-based u ban ee ini ia i es?
• Wha a e he challenges acing place-based p ojec s?
II. How can o ganisa ions o di e en sizes in he U ban T ee space wo k be e oge he o
he bene i o u ban eescapes and local communi ies?
• Wha ne wo ks and esou ces al eady exis ha suppo collabo a i e c oss-sec o wo k?
• Wha a e he challenges and ba ie s o collabo a i e c oss-sec o wo k?
1.4 Repo s uc u e
The main indings o he mission, explo ing ques ions I and II, espec i ely, a e p esen ed in Sec ions 2
(Insigh s om place-based u ban ee ini ia i es) and 3 (Lessons om collabo a i e wo k ac oss scale
and sec o ). Sec ion 4 (Recommenda ions: e ile g ound o g owing he u ban o es ) p esen s ou
ecommenda ions which may help o o e come some o he challenges and ba ie s iden i ied, which
also build on he s eng hs o bo h place-based ini ia i es and exis ing c oss-sec o collabo a ions.
Finally, Sec ion 5 ou lines a p oposal – o es ablish an U ban Fo es Ne wo k – which could become a
channel o ac ioning he ecommenda ions. Sec ions 4 and 5 go hand-in-hand wi h he Appendices
which p o ide guidelines and esou ces o di e en s akeholde s. Toge he , he mission ou pu s
suppo o ganisa ions o di e en sizes and wi h di e en p io i ies o wo k be e oge he o he
bene i o bo h people and ees in u ban spaces.
7
1.5 Me hods
Based on he iden i ied aims and esea ch ques ions, his mission s a ed by c ea ing a longlis o 50+
u ban ee p ojec s o a ying sizes and a eas o ocus, especially looking o place-based ini ia i es
ha a e lesse -known. The longlis was hen s a i ied o p oduce a sho lis o u ban ee ini ia i es
wi h a sp ead o ocus a eas. The ocus a eas we e g ouped in o he ollowing ca ego ies: o es
ga den, u ban o cha d, ee plan ing & ongoing ca e, nu se ies, ac i ism/de ende s/campaigne s,
a s-based p ac ices, educa ion, wellbeing, child en & young people, eclaiming mis/dis-used land,
ci y-wide/landscape, u ban communi y o es , iny o es , biodi e si y, and ee equi y & o he
bene i s. The sho lis ed p ojec s inco po a ed mo e han one ca ego y in hei wo k and ep esen ed
one o wo ypes o p ojec : place-based ini ia i es (i.e., ope a ing in a single own o ci y) o mul i-
place ini ia i es (i.e., ini ia i es ha ope a e on a local scale in mul iple owns and ci ies which a e
connec ed and esou ced by a small na ional eam). We held in e iews wi h 10 o he sho lis ed
p ojec s, ep esen ing a c oss-sec ion o ocus a eas and o ganisa ional s uc u es. The semi-
s uc u ed in e iews ocused on unde s anding he oppo uni ies and challenges acing place-based
o ganisa ions; wha success ul pa ne ship ela ionships wi h la ge o ganisa ions look like; and no el
ways o wo king wi h communi ies and u ban ees which migh be eplica ed.
Following hese in e iews, we o ganised a pa icipa o y wo kshop in Oc obe 2024. This was
a ended by 11 pa icipan s om six place-based p ojec s, wo mul i-place ini ia i es, and h ee
na ional o ganisa ions. The wo kshop used pa icipa o y exe cises o gene a e discussion a ound bes
p ac ice, challenges, oppo uni ies, ne wo ks, and pa ne ships. The wo kshop s uc u e was semi-
lexible so ha i could ake a di ec ion which el use ul and in e es ing o he pa icipan s.
A key ou come om he wo kshop was a s ong in e es in es ablishing a new U ban Fo es Ne wo k
(see Sec ion 5). To explo e his idea u he , we me wi h key s akeholde s wi hin he Na ional T us ’s
T ees and Woodlands eam and he U ban Fo es Accele a o o iden i y which o he o ganisa ions
in he u ban ee space migh be in e es ed in he p oposal. A lis was compiled o 12 key con ac s
ep esen ing a mix u e o en i onmen al NGOs (ENGOs), a bo icul u al p o essionals, ee o ice
associa ions, and local au ho i ies. O his lis , we in e iewed se en indi iduals ep esen ing nine
o ganisa ions. These in e iews ocused on unde s anding he la ge -scale con ex , p o essionals’
pe spec i es on u ban ee ca e and managemen , and oppo uni ies o and expe iences o c oss-
sec o al collabo a ion.
Th oughou he da a collec ion, in e iews we e eco ded on Mic oso Teams. The ansc ip ions and
da a om he pa icipa o y wo kshop we e analysed using e lexi e hema ic analysis (B aun and
Cla k, 2022). Quo es om in e iew pa icipan s a e used h oughou his epo o add dep h and
eal-li e examples. Figu e 1 illus a es he ‘Cul i a ing communi ies who ca e o u ban ees’
mission p ocess.
8
Pho o by sq lim on Unsplash
Desk-based esea ch
Ca ego ising
Snowballing
App oaching o in e iews
C ea ing a long lis o u ban ee ini ia i es
C ea ing a sho lis o u ban ee ini a i es
Semi-s uc u ed in e iews x10 T ansc ibing and analysing
In e iews wi h u ban ee ini ia i es
Flexible s uc u e
Semi-s uc u ed in e iews x7
Da a p ocessing
Recommenda ions
No e- aking
T anscibing and analysing
Thema ic analysis
Audience-speci ic suppo ing documen s
Pa icipa o y wo kshop
In e iews wi h o he key s akeholde s
Analysis
C ea e ou pu s ha suppo collabo a i e wo k
S ee ing con e sa ions wi h esea ch collabo a o s
Sugges ions and ecommenda ions om pa icipan s
Figu e 1: ‘Cul i a ing communi ies who ca e o u ban ees’ mission low diag am
1.6 Ou pu s
The mission esul ed in wo main ou pu s, each wi h o shoo s:
I. Cul i a ing communi ies who ca e o u ban ees ( his documen ): a concise mission epo
aimed a place-based u ban ee ini ia i es, local au ho i ies, and ENGOs wi h an in e es in
u ban ees. I cap u es he mission’s key indings and makes he case o es ablishing a new
‘U ban Fo es Ne wo k’. The appendices p esen i e audience-speci ic documen s o suppo
p ac i ione s. These a e:
A. P inciples o Pa ne ship: ad ice o ENGOs wo king wi h place-based g oups
B. Key p inciples o p ac ice o Local Au ho i ies
C. P inciples o bes p ac ice o place-based u ban ee ini ia i es
D. Roo s and B anches ool
E. P oposed Te ms o Re e ence o he U ban Fo es Ne wo k
II. F om iny aco ns o migh y oaks: inspi ing s o ies o communi y ac ion o he UK’s u ban
o es – an accessible and engaging bookle in ended o anyone in e es ed in u ban ees
and local communi y ac ion. This ou pu colla es hope ul s o ies o communi y ac ion,
models ha can be eplica ed, and links o esou ces. Ex ac s om he bookle may be used
on social media o b oaden access and each.
The audience-speci ic documen s and bookle ha e been p oduced wi h a C ea i e Commons license
so ha hey can be used and adap ed by anyone. They can all be ound on he RENEW websi e.
9
2.1.3 P io i ising ee equi y and enhancing communi y spaces
Place-based u ban ee p ojec s a e al eady conscious o add essing ee equi y when choosing
loca ions o enhancing ee co e , and his is a key aspec o hei success. In e iewees om place-
based ini ia i es spoke abou he impo ance o ee equi y as a concep ( hough no necessa ily using
he speci ic e m ‘ ee equi y’), ag eeing ha add essing he unequal dis ibu ion o bene i s om
u ban ees is undamen al o hei wo k. In p ac ice, his can look like using public spaces o ensu e
open access, g eening pa s o he ci y ha ha e highe le els o dep i a ion and lowe access o
g een spaces, and in en ionally wo king wi h people who a e socially ma ginalised. These e o s b ing
na u e, biodi e si y, and he many bene i s o u ban ees close o hose who ha e he leas access.
P ojec s o en include he c ea ion o enhancemen o communi y spaces wi hin he design o hei
plan ing and g eening schemes. Fo example, Tiny Fo es s a e co-designed wi h communi y membe s,
and many choose o include a clea ing wi h sea ing su ounded by ees, p o iding shade and p i acy.
These na u ally become places whe e people ga he in o mally, and he clea ings a e u ilised o
mo e s uc u ed wellbeing ac i i ies like na u e-connec ion wo kshops, medi a ion, o o es ba hing.
Mo e T ees BANES g ows ees in local communi y nu se ies (which hemsel es become spaces o
communi y o ganising, since hey a e au onomously un) and dis ibu es hem o communi y places
a ound Ba h and No h-Eas Some se , including housing es a es, places o wo ship, communi y
cen es, and local pa ks. As one in e iewee commen ed:
“ Making a piece o ameni y g assland look much mo e in e es ing and mo e beau i ul is
ano he main hing; gi ing people an oppo uni y o mee hei neighbou s, wo k, olun ee
oge he , ge ou side, you know, mee you neighbou s wa ching he ees, go ou wi h you
kids and ge you kids o wa e he ees, ha so o hing. So i ’s e y much abou communi y
and biodi e si y as well.”
O ganisa ions scou o land and space using di e en echniques, including wo d o mou h, mapping
exe cises, and ne wo king wi h landowne s. The mos success ul ini ia i es secu e long- e m enancy
(minimum 10 yea s), which gi es enough secu i y o he p ojec o in es ma e ially in o he space.
This longe i y also cul i a es a g ea e sense o s ewa dship and esponsibili y amongs he immedia e
local communi y. Fu he mo e, i educes he isk o hese small pocke s o land being ede eloped
o less communi y-minded pu poses, indi ec ly inc easing ee equi y o adjacen communi ies by
ensu ing he land is used o ees and public g een space a he han indisc imina e cons uc ion.
16

17
Box 1:
Wha is ee equi y and how is i acked?
T ee equi y means “ha ing enough ees in an a ea so ha e e yone can expe ience he heal h, clima e
and economic bene i s” (T a e s, 2021). This concep o igina ed in Ame ica, whe e en i onmen alis s
i s obse ed he inequali y in ee co e : he exis ence o mo e and be e -quali y ees, and he
bene i s ha hey b ing, in highe income, p edominan ly whi e neighbou hoods in compa ison o
he ewe and less-quali y ees and associa ed bene i s in acialised and low-income communi ies.
This inequali y in ee co e has a - eaching de imen al impac s on al eady ma ginalised g oups.
Ame ican Fo es s de eloped a T ee Equi y Sco e o moni o his in US owns and ci ies, and o suppo
e o s o plan ees in places whe e hey we e mos needed.
Since hen, he model has been ex ended o he UK. Hos ed by he Woodland T us , Ame ican Fo es s,
and Cen e o Sus ainable Heal hca e, he T ee Equi y Sco e UK is a da abase map ha includes
me ics no only o ee canopy co e and quali y, bu also income, heal h, employmen , age, hea
isk, and ai pollu ion. Communi y mapping ha combines hese di e en ypes o in o ma ion can
suppo place-based g oups in unde s anding he lay o he land and help o in o m decisions abou
ee plan ing and ca e. The Woodland T us is in he p ocess o de eloping some ools ha will suppo
di e en s akeholde s o use he T ee Equi y Sco e UK in hei p ojec planning and deli e y.
Powe ed by he da a gene a ed h ough T ee Equi y Sco es and campaigning by mos ly olun a y
sec o o ganisa ions, ee equi y has become a global mo emen , wi h o he coun ies also
ecognising hei own ee dep i a ion and wo king ha d o inc ease ee co e in communi ies
expe iencing he lowes ee equi y sco es.
2.1.4 Nu u ing long- e m, us ing ela ionships and iendships
Building long- e m, us ing ela ionships is c ucial o cul i a ing communi ies who ca e o
u ban ees. Mos place-based ini ia i es depend on he in ol emen o olun ee s and/o o he
con ibu ions ( inancial, cul u al, social, e c.) ha communi y membe s make. O ganisa ions ge o
know people h ough spending ime in communi y spaces, engaging in doo knocking and lea le
d opping, and o ganising e en s and egula sessions which can include he p o ision o ee ood
and/o in e es ing ac i i ies o all ages. In e iewees epea edly spoke abou he impo ance o us
– especially in places whe e communi ies ha e less-posi i e ela ionships wi h o he ee-managing
o ganisa ions o he local au ho i y.
To c ea e and main ain us , place-based o ganisa ions p ac ice anspa en communica ion and
use pa icipa o y app oaches o in ol e local communi ies in hei planning, design, and deli e y o
p ojec s. Place-based ini ia i es ha e o en been es ablished and con inue o be un by communi y
membe s. S ee T ees o Li ing in Lewisham is a good example o his. Local oo s and ongoing
leade ship also play a key ole in o ging s ong bonds wi h he communi y. As one in e iewee pu i :
“ We ha en’ had anyone complain [abou ou wo k]. I ’s because we’ e a pa o he local
communi y. I makes a big, big di e ence i people know who you a e, whe e you li e, and
ha you a e genuinely pa o he local a ea, ha ’s a massi e hing ha is.”
Whils p ojec s gain us h ough he in ol emen o communi y membe s, wo o he p ojec s
in e iewed highligh ed ha i ’s impo an no o ely oo much on olun a y wo k, especially in
a eas o high dep i a ion. They a gued ha in hese places, he esponsibili y o ensu ing ee equi y
should no all on o he indi iduals expe iencing he injus ice o ee inequi y, especially when he
wo k in ol ed is unpaid. T us -building, he e o e, may equi e di e en unding a angemen s in
ma ginalised a eas. As one in e iewee commen ed:
“ Fo me, i was eally impo an ha we did ha e unding o pay o ee wa e ing and ha he
esponsibili y o his wasn’ handed o e o communi ies when we’ e wo king in a eas o low
canopy co e , which always maps on o he indices o mul iple dep i a ion. I jus don’ hink
we can lean in o he ‘big socie y’ like ha .”
In a simila ein, place-based g oups commen ed ha ela ional wo k and building us in ol e
ealis ic planning, eliabili y, and longe i y. Local communi ies can become dishea ened and
us a ed when p ojec s s a and p omise mo e han hey a e ac ually able o deli e o lea e a e a
sho ime. Rela ionships ake ime o es ablish, which means being p esen in a communi y o yea s
a he han jus mon hs:
“ Local people wan o know ha ha ee is going o g ow because his is a eliable
o ganisa ion and ha [ he ees and he p ojec ] a e going o s ay a ound. Tha ’s a eally big
hing he e; people say ha qui e a lo , especially in dep i ed a eas. People expec p ojec s o
u n up and jus do some hing o six mon hs and go away, so hey wan o know ha ’s no
going o happen.”
18
Pho o by Daoud Abismail on Unsplash
As well as ensu ing good ela ionships be ween ini ia i es and communi ies, in e iewees epo ed
ha nu u ing iendships and a sense o communi y be ween people who olun ee wi hin o a end
p ojec s is also i al. One o he main easons people ge in ol ed in u ban ee ini ia i es is o make
iends and eel mo e connec ed o hei communi ies and ecologies:
“ When we asked people ecen ly [ hei mo i a ions o ge ing in ol ed] e e yone men ioned
communi y and iendship. I was he op hing”.
Many people who join communi y-based g oups ace social exclusion in o he spaces o expe ience
isola ion o loneliness o some kind. Place-based ini ia i es epo in en ionally o ganising hei
p og ammes o suppo people o connec wi h each o he by o e ing, o example, egula
sessions ha encou age consis en a endance, one-o e en s ha each new people o di e en
demog aphics, and a ange o p ac ical ac i i ies ha acili a e con e sa ion and connec ion. In doing
so, place-based ini ia i es cul i a e bo h cu iosi y and con idence, which keeps people engaged and
emo ionally in es ed in he p ocess and long- e m ou come o an u ban ee ini ia i e. Sus ained
engagemen is pa icula ly impo an gi en he long li ecycle o ees and how long i can ake o
people o eel o he bene i s om hem. A good example o his app oach is F ui and Nu Village, a
place-based u ban ee ini ia i e in Bi mingham ha ocuses on cul i a ing edible landscapes in he
ci y. They ha e a s ong ocus on suppo ing iendships and a sense o communi y o lou ish. By
g owing o es ga dens in pa ks and ci y ga dens ha a e open o he public, hey nu u e a sense
o gua dianship and commi men o he new ees and amongs he iends who we e in ol ed in
plan ing hem. O he place-based p ojec s use a simila app oach:
“ We had a local esiden who sen some pho os o when hey’d gone ou , had a look a he
ees hey we e in ol ed wi h plan ing in and said “look, hey’ e all g owing, hey’ e all doing
well!”. Tha ’s someone who’s go an in es men in he plan ing ha was done in hei li le bi
o g een space. We’ e ying o build some owne ship in he plan ing, so ha communi ies
s a look a e hem.”
19
2.1.5 C ea ing engaging and a ied membe expe iences
Ano he common ing edien in place-based ini ia i es’ wo k wi h communi ies is he impo ance o
c ea ing a wide a ie y o engaging expe iences ha p ojec membe s can be in ol ed in and bene i
om. C ea ing olun ee ing oles ha align wi h communi y and indi idual in e es s is a pa icula ly
e ec i e s a egy. Many o he p ojec s in e iewed delibe a ely iden i y communi y ancho s, leade s,
and ad oca es. These a e i al o sus aining he p esence and in luence o place-based ini ia i es
o e ime. Role i les include T ee Keepe s, O cha d Leade s, S ee /A ea Reps, T ee Gua dians, T ee
De ende s, and T ee Nu se y Ca e s. Named olun a y oles p o ide s uc u e and leade ship whils
dis ibu ing esponsibili y in a way ha suppo s con inui y e en when ini ia i es s uggle inancially.
These indi iduals also o en ac as champions o he p ojec s, helping o mobilise and inspi e
o he s o ge in ol ed. To suppo indi iduals in hese oles and esponsibili ies, p ojec s ypically
o e aining, oca ional cou ses and he cascading o skills h ough pee lea ning. This ensu es ha
e e yone can g ow in con idence and compe ence as hey con ibu e meaning ully wi hin place-
based ini ia i es.
“ I wo ks eally well in his hie a chical way whe e you ha e a couple o membe s o s a who
lead on he esiden ial eam, hen hey o e see all o he olun ee s... [ he e is] one lead
olun ee in each wa d, hen hey o e see all o he [s ee -le el leade s] wi hin hei wa d.”
One o he in e iewees sha ed how impo an i is o p ojec s o be open-minded abou how people
show ca e o ees. Some people migh wan o help wi h p ac ical ca e asks (e.g., egula ly wa e ing
young ees). Howe e , o he s migh wan o show ca e and app ecia ion h ough i uals, paying
a en ion, o c ea ing a wo k. All o hese a e alid o ms o ela ing o ees, and one o m o ca e can
lead o o he s. This in e iewee’s app oach, he e o e, emb aces and acknowledges all o ms o ca e as
she’s “in e es ed in suppo ing ou ela ionships wi h ees o s eng hen o he poin ha maybe hey
migh wan o do [p ac ical ca e asks]” as well. This is a way o mee ing people whe e hey a e and
app ecia ing hei unique ways o ela ing.
In e ms o o e ing o he new and engaging expe iences, se e al place-based ini ia i es use cul u ally
app op ia e a s-based p ac ices o c ea e celeb a ions, i uals, wo kshops, and seasonal e en s
whe e communi y membe s can connec wi h na u e and each o he . One example o his is he
UK-wide U ban T ee Fes i al. Cul u al ac i i ies o his kind help in eg a e place-based ini ia i es in o
he ab ic o he communi y. Some ini ia i es ha e also s a ed o connec wi h social and g een
p esc ibing p og ammes, aking e e als om and wo king in pa ne ship wi h men al and physical
heal h p o essionals. This ype o pa ne ship b ings in new olun ee s and membe s who migh no
o he wise ha e hea d abou he p ojec s. A he same ime, hese pa ne ships suppo public heal h
agendas like imp o ing wellbeing and educing s ess, anxie y, and dep ession. Fu he mo e, hese
a angemen s o en come wi h unding.
Many u ban ee ini ia i es ha e sessions and g oups speci ically o child en and young people. One
success ul empla e o his is winning ees wi h indi idual child en – in ol ing hem in he
plan ing, main enance, and ca e in he i s ew yea s – so he child and ee g ow oge he , os e ing
a li elong connec ion.
20
2.1.6 Ecological design
Du ing his mission’s pa icipa o y wo kshop, we asked pa icipan s o w i e a ew wo ds abou wha
he u ban o es looks like o hem. Figu e 4 shows an illus a ion o hei con ibu ions, which ocus
s ongly on u ban wildli e, ecosys em esilience, g een co ido s, and he ole o people in hese u ban
ecologies. I illus a es how impo an ecology is in hei p ac ice, design, and decision-making, and
his alue was echoed h oughou he in e iews oo.
A pa chwo k o mosaic:
di e en pocke s o g een space
e lec ing he cul u e and alues
o local communi ies
WHAT DOES THE URBAN FOREST LOOK LIKE TO YOU?
Di e si y - a o es o gian
dispe sed o cha d, wi h houses
in-be ween, o ood and wildli e
STRONG,
RESILIENT,
TAKING OVER,
REBELLIOUS,
INCLUSIVE,
WELCOMING
Adap ed owa ds u u e
clima e condi ions
Cul u e- ich, inco po a ing
seasonal and cyclical
es i als and i uals
Coun yside
in he ci y
Sa e co ido s o
people and wildli e
Wildli e co ido s in eg a ed
wi h u ban in as uc u e
- a place o e uge in an
o he wise buil -up a ea
In eg i y o ecological
p ocesses - clean wa e ,
connec i i y, ca bon s o age
Figu e 4: An illus a ion o wo kshop pa icipan s’ isions o wha he u ban o es looks like
Ac oss he in e iews wi h place-based u ban ee ini ia i es, i was clea ha p ojec s p io i ise he
hough ul selec ion o ee and plan species in hei design o new, o enhancemen o exis ing,
u ban eescapes. Place-based ini ia i es cen e ecological in eg i y in hei design, cul i a ing spaces
ha a e ela i ely low main enance bu p o ide maximum social and en i onmen al bene i s. Place-
based p ojec s y o adop a ‘ igh ee in he igh place’ app oach, selec ing species based on local
p o enance and soil condi ions, clima e esilience ai s and biodi e si y alue. Fo example,
Mo e T ees BANES g ows ees om locally sou ced seeds o ensu e gene ic sui abili y and
ecological in eg a ion:
“ Clima e esilien ees, o us, means local p o enance, so we’ e collec ing local seed, and we’ e
also plan ing wi h gene ic di e si y. So, a woodland ha we plan will ha e qui e a di e se
gene ic di e si y because he seed will ha e been collec ed om di e en woodlands and
di e en ees, whe eas when you buy ees, you ne e qui e know wha gene ic di e si y
you’ e buying – e.g., he e migh be seed all om one ee, possibly. So gene ic di e si y, local
p o enance equals clima e esilience.”
21

I is impo an o no e ha , whils ecologis s ag ee ha gene ic di e si y is impo an , hey ha e
di e en iews on how o op imise clima e esilience. Some a gue ha mo e clima e-ma ched
p o enances (as opposed o local p o enance) may be c i ical o ee species wi h long li e spans. This
is an a ea o ongoing esea ch in e es . T ying di e en app oaches and balancing scien i ic e idence
wi h local knowledge is one way we can lea n. Fo es Resea ch has p oduced a ‘Clima e Ma ching Tool’
which isualises clima e p ojec ions and indica es which ee species may sui di e en pa s o he UK
(and Eu ope) in he u u e. This could be a use ul ool o u ban ee ini ia i es o all sizes o conside in
hei ee plan ing plans.
F ui and Nu Village and The O cha d P ojec design o es ga dens and o cha ds using he i age and
pe ennial species o suppo pollina o s and communi y ood esilience. Tiny Fo es s use he Miyawaki
me hod (Daou e al., 2024) o plan dense, di e se, as -g owing na i e woodlands in small u ban
plo s. Using ci izen science da a collec ed om Tiny Fo es si es, hei 2023 moni o ing epo shows
how his plan ing me hod is enhancing biodi e si y, imp o ing lood managemen , and inc emen ally
s o ing ca bon.
“ We’ e ying o mimic na u e [wi h] a mini woodland in u ban spaces… Each Tiny Fo es is
cus om-designed o ha si e o make su e ha i has he bes chance o su i al in ha soil
condi ion as well as he en i onmen al condi ion in ha a ea.”
Tiny Fo es s and o he u ban o es ini ia i es con ibu e o clima e esilience by educing u ban
hea islands, imp o ing s o mwa e in il a ion, and abso bing ai bo ne pollu an s. O cha ds and
o es ga dens a e ecologically di e se u ban habi a s ha suppo pollina o s, bi ds, ungi, and soil
o ganisms, enhancing u ban biodi e si y. As he ecologies become mo e di e se and esilien , hese
spaces simul aneously become impo an si es o u ban o age s and o he people who ca e abou
wildli e. Howe e , place-based p ojec s some imes ind i ha d o measu e he di e ence hey a e
making o biodi e si y:
“ We’ e awa e o he ac ha we’ e c ea ing g een co ido s... I see all he pa akee s coming and
ea ing all he c ab apples and o he bi ds and s u . Ge ing in ol ed in bees and s u . So, we
know ha i ’s ha ing an impac on biodi e si y, bu i ’s no some hing we eally unde s and
he me ics o , o be hones .”
Finding c ea i e ways o eco d, unde s and, and communica e hese impac s – bo h quali a i ely and
quan i a i ely – could be bene icial o place-based p ojec s in accessing biodi e si y- ela ed unding
oppo uni ies.
The e a e a numbe o use ul ools ha can suppo ecologically-in o med decision-making. The T ee
Species Guide o UK Ag o o es y Sys ems and T eezilla o e da a on ee species ai s, ecosys em
se ices, and u ban sui abili y. T ees & Design and Ac ion G oup (TDAG) ha e p oduced help ul guides
abou ees, planning and de elopmen and ee species selec ion. These esou ces help communi ies
o selec ees ha can ole a e d ough , hea , and pollu ion – key ac o s o clima e adap a ion in
u ban en i onmen s. The ools a e compa ible and can be used in andem wi h pa icipa o y design
me hods. Using a combina ion o local knowledge, inclusi e design p ocesses, and scien i ic ools
helps place-based ee p ojec s cul i a e sus ainable eescapes which communi y membe s can
bene i om and eel in es ed in. The U ban Fo es Accele a o Toolki has colla ed a weal h o guides
and ools ha can be used in he planning and design p ocess, suppo ing ini ia i es o maximise and
dis ibu e he many bene i s o inc eased u ban ee co e .
22
23
Box 2:
‘Roo s and B anches’ ool example
A he pa icipa o y wo kshop, we used he ‘Roo s and B anches’ ool (see Appendix D) o explo e
commonali ies be ween he p ojec s ep esen ed. The di e en pa s o he ee can be used o
p omp con e sa ion abou belie s and alues ( oo s), nou ishmen and sus enance (soil), co e ways o
wo king ( unk), ac i i ies and ac ions (b anches), achie emen s and ou comes (lea es) and impac s
( ui / lowe s). The co e ways o wo king co esponds b oadly wi h he common s a egies and
p ac ices summa ised in Sec ion 2.1.
Figu e 5: A ‘Roo s and B anches’ ool example (see Appendix D) c ea ed a he pa icipa o y wo kshop, wi h u he in o ma ion
om in e iews also inco po a ed.
ROOTS & BRANCHES
FRUIT/ FLOWERS: IMPACT
Inc eased con idence and empowe men (belie ha we can change whe e we li e o he be e ); inc eased ee
equi y and u ban ee co e ; be e access o g een spaces; local p ide o place; imp o ing heal h and wellbeing
o communi ies; inc eased access o locally g own ood and o aging oppo uni ies
LEAVES: OUTCOMES AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Unused u ban spaces b ough in o communi y owne ship/ managemen ; ne wo k o indi iduals, pa ne s and
communi ies; collec ions o o cha ds, he i age a ie ies and cu ings; annual na i e ee gi e away; egula c oss-
pollina ion o ideas; ongoing pa ne ship wo k
BRANCHES: ACTIVITIES AND ACTIONS
Res o ing old and plan ing new o cha ds; c ea ing iny o es s; communi y ee nu se ies, o es ga dens and
edible u ban landscapes; ee plan ing; encou aging clima e esilience by including exo ic species; being open
o communi y sugges ions; lea ning when hings do and don’ wo k; in o ma ion sha ing (no ‘educa ion’); ee
gua dianship schemes; winning child en wi h ees; wo king wi h social-g een-p esc ibing ne wo ks; a s-based
p ac ices; celeb a ions and i uals; os e ing na u e connec ions h ough local e en s, ee iden i ica ion walks,
woodland c a s, celeb a ions, i uals
TRUNK: CORE WAYS OF WORKING
Wo king wi h ees and people simul aneously; communi y o ganising p inciples; communi y and s akeholde
mapping; ee equi y; enhancing communi y spaces; ela ional wo k; nu u ing a sense o communi y and
iendship, engaging and a ied membe expe iences; ecological design
SOIL: NOURISHMENT AND SUSTENANCE
In ol ing local people; mee ing socie y’s needs; being locally ele an ; b inging s akeholde s oge he ;
co-c ea ion; p ide in place; collabo a ion wi h o he en i onmen al g oups/ o ganisa ion ac oss he UK;
g owing leade ship; being a iend o he neighbou hood
ROOTS: BELIEFS AND VALUES
En i onmen al jus ice; ca e and connec ion; he impo ance o ees o clima e esilience; inclusi i y and
accessibili y; open; pu pose ul; ( e) c ea ing cul u e; us ; enhancing biodi e si y; people as pa o na u e -
he mu uali y o hese hings; ecip oci y; he igh and abili y o change you neighbou hood; democ a ic
s uc u e; enabling owne ship; eclaiming commons; ood secu i y; ing ained, embedded ini ia i es; deep
communi y lis ening
Scan he QR code o ind ou
mo e abou he esea ch p ojec
which in o med his documen
and o iew o he use ul ools
2.2 Wha a e he challenges acing place-based p ojec s?
Du ing in e iews and he pa icipa o y wo kshop, place-based o ganisa ions alked abou he
challenges hey ace. The key common hemes a e o ganised unde he ollowing subheadings: access
o land, unding, esou ces, co-design and pa icipa o y app oaches, aining and o ganisa ional
de elopmen , pa ne ships and ne wo ks and he poli ical and economic con ex . The e a e
co esponding oppo uni ies oo, which a e explo ed la e in Sec ion 4.
2.2.1 Access o land
Secu ing pe mission o access land o communi y u ban ee p ojec s is o en he i s hu dle. Gaining
long- e m use, enancy, o owne ship o land was highligh ed as a key challenge by all o he place-
based pa icipan s in his mission. In u ban landscapes, i is o en ha d o de e mine who owns and/
o is esponsible o pa cels o disused land. This makes i di icul o know who o app oach when
seeking access and pe mission. Fo land which is owned by he local au ho i y o o he public bodies
(e.g. Ne wo k Rail, Na ional Highways), access o en depends on he pe sonali y and app oach o he
pe son who has o e a ching decision-making powe (e.g. manage o con ac o s) o he designa ed
T ee O ice . As one in e iewee pu i :
“ I ’s jus ha d wo k, eally, wo king wi h he Council and pe suading hem ha hings a e
a good idea, and ha ’s he big chunk o [ge ing land access], eally. I ’s eally ha d
ge ing w i en pe mission. I ’s almos like hey a e ying o ge ou o ac ually commi ing
o any hing”
This can also be he case o p i a ely owned land (e.g., land owned by u ili y companies), as e en
when access and use o land is g an ed, landowne s a e some imes eluc an o pe mi he inc ease o
ees – e en i he communi y g oup p omises o look a e hem. Landowne s o en do no wan he
legal esponsibili y, main enance cos s, o esponsibili y ha can be associa ed wi h ees. They may
also wan o e ain lexibili y a ound he land use in case he e a e o he , mo e p o i able oppo uni ies
la e ha a e incompa ible wi h ees:
“ I hink because land has he po en ial o be hugely aluable in ci ies and owns, I hink
[landowne s] a e e y eluc an o commi o he imescale: i you a e plan ing ees, you know
ha [will be o ] 30, 40 o 50 yea s o mo e o ha piece o land. [Landowne s know] ha
he land migh ha e ano he use in li e, a alue associa ed wi h i . So, I hink he challenge is
always inding land.”
Rela ionships be ween landowne s and ee p ojec s can some imes be challenging whe e he e a e
di e ences in ision, wo king p ac ices, expe ise, and discipline. Pa ne ship wo king can be u he
complica ed by di e ences in esou ces and capaci y, and hese o en p esen he main ba ie s o
implemen a ion – especially o local au ho i ies who a e on igh budge s and o en need o cu cos s.
To enable mu ually bene icial and long- e m enancy ag eemen s, local au ho i ies, p i a e
landowne s, and place-based p ojec s need o unde s and and espec each o he ’s p io i ies, be
willing o wo k lexibly, and be open o no el a angemen s ha maximise he co-bene i s o all
pa ies. This may need o in ol e he delega ion o managemen esponsibili y o he p ojec ( enan ),
whils he landowne main ains legal esponsibili y. Landowne s who ha e success ully enabled
communi y p ojec s access o and managemen o hei land could sha e hei lea ning wi h o he
landowning o ganisa ions and indi iduals. Place-based o ganisa ions could be con ibu o s o local
na u e eco e y s a egies and u ban o es planning, so ha hey a e app ecia ed as key s akeholde s
and communi y p ac i ione expe s. This ecogni ion could, in u n, open up oppo uni ies o new
land enu e.
24
2.2.2 Funding
Funding imelines o en don’ align wi h he pace o needs o place-based p ojec ac i i ies, making
i di icul o plan e ec i ely o he long e m. Many g an s a ailable o communi y p ojec s a e
sho - e m (i.e., unde one yea ), which necessi a es ongoing applica ions o mul iple g an s. This can
esul in complica ions i se e al g an s a e awa ded o he same p ojec o i awa ded g an s do no
co e all aspec s o he p ojec . Synch onising g an s wi h p ojec aims, objec i es, and ac i i ies is
ime-consuming and equi es signi ican s a esou ces. Consequen ly, unding imescales ha e he
po en ial o unde mine job secu i y. Su i al g an s (i.e., e y sho - e m, lexible awa ds ha can be
used o plug gaps) can help o main ain ope a ions be ween la ge g an s. Howe e , eliance on hese
ypes o awa ds can be s ess ul and unsus ainable.
Funding o en ocuses on speci ic ac i i ies ha he unde is mos in e es ed in (e.g., ee plan ing
o clima e esilience), while neglec ing o he key componen s which make hese ac i i ies possible
in communi y-based se ings (e.g., doo knocking, educa ional ac i i ies). Holis ic p og ammes ha
mee mul iple needs a e he e o e ha de o und, especially hose in ol ing ex ensi e communi y
engagemen and he slow ela ional wo k o cul i a ing us and commi men . The la e has an
added di icul y o being ha d o measu e and demons a e in e ms o ou comes. Some imes
landowne s wan o pay o place-based p ojec s o do a plan ing p ojec , bu don’ necessa ily wan
o und he associa ed communi y engagemen wo k:
“ [When a landowning o ganisa ion con ac s you and says] ‘Oh, can you jus come in and
plan i ? We will gi e you money o plan an o cha d,’ o some hing, hen we’ e like, ‘Well,
ha ’s no how we wo k.’ So yeah, [ hey] need o pay us o all he o he s u , he communi y
engagemen as well, because ha ’s he model.”
Funding o o ganisa ional de elopmen o place-based p ojec s is essen ial, bu also ha d o
secu e. Simila ly, i can be ha d o ind unding o a s-based app oaches, na u e-connec ion, and
ansdisciplina y p ojec s. This o ces o ganisa ions o ca ego ise hei wo k in o p ojec packages ha
mee unding equi emen s, a ec ing he cohesion o hei ope a ions and unde mining he no el and
ansdisciplina y in en ions. I also educes hei abili y o adap and e lexi ely espond o changing
dynamics in e nally and in communi y se ings.
Knowledge o di e en unding oppo uni ies is limi ed, and he ime a ailable o apply o unding is
o en insu icien . Fund aising is a specialised skill ha no all o ganisa ions possess in e nally. Whils
he e can also be posi i e unexpec ed ou comes, such as small p ojec s g owing exponen ially when
hey a e success ul in mul iple g an s. This g ow h can s ain in e nal s uc u es and o ganisa ional
p ocesses i hey ha e no been designed o such a scale. Fu he mo e, g an s do no always allow
adequa e ime o s a ec ui men p ocesses, which can be slow and equi e ca e ul na iga ion.
25
Pho o by da id hughes on Unsplash
Name Cons i u ion Desc ip ion Main audience Geog aphic scope
and each
Use ul esou ces /
oppo uni ies
Associa ion o
T ee O ice s
Membe -based
p o essional
o ganisa ion
A UK-based o ganisa ion
ep esen ing and se ing
he needs o local au ho i y
ee o ice s, p omo ing bes
p ac ices and suppo ing
p o essional de elopmen
in u ban o es y and
a bo icul u e
P o essional ee o ice s
who p ima ily wo k o local
au ho i ies, pa ish councils,
s a u o y bodies; open
o some indi iduals and
housing associa ion ee
o ice s
UK-wide co e age wi h
i ual spaces, egional
ee o ice g oups and
in e na ional engagemen
Websi e esou ces wi h
in o ma ion and guidance
(e.g. ee species selec ion,
unding g an s, ee and
woodland s a egies e c);
Na ional T ee O ice s
Con e ence; T ee O ice
Fo um (online ne wo k); job
lis ings
England’s
Communi y Fo es s
Ne wo k o
independen
communi y o es s
suppo ed by he
Communi y Fo es
T us (cha i y)
A ne wo k o 15 communi y
o es s wo king wi h
communi ies, landowne s,
and businesses o plan
ees and imp o e he
na u al en i onmen ac oss
England, c ea ing heal hy,
esilien places o people
and na u e
Landowne s, local
au ho i ies, NGOs, s a u o y
bodies, gene al public,
place-based ini ia i es,
u ban popula ions
England-wide co e age
wi hin 15 communi y o es
a eas
Long- e m g an schemes
o landowne s and a me s
o plan and main ain ees;
suppo wi h woodland
c ea ion in 15 loca ions;
expe ad ice o planning,
unding and plan ing;
bespoke p ojec deli e y
and suppo wi h wide
ange o local pa ne s (e.g.,
schools, pa ks, clubs, p i a e
companies, o es schools)
Fellowship o
he T ees
Communi y In e es
Company (CIC)
An ini ia i e suppo ing
communi y ee nu se ies
h ough pee lea ning,
p omo ing local ee
cul i a ion o inc ease
ee co e and communi y
wellbeing
Place-based g oups;
communi y ee nu se ies;
olun ee ee gua dians;
gene al public
UK-wide p ojec s, i ual
spaces wi h g owing social
media p esence
Communi y T ee Nu se y
Collabo a i e pee lea ning
and sha ing ne wo k; ‘na u e
alks’ se ies o eco ded
online alks; YouTube
channel; online e en s and
websi e eplays; p ac ical
wo kshops; communi y
e en s
32

Name Cons i u ion Desc ip ion Main audience Geog aphic scope
and each
Use ul esou ces /
oppo uni ies
Ins i u e o
Cha e ed Fo es e s
Royal Cha e ed
Body and cha i y
The UK's p o essional
body o o es e s and
a bo icul u is s, p omo ing
sus ainable o es y and
a bo icul u e while o e ing
cha e ed s a us and
p o essional de elopmen
oppo uni ies
P o essional
a bo icul u alis s, a bo is s,
and o es e s who p ima ily
wo k o local au ho i ies,
pa ish councils, s a u o y
bodies, landowning
o ganisa ions, conse a ion
o ganisa ions, and p i a e
companies
UK-wide co e age wi h
online and egional spaces
Online membe s a ea;
e en s and alks; online
esou ces and ideo
con en ; Fo es y jou nal;
qua e ly magazine;
p ac ical CPD ools and
guidance; eme ging leade
p og amme; exchange
p og amme; ca ee ad ice;
bu sa ies; jobs boa d;
si e isi s; policy and
consul a ion; egional
ne wo ks
London T ee O ice
Associa ion
Membe -based
p o essional
o ganisa ion
The p o essional
oice and ne wo k o
London’s ee o ice s and
manage s, enhancing ee
managemen h ough
sha ing bes p ac ice,
ad ocacy, aining,
in luencing policy,
iden i ying sus ainable
inance, and collabo a ion
P o essional
a bo icul u alis s and ee
o ice s who wo k o local
au ho i ies, s a u o y bodies
and housing associa ions
wi hin London (al hough
some non-London) and
a bo icul u al ela ed
companies. Open o small
ee- ela ed cha i ies and
educa ional es ablishmen s
P ima ily London Bo oughs,
plus some wide each
ou side o London
Websi e esou ces wi h
in o ma ion and guidance
(e.g. ee species selec ion,
unding g an s, ee and
woodland s a egies e c);
LTOA semina s; wo king
pa ies; benchma king
in o ma ion o London
Bo oughs; T ee O ice
communica ion ne wo k
(online and localised
ne wo k); job lis ings
Municipal T ee
O ice s’ Associa ion
Membe -based
p o essional
o ganisa ion
A non-p o i o ganisa ion
dedica ed o suppo ing
and p o iding
p o essional de elopmen
oppo uni ies o municipal
a bo icul u is s
P o essional
a bo icul u alis s and ee
o ice s who p ima ily wo k
o local au ho i ies, pa ish
councils, s a u o y bodies
UK-wide co e age wi h
egional and i ual spaces
Membe s ge access o
wo king pa ies, upda es on
legisla i e change, semina s
and wo kshops, si e isi s,
echnical suppo
33
Name Cons i u ion Desc ip ion Main audience Geog aphic scope
and each
Use ul esou ces /
oppo uni ies
Na u e Towns
and Ci ies
A coali ion o
o ganisa ions
A coali ion aiming o
enhance u ban g een
spaces, making na u e
accessible o millions mo e
people, imp o ing heal h,
wellbeing, and u ban
en i onmen s
Local au ho i ies, NGOs,
small cha i ies, place-based
u ban ee and g een space
ini ia i es, communi y
ac ion g oups, indi iduals
UK-wide each wi h online
spaces and egional e en s
Lib a y o esou ces and
p ac ical guidance; e en s;
wo kshops; con e ences;
aining; collabo a ion
oppo uni ies; suppo in
p ojec de elopmen and
und aising; acc edi a ion;
g an s; sel -e alua ion ool;
U ban Fo es Accele a o
Toolki
NHS Fo es An ini ia i e
o he Cen e
o Sus ainable
Heal hca e (cha i y)
An alliance o heal h si es
ans o ming hei g een
spaces o imp o e heal h,
wellbeing, biodi e si y
and o enable connec ion
be ween people and na u e
NHS si es (GPs su ge ies,
hospi als, ambulance
s a ions e c), plus local
esiden s, pa ien s, and
olun ee s
UK-wide, wi h 474-membe
heal hca e si es; Na u e
Reco e y Range s co e ing
39 si es
NHS Fo es Con e ence;
NHS Fo es Ne wo k; Na u e
o Heal h Hub (including
ou doo accessibili y
guidance and g een spaces
and biodi e si y oolki );
newsle e and blog;
cou ses; e en s; da abase
o e idence and esea ch;
Na u e Reco e y Range s;
ee ee plan ing bundles
and guidance pack
Social Fa ms
and Ga dens
Cha i y and membe
ne wo k
A UK cha i y suppo ing
communi y-managed and
communi y-based a ms,
ga dens, and g een spaces;
p omo ing sus ainable ood
g owing, na u e-based
ac i i ies and communi y
engagemen
Place-based g oups, u ban
g een spaces, communi y
g owing p ojec s,
communi y ga dens,
communi y allo men s, ci y
a ms, olun ee s, gene al
public
UK-wide wi h egional hubs Suppo and signpos ing o
communi y-based g owing
p ojec s; aining and
e en s; ne wo king e en s;
mon hly online ga he ings;
public membe di ec o y;
land and planning ad ice;
quali y assu ance; ca e
a ming guidance; unding
in o ma ion; publica ions
and esou ces
34
Name Cons i u ion Desc ip ion Main audience Geog aphic scope
and each
Use ul esou ces /
oppo uni ies
The O cha d P ojec Cha i y A cha i y dedica ed o
c ea ing and main aining
communi y o cha ds in
u ban a eas, aiming o b ing
communi y- un o cha ds
wi hin walking dis ance
o e e yone in owns and
ci ies
Place-based g oups,
communi y allo men s,
u ban g een spaces,
communi y g owing
p ojec s, communi y
ga dens, communi y
allo men s, olun ee s,
gene al public
UK-wide Resou ces o s a ing a
communi y o cha d and
ongoing seasonal o cha d
ca e and main enance;
cou ses; wo kshops; aining;
lesson plans o p ima y
schools; o cha d di ec o y;
ui dona ion di ec o y;
acc edi ed cou ses
T ee Wa den
Ne wo k
An ini ia i e o The
T ee Council (cha i y)
A olun ee ne wo k
suppo ing ee plan ing
and ca e ac oss he UK,
engaging communi ies
in local ee conse a ion
e o s
Volun ee ee wa dens UK-wide wi h egional
coo dina o s
Regional and local ne wo ks;
Guidance Hub; unding
g an s; in o ma ion
abou deli e y pa ne s;
in o ma ion abou ee ca e
and managemen (e.g.,
pes s and diseases, species
di e si ica ion decision
suppo ool, ag o o es y
guide)
T ees and Design
Ac ion G oup
(TDAG)
Cha i able T us A collabo a i e g oup
p omo ing he in eg a ion
o ees in u ban design
and planning o enhance
esilience and sus ainabili y
in u ban a eas
T ee p o essionals,
academics, o ganisa ions,
p i a e companies, local
au ho i ies, s a u o y
bodies, ENGOs, indi iduals
UK-wide Ne wo k/ o um o c oss-
sec o collabo a ion; bes
p ac ice guides; membe -
in o med consul a ion on
policy; knowledge and
esea ch dissemina ion;
semina s and wo kshops
U ban Fo es
Accele a o Toolki
A coali ion
o cha i able
o ganisa ions
A p ac ical guide designed
o help o ganisa ions
inc ease u ban ee canopy
co e , and how o do his
equi ably by ensu ing ha
all esiden s ha e access o
he bene i s o ees
Local au ho i ies, ENGOs,
small cha i ies, place-based
u ban ee and g een space
ini ia i es, communi y
ac ion g oups, indi iduals
UK-wide Fou in o ma ion oolki s
ha ou line key phases o
u ban o es de elopmen ;
each con ains a mix u e o
how- o guides, case s udies,
bes p ac ice, esea ch,
downloadable esou ces
and ac i i ies
35
3.2 Wha a e he challenges and ba ie s o collabo a i e c oss-sec o al wo k?
Collabo a i e c oss-sec o wo k, especially in he con ex o u ban ee managemen , p esen s
nume ous challenges and ba ie s. These obs acles o en s em om unequal powe dynamics,
di e ing pe spec i es and p io i ies, and he p esence o indi idual and ins i u ional egos. This sec ion
explo es hese challenges, d awing on insigh s om in e iews wi h bo h place-based g oups and
na ional o ganisa ions.
3.2.1 Unequal powe dynamics
One o he p ima y challenges in collabo a i e c oss-sec o wo k is na iga ing he unequal powe
dynamics be ween o ganisa ions o di e en sizes and capaci ies. La ge o ganisa ions o en ha e
mo e esou ces, access o unding, and mo e po en ial o in luence in decision-making spaces. This
dispa i y can c ea e challenging powe dynamics, bo h explici ly and implici ly, and make i di icul o
smalle o ganisa ions o ha e hei oices hea d and hei con ibu ions ecognised.
Fo ins ance, la ge o ganisa ions may ha e dedica ed ma ke ing and communica ions eams, gi ing
hem a disp opo iona e p esence and in luence. This can o e shadow he e o s and achie emen s
o smalle , place-based ini ia i es. Se e al in e iewees epo ed ins ances whe e la ge o ganisa ions
ha e aken c edi o he wo k done by smalle g oups, leading o esen men and de ensi eness
among local o ganisa ions. As one in e iewee no ed:
“ Powe ul na ional o ganisa ions can easily come in o a eas, pa e o e o he ini ia i es and
ake all he glo y.”
Simila ly, he e is a pe cep ion ha la ge o ganisa ions ca ying ou landscape-scale ini ia i es may
delibe a ely bypass local ini ia i es o access signi ican unding sou ces, such as ca bon c edi s
and clima e change unds. This can lead o local o ganisa ions becoming mo e p o ec i e o hei
bounda ies and oles (and he e o e less open o pa ne ship), s i ing o ensu e hei plans and
p io i ies a e espec ed.
36
3.2.2 Di e ing pe spec i es and p io i ies
Ano he signi ican ba ie o collabo a i e c oss-sec o wo k is he di e ing pe spec i es, p io i ies,
and alue o ien a ions owa ds he en i onmen o he o ganisa ions in ol ed (Twena e al., 2025).
These di e ences can lead o con lic s and misunde s andings, hinde ing e ec i e collabo a ion.
Fo example, p o essional a bo icul u is s o en iew ees as “g een in as uc u e” ha , like o he
public in as uc u e, equi es p o essional managemen . In con as , communi y-based p ac i ione s
ypically emphasise he social, cul u al, ecological, and clima e alue o ees – a mo e ela ional
app oach.
This di e gence in iewpoin s can lead o con lic s o e ee managemen p ac ices. A bo icul u is s
may see communi y membe s as meddlesome and p oblema ic, while communi ies may iew
a bo icul u is s as “ ee cu e s” o “ ee mu de e s.” This misalignmen o alues leads o mu ual
dis us and can hinde e ec i e collabo a ion and ee managemen . As one a bo icul u alis
poin ed ou :
“ E en he communi y g oups and he people who eally ca e abou hei ees, which is
b illian , and I lo e ha , [many] o hem won’ know abou a bo icul u e eally, and hey see
he a bo is as he baddies.”
Addi ionally, he language o science o en akes p io i y o e ha o he a s and heal h in
collabo a i e p ojec s, despi e all he p ojec s ying o add ess simila issues. This can c ea e a
communica ion ba ie , making i di icul o o ganisa ions o unde s and each o he ’s pe spec i es
and p io i ies. E ec i e communica ion and mu ual unde s anding a e he e o e undamen al o
o ging success ul and mu ually espec ul pa ne ships and collabo a ions.
3.2.3 Indi idual and ins i u ional egos
Egos, bo h indi idual and ins i u ional, can also pose conside able challenges o collabo a i e c oss-
sec o wo k. S ong pe sonali ies can d i e p ojec s o wa d, bu hey can also become obs uc i e i
no managed well. Fu he mo e, he depa u e o key pe sonnel (i.e., hose who ha e essen ial social
skills, ela ionships, and knowledge o he local con ex , and who play a ansla ion and/o bu e
ole be ween o ganisa ions o di e en sizes) om la ge o ganisa ions can dis up pa ne ships and
ne wo ks, as he o e a ching na ional agenda o he la ge o ganisa ion may ake p ecedence in ha
pe son’s absence and/o eplacemen .
The in ol emen o na ional conse a ion o ganisa ions in a eas whe e hey lack expe ise can also
be p oblema ic. These o ganisa ions may ha e signi ican esou ces and in luence, bu hei lack o
knowledge abou u ban ees can us a e and unde mine he e o s o place-based g oups and
a bo icul u al p o essionals alike. As one in e iewee no ed:
“ We had his be o e wi h [a conse a ion o ganisa ion ha has] no knowledge abou u ban
ees, saying ‘hey le ’s ge in ol ed’ and ha e s eamed in he e and hey’ e go so much
money and such a oice ha hey ha e become he mos in luen ial oice in u ban ees,
whils by hei own admission hey don’ eally know any hing abou u ban ees.”
37

3.2.4 Building e ec i e coali ions
The abo e ac o s c ea e a challenging en i onmen o building e ec i e and mu ually bene icial
coali ions ac oss wide- anging o ganisa ional sizes, sec o s, and geog aphies o scale (e.g.,
neighbou hoods, ci ies, egions, landscapes, i ual spaces and o he s). Place-based g oups ha e
commen ed ha while he e is a lo o suppo a ailable, i is no always easy o know whe e o go
o speci ic kinds o help. The as numbe and di e si y o o ganisa ions – each wi h speci ic se s o
needs, skillse s, and expe ise – means i can be ha de o c ea e ne wo king oppo uni ies ha eel
ele an and use ul.
Building e ec i e coali ions ac oss di e en ypes o o ganisa ions equi es c ea ing empa he ic
en i onmen s whe e ep esen a i es ac i ely lis en o each o he . Pa ne ships be ween o ganisa ions
o di e en sizes can wo k well i each has he awa eness and capaci y o a icula e and nego ia e
oles, p io i ies, and ways o wo king. All o ganisa ions wi hin a collabo a ion mus be ai ly ecognised
o hei wo k and di e en kinds o con ibu ions.
38
4. Recommenda ions: e ile g ound
o g owing he u ban o es
Sec ions 2 and 3 ha e ou lined some o he ways ha place-based ini ia i es and na ional ne wo ks
a e success ully cul i a ing communi ies who ca e o u ban ees. They ha e also highligh ed some
o he challenges and ba ie s, bo h on he g ound in u ban se ings and in collabo a i e c oss-sec o
se ings. These include issues a ound land access and pe missions, esou ces, aining, o ganisa ional
de elopmen , powe dynamics, and di e ing pe spec i es and p io i ies. O e coming hese
obs acles equi es os e ing mu ual espec , unde s anding, and e ec i e communica ion be ween
all s akeholde s in ol ed in u ban ee managemen . I is essen ial o c ea e en i onmen s whe e all
oices a e hea d and alued, and whe e o ganisa ions can wo k oge he in anspa en ways owa ds
common goals.
By syn hesising insigh s om place-based g oups (Sec ion 2) and lessons om collabo a i e wo k
ac oss scales and sec o s (Sec ion 3), ou key hemes eme ge as po en ially pi o al o cul i a ing
communi ies ha ca e o u ban ees. These a e discussed below as ecommenda ions: hink like an
u ban o es (4.1); nu u e e ec i e ecip ocal ela ionships ac oss sec o s (4.2); inno a e o enable
g ea e access o land (4.3); and ensu e holis ic unding and inancial ag eemen s (4.4). To make hese
ecommenda ions ac ionable, we ha e designed i e esou ces ha can be used by p ac i ione s
ac oss sec o s in hei wo k o collec i ely g ow he u ban o es . These esou ces a e p esen ed in he
appendices and signpos ed h oughou he ou sec ions below.
39
4.1 Think like an u ban o es
Sys ems hinking is c ucial o cul i a ing communi ies who ca e o u ban ees, and “ hinking like
an u ban o es ” could help di e se ac o s coo dina e holis ically as one uni ied sys em.
The sys ems hinking app oach is a holis ic way o looking a a ‘sys em’ – in his case, he u ban
o es – as a whole, a he han as indi idual pa s in isola ion (Meadows, 2009). In doing so, sys ems
hinking conside s in e ac ions o componen s wi hin a sys em while also ecognising ha he sys em
i sel could be a componen o one o mo e la ge sys ems. A change in one componen o ei he he
smalle o la ge sys em will ha e a ipple e ec . Sys ems hinking ecognises his in e connec edness
and p oposes ha unde s anding hese connec ions can be key o ans o ma ion (Jackson,
2019). I he e o e shi s ou pe spec i e om isola ed, linea hinking o in e connec ed, holis ic
unde s anding.
A ph ase ha is inc easingly being used by people aking a sys ems hinking app oach is “ hinking like
a o es ” (Think Like a Fo es | Pe macul u e Associa ion, n.d.), which emphasises he adap abili y and
esilience o o es s o illus a e he in e connec edness o sys ems hinking. This aming speci ically
in ol es adop ing p inciples inspi ed by na u al sys ems (i.e., sys ems ound in na u e, o example,
a o es ) o os e g ow h and longe i y. One example o his is o ganising ne wo ks ha a e inspi ed
by he s uc u e, unc ion and symbio ic ela ionships o unde g ound mycelial ne wo ks ( he web
o iny ungal h eads ha connec plan s and ees, helping hem sha e nu ien s, wa e , and e en
in o ma ion). Simila ly, hinking like a o es equi es conside a ion o and adap a ion o seasons,
as i seeks o apply na u e-inspi ed solu ions o p oblems and p omo es con inuous lea ning and
e olu ion. Taking he abo e example o mycelia-inspi ed ne wo ks, some ac i i ies o a ne wo k may
be mo e o less ele an and impac ul in each season. Unde s anding which ac ions o ake a wha
ime is a key pa o helping he sys em o unc ion e ec i ely.
Applying his analogy o he mission indings, i may be use ul o “ hink like an u ban o es ”,
explici ly inco po a ing he many laye s and dynamics o u ban popula ions and socie al sys ems
in o he sys ems app oach. In he wo ds o one in e iewee (a ee o ice a a local au ho i y), “ ee
managemen is always people managemen oo.” Especially in an u ban se ing, ees and people a e
in close p oximi y and in ica ely connec ed h ough he local en i onmen , indi idual and collec i e
ac ions, sense o place, he a s, s o ies, and olun ee ing. By hinking like an u ban o es , he e o e,
place-based and la ge o ganisa ions can c ea e sus ainable, egene a i e p ac ices ha p io i ise he
heal h and wellbeing o bo h ees and people. Recognising he di e si y o ela ionships ha people
ha e wi h ees and engaging communi ies in meaning ul ways a e essen ial, so a -based p ac ices
can be pa icula ly use ul o his. Appendix D p o ides he Roo s and B anches ool ha could s a
some o hese con e sa ions and be used in many con ex s o suppo c ea i e, sys ems hinking.
In p ac ice, hinking like an u ban o es could in ol e es ablishing a mul idimensional ne wo k ha
se es o connec he many a ied o ganisa ions and ne wo ks al eady in ol ed in ca ing o u ban
ees ac oss he UK. This idea, empo a ily named he U ban Fo es Ne wo k, was p oposed a he
pa icipa o y wo kshop and has been u he de eloped h ough in e iews wi h la ge o ganisa ions
(see Sec ion 5 and Appendix E).
40
Pho og aphy: Dan Whi e
4.2 Nu u e e ec i e ecip ocal ela ionships ac oss sec o s
Good ela ionships be ween di e en s akeholde s make all he di e ence in e ms o mo ale,
e iciency, sense o belonging, and posi i e connec ion o place.
Local au ho i ies, o he s a u o y bodies, and landowning o ganisa ions should de elop a deepe
awa eness o and app ecia ion o he alue o communi y wo k and communi y ela ionships. Ra he
han being an op ional add-on, his ocus on communi y should be he main conside a ion ha
in o ms he app oach o u ban ee ini ia i es, ega dless o hei size o sec o .
Pe sonnel a na ional o ganisa ions and ins i u ions who seek pa ne ships wi h place-based ini ia i es
would bene i om aining in communi y wo k skills and how o cul i a e us ing ela ionships. This
would help o ensu e hey wo k alongside place-based p ojec s in a suppo i e and ecip ocal manne .
T aining should include ime o e lec on hei own posi ionali y and he limi a ions hey ha e in
ela ion o places, aising awa eness o powe dynamics, and how o make e ec i e and app op ia e
use o b ands and o ganisa ional in luence. T aining and de elopmen in his a ea would also suppo
he p ocess o es ablishing c ea i e land managemen a angemen s (see Sec ion 4.3) ha a e
sus ainable and empowe ing o he long e m. The e a e some good examples o his om Na u e
Neighbou hoods and Na u e Towns and Ci ies, whe e esou ces a e being c ea ed ha will help o do
his be e .
When i comes o esea ch p ojec s, hose which seek he in ol emen o o collabo a ion wi h place-
based p ac i ione s should be designed a ound hei needs. Thei in ol emen should be c edi ed in
any ou pu s, such as h ough sha ed au ho ship o adequa e acknowledgemen . Facili a ing access
o esea ch ou pu s and suppo ing he implemen a ion o ecommenda ions on he g ound can
help ansla e esea ch in o p ac ical, ac ionable s a egies. Some ne wo ks a e al eady doing his
(e.g. many o hose men ioned in Table 3), bu i is unclea how many place-based p ac i ione s ha e
access o hese wells o in o ma ion. The p oposed new mul idimensional ne wo k (see Sec ion 5 and
Appendix E) could be use ul he e o connec ing g oups.
Appendix A p o ides i e ‘P inciples o Pa ne ship’, con aining p ac ical ad ice ha guides ENGOs in
how o na iga e une en powe dynamics, cul i a e mo e ecip ocal ela ionships, and ensu e holis ic
inancial ag eemen s wi h place-based p ojec s. Appendix B o e s insigh s and guidance o local
au ho i y T ee O ice s o suppo hei communi y engagemen wi h esiden s. Appendix C p esen s
i e p inciples o bes p ac ice o place-based ini ia i es, which also includes ips on how o de elop
ui ul, ecip ocal collabo a ion wi h communi ies and o he o ganisa ions.
41
Pho og aphy: Dan Whi e
7. Appendices: Resou ces and guidance
o p ac i ione s
Each o hese appendices ha e been designed as s andalone documen s ha can be aken and used
by ele an s akeholde s. They a e in ended o suppo he in ol emen o communi ies in he ca e
and managemen o u ban ees and e ec i e wo king ela ionships ac oss o ganisa ions o di e en
sizes and sec o s. Documen s A o D can all be downloaded om he RENEW websi e.
48
Table 4: Lis o suppo ing documen s, pu pose and key audiences
Appendix/Documen Pu pose Key Audience
AP inciples o
Pa ne ship: ad ice o
ENGOs wo king wi h
place-based g oups
To guide ENGOs in:
• na iga ing une en powe dynamics
• cul i a ing ecip ocal, us ing
ela ionships
• ensu ing holis ic unding and
inancial ag eemen s
when wo king wi h s a , olun ee s
and membe s o place-based g oups.
S a a la ge ENGOs and landscape-
scale p ojec s who wo k ace- o-
ace wi h place-based g oups and/
o in adminis a i e oles ha
suppo p ojec deli e y (p ojec
managemen , ma ke ing, und aising,
communica ions). These p inciples
may be pa icula ly ele an when
he e is a inancial aspec o he
pa ne ship.
BKey p inciples o p ac ice
o Local Au ho i ies:
The Fi e Be’s
To guide Local Au ho i y T ee
O ice s in:
• communica ing posi i ely
• cul i a ing us ing ela ionships
• educing con lic
wi h communi y membe s and
olun ee s who ca e o u ban ees.
T ee O ice s and o he s a a Local
Au ho i ies who wo k ace- o- ace
wi h place-based g oups and/o in
adminis a i e oles ha ela e o
council-managed u ban ees (e.g.,
own planning and pa ks and g een
spaces eams).
CKey p inciples o p ac ice
o place-based u ban
ee ini ia i es
To summa ise succinc ly he co e
p inciples which uni e place-based
u ban ee ini ia i es wo king
wi h communi ies and olun ee s,
p o iding a simple amewo k and
consis ency o app oach ha can be
applied in di e en ways depending
on con ex .
Indi iduals and g oups o local
esiden s who wan o ge in ol ed in
leading exis ing o new place-based
u ban ee ini ia i es.
DRoo s and B anches Tool A ool and session plan o
o ganisa ions o di e en sizes and
sec o s o use in planning u ban
ee wo k – bo h in e nally and in
coali ions.
S a a place-based u ban ee
ini ia i es and o he o ganisa ions
wo king on u ban ees; coali ions
o o ganisa ions who a e se ing up
pa ne ship wo k on u ban ees.
EP oposed Te ms o
Re e ence o he U ban
T ee Ne wo k
A d a documen o he o ganise s
o he U ban Fo es Ne wo k o use o
suppo i s es ablishmen .
O ganise s and membe s o he new
U ban Fo es Ne wo k.

Appendix A
P inciples o Pa ne ship: ad ice o ENGOs wo king wi h place-based g oups
These p inciples will help la ge ENGOs o mi iga e he po en ial o powe and esou ce inequali ies
when wo king wi h smalle o ganisa ions, including place-based ini ia i es. Inequali ies can show
up in a a ie y o ways, including inances, b and ecogni ion and in luence, in e nal o ganisa ional
capaci y, and esou cing o ad ocacy and pa ne ship wo k. The ollowing i e p inciples p o ide
p ac ical sugges ions o na iga ing hese complexi ies. They a e also summa ised in he in og aphic,
P inciples o Pa ne ship (see Figu e 6), which may be used as a pos e wi hin ENGO wo kspaces o as a
digi al quick- e e ence guide.
i. Enable equi able inancial ag eemen s in pa ne ships be ween o ganisa ions o
di e en sizes.
This could look like:
• Ensu ing ha pa ne ships be ween la ge ENGOs and smalle place-based ini ia i es a e adequa ely
inanced, and/o ac i ely include a und aising elemen
• Using pa icipa o y budge ing so ha all pa ne s a e in ol ed in decisions abou cos s, dis ibu ion
and p io i isa ion wi hin unding applica ions
• Fund aising on behal o smalle o ganisa ions o add capaci y and alle ia e p essu e on hei
on line eams
• Being open and willing o ca y he ‘ isk’ wi hin coali ion unding applica ions
• Inco po a ing lexibili y in o unding ag eemen s so ha place-based ini ia i es ha e money o use
adap i ely and in ui i ely in a non- es ic ed manne
• Adequa ely compensa ing place-based o ganisa ions’ ime and expe ise, including o en o e looked
o unde unded ac i i ies such as:
o ime spen epo ing and ul illing unding equi emen s
o ace- o- ace wo k wi h communi ies and olun ee s, including ac i i ies ela ing o
pa icipa o y decision making, communi y e en s, ou o hou s wo k, and di e en o ms o
ela ionship building
o p o essional, o ganisa ional and s a egic de elopmen
ii. Recognise and complemen exis ing place-based wo k, gi ing c edi whe e
c edi is due.
This could look like:
• Taking ime o iden i y and unde s and exis ing ini ia i es in a geog aphic loca ion, hei ela ionships
wi h each o he and gaps in capaci y whe e alue migh be added
• Building on he s eng hs o exis ing local wo k by ampli ying and complemen ing es ablished
e o s, wo ks eams and s a egies
• Lea ning om bo h cu en and his o ical place-based p ac ices
• Cul i a ing ecip ocal ela ionships wi h local ini ia i es ( a he han ex ac i e ones)
• Making mind ul decisions abou when, whe e and how o use you b and so ha i doesn’
o e shadow o diminish ecogni ion o less well-known g oups
• Being ully anspa en abou he di e en kinds o con ibu ions made wi hin pa ne ship p ojec s,
and he alue o less isible wo k (e.g., he slow wo k o building us ing ela ionships wi h local
communi ies)
• Designing esea ch ou pu s in collabo a ion wi h place-based p ac i ione s, esponding o and
p io i ising hei needs, and c edi ing hei in ol emen in he p oduc ion o knowledge and
bes p ac ice. 49
iii. Be gene ous wi h you in e nal capaci y by suppo ing he adminis a i e and
logis ical aspec s o pa ne ships.
This could look like:
· F eeing up ime o place-based ini ia i es’ s a egic wo k by aking on logis ical and
adminis a i e asks
· Respec ing he leade ship, au onomy and knowledge o place-based o ganisa ions by s aying ou o
decisions abou on- he-g ound p ac ice and deli e y (unless you a e explici ly in i ed o pa icipa e)
· De e ing o he expe ience and knowledge o local pa ne ships and alliances o bes p ac ice in
speci ic geog aphical con ex s
· Connec ing p ojec s o he sha ing o lea ning, bes p ac ice, no el app oaches, ma e ials, pu pose
and inspi a ion
· P o iding adminis a i e suppo o local pa ne ships and alliances
· Inc easing access o and up ake o exis ing esou ces and oolki s by o e ing aining and bespoke
implemen a ion suppo
· C ea ing new esou ces unde C ea i e Commons licenses so hey a e ee o use by any o ganisa ion
i . Coo dina e wi h o he ENGOs o mi iga e unequal powe dynamics in
pa ne ships.
This could look like:
· Sha ing he ways you mi iga e powe and esou ce inequali y when wo king wi h smalle
o ganisa ions and encou aging o he la ge o ganisa ions o ake simila ac ions
· Suppo ing collabo a ions be ween conse a ion and place-based communi y wo k p o essionals
· Resou cing he in ol emen o place-based communi y wo k p o essionals and/o people wi h local
knowledge and ela ionships wi hin ENGO coali ions
· A oiding compe i ion wi h o he ENGOs h ough coo dina ed wo king p ac ices, media campaigns
and public messaging
· Recognising when o he o ganisa ions a e be e placed o p o ide coo dina ion suppo o
ne wo ks and pa ne ships and suppo ing hem o do so e ec i ely
. Commi o ongoing lea ning abou communi y ela ionships and how o ac i ely
mi iga e powe dynamics be ween o ganisa ions o di e en sizes.
This could look like:
• Unde s anding ha place-based o ganisa ions need suppo on hei own e ms and in hei own
unique ci cums ances – he e is no one-size- i s-all model o suppo
• P o iding egula in-house aining and p o essional de elopmen oppo uni ies on communi y-
based p ac ices and powe dynamics so ha ENGO s a unde s and how o e ec i ely and
sensi i ely wo k alongside place-based p ojec s
• Re lec ing on you expe iences o wo king wi h smalle o ganisa ions and lea ning om bo h
successes and mis akes
• In ol ing local expe s and pa ne s in you go e nance and decision making
• Lea ning how o le e age you b and o empowe smalle pa ne s and enable good ou comes
o e e yone
50
PRINCIPLES FOR
PARTNERSHIP
How ENGOs can mi iga e inequali y
o powe and esou ces when wo king
wi h place-based o ganisa ions
Enable mo e
equi able inancial
ag eemen s in
pa ne ships be ween
o ganisa ions o
di e en sizes
• Ensu e pa ne ships a e inanced o ac i ely include a und aising elemen
• In ol e all pa ne s in decisions abou cos s, dis ibu ions and p io i isa ion
wi hin unding applica ions
• Fund aise on behal o place-based pa ne s o alle ia e p essu e on hei
on line eams
• Be open and willing o ca ying he ‘ isk’ wi hin coali ion unding
applica ions
• Inco po a e lexibili y in unding ag eemen s o place-based ini ia i es o
use money in ui i ely and adap i ely
• Adequa ely inancially compensa e place-based o ganisa ions’ ime and
expe ise, including o ac i i ies such as:
• ime spen epo ing and ul illing unding equi emen s
• ace- o- ace wo k wi h communi ies and olun ee s, including
ac i i ies ela ing o pa icipa o y decision-making, communi y
e en s and di e en o ms o ela ionship building
• o ganisa ional de elopmen and s a egy
• Take ime o unde s and wha is al eady happening in a geog aphic
loca ion
• Ampli y, complemen , and build on he s eng hs o es ablished local
e o s, wo ks eams and s a egies
• Lea n om his o ical and cu en place-based p ac ices
• Cul i a e ecip ocal ela ionships a he han ex ac i e ones
• Make mind ul decisions abou when, whe e and how o use you b and
so ha i doesn’ o e shadow o diminish ecogni ion o less well-known
g oups
• Be anspa en abou di e en kinds o con ibu ions made wi hin
pa ne ship p ojec s and he alue o less isible wo k
• Design esea ch ou pu s in collabo a ion wi h place-based p ac i ione s,
esponding o and p io i ising hei needs and c edi ing hei in ol emen
in he p oduc ion o knowledge and bes p ac ice
Recognise and
complemen exis ing
place-based wo k,
gi ing c edi whe e
c edi is due
1/2
• Place-based o ganisa ions need suppo on hei own e ms and in hei
own unique ci cums ances - he e is no one-size- i s-all model o suppo
• P o ide egula in-house aining and p o essional de elopmen
oppo uni ies on communi y-based p ac ices and awa eness o powe
dynamics so you s a unde s and how o wo k be e alongside place-
based p ojec s
• Re lec on you expe iences o wo king wi h smalle o ganisa ions and
lea n om bo h successes and mis akes
• In ol e local expe s and pa ne s in you go e nance and decision making
• Lea n how o le e age you b and in ways ha enable good ou comes
o e e yone
Be gene ous wi h
you in e nal capaci y
by suppo ing he
adminis a i e
aspec s o
pa ne ships
• F ee up ime o place-based ini ia i es’ s a egic wo k by aking on
adminis a i e asks
• Respec he leade ship, au onomy and knowledge o place-based
o ganisa ions by s aying ou o decisions abou on- he-g ound deli e y
(unless you a e explici ly in i ed o pa icipa e)
• De e o local pa ne ships and alliances o bes p ac ices in speci ic
geog aphical a eas and local communi ies
• Connec p ojec s wi h each o he o he sha ing o bes p ac ice, ma e ials,
pu pose and inspi a ion
• P o ide adminis a i e suppo o local alliances and conso iums
• Inc ease access o and up ake o exis ing esou ces and oolki s by o e ing
aining and bespoke implemen a ion suppo
• C ea e new esou ces unde C ea i e Commons licences so hey a e ee
o use
• Sha e how you mi iga e powe and esou ce inequali y when wo king
wi h smalle o ganisa ions o encou age o he la ge o ganisa ions o ake
simila ac ions
• Suppo collabo a ions be ween conse a ion and communi y wo k
p o essionals
• Resou ce he in ol emen o place-based communi y wo k
p o essionals and/o people wi h local knowledge and ela ionships wi hin
ENGO coali ions
• A oid compe i ion wi h o he ENGOs h ough coo dina ed wo king
p ac ices, media campaigns and public messaging
• Recognise when ano he o ganisa ion migh be be e placed o p o ide
coo dina ion suppo o ne wo ks and pa ne ships, and suppo hem o
do so e ec i ely
Coo dina e wi hin
o he ENGOs o
mi iga e unequal
powe dynamics in
pa ne ships
Commi o ongoing
lea ning abou
communi y
ela ionships and
how o ac i ely
mi iga e powe
dynamics be ween
o ganisa ions o
di e en sizes
2/2
Scan he QR code o ind ou mo e abou
he esea ch p ojec which in o med his
documen and o iew o he use ul ools
© 2025. This wo k is openly licensed ia CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
Figu e 6: An in og aphic o ENGO p ac i ione s. This can be sha ed wi hin he U ban Fo es Ne wo k and o he o ganisa ions.
Appendix B
Key p inciples o p ac ice o Local Au ho i ies
These p inciples a e p ac ical sugges ions ha may help T ee O ice s and o he s a a local
au ho i ies in hei communi y engagemen and ou each wo k. They a e also summa ised in he
in og aphic, The Fi e Be’s o U ban T ees: Ad ice o Local Au ho i y T ee O ice s (see Figu e 7), which
may be used as a pos e wi hin council o ices o as a digi al quick- e e ence guide.
i. Be isible by ge ing ou and abou
• Make he i s mo e o engage wi h communi ies – o en membe s o he public wan o hea
di ec ly om he people who a e managing ees, bu hey don’ know who hese people a e o
how o each hem.
• Spend in o mal ime in neighbou hoods and pa ks o ge o know he local a ea and inc ease
unde s anding be ween ee o ice s and communi y membe s.
• A end communi y e en s, be p esen in communi ies (e.g., doing o mal s ee and pa k ou each).
• Wea some hing iden i iable.
• Display use ul and accessible in o ma ion in communi y spaces.
ii. Be app oachable by wo king in collabo a ion wi h place-based g oups
• Connec and build ela ionships wi h exis ing place-based p ojec s who ha e p e-es ablished
ela ionships wi h di e en socio-economic and cul u al g oups.
• Seek o unde s and he aims and p io i ies o place-based g oups and ind common g ound o
wo king oge he .
• O ganise educa ional ee walks abou he ecology, cul u al his o y, and olklo e o local ees and
in i e a endees o con ibu e hei own s o ies and knowledge.
• C ea e bespoke communi y e en s abou u ban ees which will be o in e es o speci ic people and
g oups (e.g., communi y heal h p o essionals).
• Communica e wi h passion and en husiasm – his is in ec ious and helps o cul i a e cu iosi y.
iii. Be app ecia i e o unpaid ee ca e and he di e se ela ionships people ha e
wi h ees
• Assume he bes in en ions om communi ies: people ca e abou he ees in hei neighbou hoods
and wan o know mo e abou hem o maximise hei bene i s and see hem lou ish.
• When engaging wi h olun ee s and non-p o essional ee ca e s, show in e es and g a i ude o
hei ime and ca e.
• Seek o acknowledge, unde s and and alue he di e se emo ional and cul u al connec ions people
ha e wi h ees in hei neighbou hoods o ees ha hey ca e o .
• Be open o lea ning om local communi ies: ask ques ions abou how and why people ca e o ees
be o e sha ing you p o essional knowledge and echniques.
52
i . Be p oac i e a he han eac i e in na iga ing ension
• When he e is po en ial o ension o con lic a ound ees, ac ea ly o open good lines o
communica ion, welcome eedback and ake p e en a i e ac ion.
• I con lic a ises, seek o unde s and why his has occu ed (e.g., unme social o economic needs), so
you can sensi i ely a end o he oo cause(s).
• Explo e a a ie y o solu ions and ac ions ha would mee he communi y needs wi hou
jeopa dising he heal h o ees.
• When aking s eps o ec i y a si ua ion, explain he easoning wi hou cas ing judgemen .
• A hi d pa y ac ing as a media o can be help ul o enabling dialogue be ween hose in ol ed in a
con lic and communica ing sensi i ely o he public.
. Be anspa en when he e a e di icul decisions o make
• Go slow: allow plen y o ime o consul wi h communi ies who will be a ec ed by any
po en ial change.
• C ea e and acili a e di e en kinds o spaces o dialogue o ensu e access and inclusion o di e se
g oups, enabling all ele an pe spec i es o be conside ed in a decision-making p ocess. I a
si ua ion is pa icula ly ense, ex e nal acili a ion may be app op ia e.
• Be open o s akeholde pe spec i es, emo ional esponses and eedback in luencing you cou se o
ac ion. Think c ea i ely and collabo a i ely o ind ways o wa d.
• Explain he p o essional side o ee managemen using accessible, non- echnical language.
• Ensu e he e a e accessible communica ion and eedback mechanisms – use di e en pla o ms o
achie e as wide a each as possible.
53

PRINCIPLES OF BEST PRACTICE
FOR URBAN TREE INITIATIVES
Build us , ela ionships
and communi y
• Spend ime in communi y spaces and eaching ou
o indi idual households.
• Hos e en s wi h ee ood and ac i i ies o child en.
• Use one-o e en s o sha e in o ma ion abou how
people can ge in ol ed wi h egula olun ee ing.
• Cul i a e a sense o communi y and iendship -
hese a e key easons people s ay in ol ed in u ban
ee p ojec s.
In ol e communi y membe s
in decision-making p ocesses
• Fos e a sense o collec i e owne ship and
esponsibili y o local ees by including communi y
membe s in decision-making p ocesses.
• Use communi y o ganising p inciples o ensu e
communi y membe s ha e a oice and ac i e ole in
shaping u ban ee ini ia i es.
• Codesign plan ing ini ia i es ha c ea e new o
enhance exis ing communi y spaces.
Fos e collabo a i e ne wo ks
• Encou age collabo a ions be ween conse a ion and
communi y wo k p ojec s.
• Connec wi h o he local and egional p ojec s
o sha e bes p ac ice, esou ces, inspi a ion and
encou agemen .
• Wo k oge he on a sha ed ision o you own o ci y
and suppo each o he o play you pa in b inging i
o li e.
C ea e ailo ed expe iences
and lea ning oppo uni ies
• O e di e se oppo uni ies, oles and asks ha appeal
o di e en people.
• Inco po a e celeb a ions, i uals and seasonal e en s
o suppo he sense o connec ion be ween people
and he ees a ound hem.
• Use a s and cul u al ac i i ies o in eg a e p ojec s
in o he communi y’s cul u al ab ic and iden i y.
• Suppo ac i e olun ee s o ake on leade ship oles
wi hin he p ojec (e.g. T ee Keepe s, S ee o A ea
Reps). Encou age hem o ac as champions o he
p ojec , helping hem o mobilise and inspi e o he s.
• P o ide aining and oca ional cou ses, hen cascade
skills h ough pee lea ning.
• Conduc communi y mapping o iden i y local asse s,
in e es s, his o ies and needs.
• Connec and engage wi h exis ing a ini y g oups,
clubs and communi y spaces.
• Conside how o add ess ee inequi y by choosing
loca ions ha a e accessible o he public in a eas o
highe dep i a ion and lowe g een in as uc u e.
• Secu e long- e m enu e on he land o ensu e
sus ainabili y, longe i y and educe he isk o
de elopmen which impedes access o g een space.
Ge o know he neighbou hood
and build on exis ing communi y asse s
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Figu e 8: An in og aphic o place-based and communi y p ac i ione s a u ban ee p ojec s. This can be sha ed
wi hin he U ban Fo es Ne wo k and o he o ganisa ions.
57
Appendix C
P inciples o bes p ac ice o place-based u ban ee ini ia i es
The ollowing i e key p inciples a e oo ed in he communi y o ganising amewo k. By wo king
in line wi h hese p inciples, place-based p ac i ione s can nu u e ib an , esilien and p oac i e
communi ies who a e connec ed o and gua dians o u ban ees and wide ecologies. They a e also
summa ised in he in og aphic, P inciples o Bes P ac ice o U ban T ee Ini ia i es (see Figu e 8), which
may be used as a pos e wi hin wo kspaces o as a digi al quick- e e ence guide.
i. Build us , ela ionships and communi y
• Spend ime in communi y spaces and each ou o indi idual households o build long- e m,
us ing ela ionships.
• Hos a a ie y o e en s ha a e ailo ed o he needs o di e en g oups (e.g., p o iding ee ood
and including un ac i i ies o child en).
• One-o communi y e en s a e a g ea oppo uni y o sha e in o ma ion abou you wo k and
di e en ways communi y membe s can become egula olun ee s.
• Alongside ee ca e ac i i ies, cul i a e a sense o communi y and iendship, as hese a e key easons
people s ay in ol ed in u ban ee p ojec s.
• Be open o lea ning om local communi ies: ask ques ions abou how and why people ca e o ees
be o e sha ing you p o essional knowledge and echniques.
ii. Ge o know he neighbou hood and build on exis ing communi y asse s
• Conduc communi y mapping o iden i y local asse s, in e es s, his o ies and needs
• Connec and engage wi h a a ie y o exis ing g oups such as ‘ iends o ’, e hnic o cul u al
g oups, places o wo ship, social clubs, conse a ion g oups, ac i is ne wo ks, lib a ies and
communi y cen es.
• Conside how o add ess ee inequi y by choosing loca ions ha a e accessible o as b oad a ange
o he public as possible and p oac i ely a ge a eas o highe dep i a ion and lowe le els o g een
in as uc u e.
• Secu e long- e m enu e on he land o ensu e sus ainabili y, longe i y and educe he isk o
de elopmen impeding access o g een space (o emo ing i al oge he ).
iii. In ol e communi y membe s in decision-making p ocesses
• Fos e a sense o collec i e owne ship and esponsibili y o ees in a gi en a ea by including he
people who li e, wo k, and play he e in decision-making p ocesses.
• Use communi y o ganising p inciples o ensu e ha communi y membe s ha e a oice and an ac i e
ole in shaping u ban ee ini ia i es.
• Co-design plan ing ini ia i es ha c ea e new, o enhance exis ing, communi y spaces.
5555
i . C ea e ailo ed expe iences and oppo uni ies o lea ning and leade ship
• O e di e se oppo uni ies, oles, ac i i ies and asks ha appeal o di e en people.
• Inco po a e celeb a ions, i uals, and seasonal e en s o suppo he sense o connec ion be ween
people and he ees a ound hem. Use a s and cul u al ac i i ies o in eg a e p ojec s in o he
communi y’s cul u al ab ic and iden i y.
• Suppo ac i e olun ee s o ake on leade ship oles wi hin he p ojec (e.g., communi y ancho s,
leade s, and ad oca es like T ee Keepe s, O cha d Leade s, and S ee o A ea Rep esen a i es).
Encou age and esou ce hese indi iduals o ac as champions o he p ojec , helping hem o
mobilise and inspi e o he s.
• P o ide aining and oca ional cou ses, hen cascade skills h ough pee lea ning.
. Fos e collabo a i e ne wo ks
• Encou age collabo a ions be ween conse a ion o ganisa ions and communi y-based p ojec s.
• Connec wi h o he local and egional ini ia i es and sha e bes p ac ice, esou ces, inspi a ion
and encou agemen .
• Wo k oge he o c ea e a sha ed ision o you own o ci y and suppo each o he ’s oles in
b inging he ision o li e.
56
THE FIVE BE’S FOR URBAN TREES
Ad ice o Local Au ho i y T ee O ice s
BE VISIBLE
• Make he i s mo e o engage wi h communi ies -
o en membe s o he public wan o hea di ec ly om
people who manage ees, bu hey don’ know who
he people a e o how o each hem.
• Spend in o mal ime in neighbou hoods and pa ks o
ge o know he local a eas and inc ease unde s anding
be ween ees o ice s and communi y membe s.
• A end communi y e en s, be p esen in communi ies
(e.g. doing o mal s ee and pa k ou each).
• Wea some hing iden i iable.
• Display use ul and accessible in o ma ion in
communi y spaces.
BE APPRECIATIVE
• Assume he bes in en ions om communi ies: people
ca e abou he ees in hei neighbou hoods and wan
o know mo e abou hem o maximise hei bene i s
and see hem lou ish.
• When engaging wi h olun ee s and non-p o essional
ee ca e s, show in e es and g a i ude o hei ime
and ca e.
• Seek o acknowledge, unde s and and alue he
di e se emo ional and cul u al connec ions people
ha e wi h ees in hei neighbou hoods o ees ha
hey ca e o .
• Be open o lea ning om local communi ies: ask
ques ions abou how and why people ca e o ees
be o e sha ing p o essional knowledge and echniques.
BE PROACTIVE
• When he e is po en ial o ension o con lic a ound
ees, ac ea ly o open good lines o communica ion,
welcome eedback and ake p e en a i e ac ion.
• I con lic a ises, seek o unde s and why his has
occu ed (e.g. unme social o economic needs), so you
can sensi i ely a end o he oo causes(s).
• Explo e a a ie y o solu ions and ac ions ha would
mee he communi y needs wi hou jeopa dising he
heal h o ees.
• When aking s eps o ec i y a si ua ion explain he
easoning wi hou cas ing judgemen .
• A hi d pa y ac ing as a media o can be help ul o
enabling dialogue be ween hose in ol ed in a con lic
and communica ing sensi i ely o he public.
BE TRANSPARENT
• Go slow: allow plen y o ime o consul wi h
communi ies who will be a ec ed by any
po en ial change.
• C ea e and acili a e di e en kinds o spaces o
dialogue o ensu e access and inclusion o di e se
g oups, enabling all ele an pe spec i es o be
conside ed in a decision-making p ocess. I a
si ua ion is pa icula ly ense, ex e nal acili a ion
may be app op ia e.
• Be open o s akeholde pe spec i es, emo ional
esponses and eedback in luencing you cou se o
ac ion. Think c ea i ely and collabo a i ely o ind
ways o wa d.
• Explain he p o essional side o ee managemen
using accessible, non- echnical language.
• Ensu e he e a e accessible communica ion and
eedback mechanisms - use di e en pla o ms
o achie e as wide a each as possible.
• Connec and build ela ionships wi h exis ing place-
based p ojec s who ha e p e-es ablished ela ionships
wi h di e en socio-economic and cul u al g oups.
• Seek o unde s and he aims and p io i ies o
place-based g oups and ind common g ound o
wo king oge he .
• O ganise educa ional ee walks abou he ecology,
cul u al his o y and olklo e o local ees and in i e
a endees o con ibu e hei own s o ies and
knowledge.
• C ea e bespoke communi y e en s abou u ban ees
which will be o in e es o speci ic people and g oups
(e.g. communi y heal h p o essionals).
• Communica e wi h passion and en husiasm - his is
in ec ious and helps o cul i a e cu iosi y.
BE APPROACHABLE
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Figu e 7: An in og aphic o T ee O ice s and o he s a wi hin local au ho i ies. This can be sha ed wi hin he U ban
Fo es Ne wo k and o he o ganisa ions.
54
3. Diag am o he U ban Fo es Ne wo k
THE URBAN FOREST NETWORK
...connec ing and nu u ing he U ban Fo es
Key
Cen al
Ne wo k
Vi ual
O ganising
Nodes
Regional
mee -ups
Vi ual
Ne wo k Hub
Ne wo k
Hos
Place-based
G oups
S a u o y
G oups
Ne wo ked
G oups
La ge
ENGOs
64

65
4. The pu pose and unc ions o he UFN
The p ima y pu pose o he UFN is o suppo he de elopmen o collabo a i e and symbio ic
ela ionships be ween u ban o es ini ia i es and o he ela ed s akeholde s. Ac ions i will ake o
achie e hese goals a e ou lined below.
4.1. C ea ing i ual and in-pe son spaces o connec ion, inspi a ion and inno a ion
a. Hos an online o um ha enables membe s o o e pee suppo h ough sec o al sub-g oups/
nodes and connec ac oss sec o s egionally.
b. Colla e and main ain a eposi o y o in o ma ion abou place-based p ojec s and who’s doing wha
c. O e in-pe son e en s ( hese could be egional o na ional) ha o e p ac ical aining, inspi ing
case s udies, p o oca ions o suppo inno a ion and ela ionship-building ac i i ies ha encou age
pa ne ship de elopmen .
4.2. Colla ing bes p ac ice, oolki s and o he esou ces
a. Enable coo dina ion wi h and access o o he specialis ne wo ks who o e aining, suppo and
guidance including T ees and Design Ac ion G oup (TDAG), Ancien T ee Fo um, A bo icul u al
Associa ion, Communi y T ee Nu se y Collabo a i e and o he s.
b. P oduce new and/o sha e common guidance on u ban o es managemen app oaches, wo king
wi h communi ies, and o he key issues whe e ele an .
c. Colla e a ‘mos use ul’ esou ce eposi o y ha place-based p ojec s can use o suppo hei
p ac ice. These migh be speci ic o u ban ee/ o es managemen o abou o he aspec s (e.g.,
guidance o wo king wi h ce ain g oups, in o ma ion abou o ganisa ional policies o oolki s
which suppo collabo a ion be ween di e en ac o s).
d. Iden i y esea ch, aining and skills needs and conside how hese can be me h ough he ne wo k.
e. Coo dina e pee suppo ha enables g ea e u ilisa ion o exis ing (colla ed) bes -p ac ice
guidelines and oolki s.
4.3. Enabling he coo dina ion o policy and ad ocacy e o s
a. Sha e plans and expe ience o ad oca ing o u ban ees and o es s be ween membe
o ganisa ions and wi hin egional a eas.
b. Iden i y and sha e in luencing oppo uni ies o posi i e change.
c. C ea e sha ed esponses o e ol ing policy p oposals and consul a ions.
d. B oke access o decision-making p ocesses (in policy and wi hin la ge ENGOs), enabling place-
based ini ia i es and alliances o ha e mo e in luence.
4.4. Widening access o unding oppo uni ies
a. Sha e in o ma ion abou unding oppo uni ies egionally and na ionally.
b. Build/b oke us ing ela ionships wi h egional philan h opic ac o s and capi al.
c. Tu n po en ial con lic s o e limi ed unding po s in o posi i e oppo uni ies o collabo a ion
by p o iding p o o mas and empla es o e ec i e pa ne ship wo k be ween o ganisa ions o
di e en sizes and sec o s.
66
5. Ne wo k coo dina ion
The U ban Fo es Ne wo k is coo dina ed by a se o la ge ENGOs wo king on u ban o es y. The e a e
wo p ima y oles – he Ne wo k Con eno s and he Ne wo k Hos – which wo k oge he o acili a e
he UFN using he guiding p inciples o p ac ice.
5.1. Ne wo k Con eno s
The p oposed Ne wo k Con eno s a e T ees o Ci ies, Communi y Fo es T us , Na ional T us and
Woodland T us . They ha e been iden i ied due o hei speci ic expe ise in con ening collabo a ions
o u ban ees o hei o ganisa ional in luence and capaci y.
T ees o Ci ies has specialised in inc easing he numbe o u ban ees and enhancing hei bene i s
o communi ies since i s incep ion in 1993. S a ing li e as a small g oup o iends wan ing o suppo
London’s eescape, he o ganisa ion has g own and now wo ks in 42 ci ies a ound he UK. Alongside
hei expe ise in u ban o es y and ee managemen , T ees o Ci ies ha e c edibili y and a s ong
epu a ion o wo king wi h smalle communi y-based g oups. They also coo dina e he T ee Ci ies o
he Wo ld p og amme. T ees o Ci ies has helped o d i e he u ban o es agenda o e he las h ee
decades and will b ing a weal h o expe ise in policy and p ac ice o he UFN.
Communi y Fo es T us (CFT)’s mission is o suppo and enable communi y o es y as a d i e
o en i onmen al, social, and economic bene i s. The o ganisa ion is deeply collabo a i e – sha ing
knowledge, ad oca ing o bes p ac ice, and wo king in pa ne ship wi h di e se s akeholde s.
CFT enables and champions he wo k o England’s Communi y Fo es s, which seeks o complemen
and ampli y exis ing local e o s by wo king closely wi h place-based ini ia i es in and a ound
he 15 Communi y Fo es ca chmen a eas. Wi h expe ise in con ening la ge-scale ini ia i es and
a commi men o inno a ion, CFT is ideally posi ioned o uni e smalle u ban o es y g oups. By
p o iding s a egic leade ship, esou ces, and a pla o m o collabo a ion, i can ampli y local e o s
and c ea e a s onge , mo e connec ed u ban o es mo emen .
The Na ional T us is he UK’s la ges na u e and he i age conse a ion o ganisa ion and looks a e
some o he na ion’s mos lo ed na u al landscapes. A lesse known bu co e aspec o hei wo k in
ecen yea s has been es ablishing eams ha ocus on g eening u ban a eas and ending unequal
access o na u e. They led he U ban Fo es Accele a o p og amme, which wo ked wi h place-
based o ganisa ions in se e al UK ci ies o inc ease ee co e and ee equi y. The Na ional T us
is a ounding pa ne o Na u e Neighbou hoods and Na u e Towns and Ci ies , p og ammes ha
build capaci y and connec p ac i ione s o enhance u ban g een in as uc u e whe e i ’s needed
mos . They a e highly expe ienced in pa ne ship wo king, including many collabo a ions wi h
England’s Communi y Fo es s as pa o hei ex ensi e ee plan ing s a egy. The Na ional T us o e s
ins i u ional ecogni ion, in luence and capaci y o he eam o UFN Con eno s.
The Woodland T us has championed he p o ec ion and es o a ion o UK woodlands o o e 50
yea s. They manage some o he na ion’s ew emaining ancien woodlands and in ecen yea s ha e
been wo king mo e closely wi h local au ho i ies o suppo u ban o es s as well. An impo an aspec
o his has been hei wo k c ea e he UK T ee Equi y Sco e (alongside pa ne s Ame ican Fo es s and
he Cen e o Sus ainable Heal hca e). Each yea , hey un he ‘T ee o he Yea ’ compe i ion, a high-
p o ile public engagemen ini ia i e whe e communi ies and indi iduals can nomina e hei a ou i e
ees o be na ionally ecognised. The espec ed na ional epu a ion o he Woodland T us b ings
poli ical in luence o he UFN, which is c ucial o e ec i e policy ad ocacy.
67
5.2. Ne wo k Hos
The UFN could be digi ally hos ed by he Na u e Towns and Ci ies ne wo k, which is in he p ocess o
being es ablished. Na u e Towns and Ci ies is a pa ne ship ini ia i e led by he Na ional T us , Na u al
England and he Na ional Lo e y He i age Fund. I s c ea ion has been guided by lea ning om he
Fu u e Pa ks Accele a o and Na u e Neighbou hood p ojec s. Na u e Towns and Ci ies could p o ide
he ne wo k in as uc u e, each, and ins i u ional weigh wi h o ganisa ional capaci y p o ided o
he UFN by he con eno s lis ed abo e. Fu he mo e, Na u e Towns and Ci ies b ings expe ise in
na iga ing he inhe en powe dynamics o asymme ical pa ne ships be ween o ganisa ions o
di e en sizes and s uc u es.
5.3 Guiding p inciples o p ac ice
C ucially, he con eno s and hos a e no he ‘leade s’ o he ne wo k. Ins ead, hey will coo dina e
he es ablishmen o he U ban Fo es Ne wo k and wo k in line wi h he i e key p inciples o
bes p ac ice o cul i a ing ecip ocal ela ionships be ween la ge ENGOs and smalle place-
based o ganisa ions. These p inciples help la ge ENGOs o mi iga e he po en ial o powe and
esou ce inequali ies when wo king wi h smalle o ganisa ions, including place-based ini ia i es.
Inequali ies can show up in a a ie y o ways, including inances, b and ecogni ion and in luence,
in e nal o ganisa ional capaci y and esou cing o ad ocacy and pa ne ship wo k. The P inciples o
Pa ne ship in og aphic (a ailable o download he e) p o ides p ac ical sugges ions o pu ing he
p inciples in o p ac ice.
i. Enable equi able inancial ag eemen s in pa ne ships be ween o ganisa ions o di e en
sizes.
ii. Recognise and complemen exis ing place-based wo k, gi ing c edi whe e c edi is due.
iii. Be gene ous wi h you in e nal capaci y by suppo ing he adminis a i e and logis ical
aspec s o pa ne ships
i . Coo dina e wi h o he ENGOs o mi iga e unequal powe dynamics in pa ne ships.
. Commi o ongoing lea ning abou communi y ela ionships and how o ac i ely mi iga e
powe dynamics be ween o ganisa ions o di e en sizes.
6. O ganising nodes
Ini ially, he UFN will be o ganised in o ou nodes. Mo e nodes can be c ea ed when he need a ises.
These nodes allow o ganisa ions o simila ypes o collabo a e and sha e in o ma ion, bes p ac ice
and pee suppo (e.g., oubleshoo ing a ound common issues o con en ion o di icul y). Some
o ganisa ions may ind ha hey s addle mo e han one node (e.g., a ne wo ked o ganisa ion wi h
place-based ini ia i es). The ollowing nodes and c i e ia a e sugges ed as a s a ing poin .
6.1. Place-based olun a y sec o o ganisa ions
These o ganisa ions come in a la ge ange o sizes – om o ganisa ions wi h a u no e o less han
£10,000 o hose close o £500,000. The c i e ia o joining his node a e:
a. Wo king in a place-based se ing wi h a speci ic geog aphy/communi y ( his could be a
whole bo ough o a single neighbou hood)
b. Wo king di ec ly wi h communi ies o manage and ca e o u ban ees
c. Cha i able and/o no - o -p o i legal s uc u e (e.g., Cha i able T us , Cha i able
Inco po a ed O ganisa ion (CIO), Company limi ed by gua an ee, Cha i able company,
Communi y In e es Company (CIC), Communi y Bene i Socie y, Coope a i e Socie y,
uninco po a ed associa ion)
d. Wo king wi h olun ee s o communi y membe s who gi e hei ime eely o suppo he
aims o he o ganisa ion
6.2. S a u o y o ganisa ions
This node is p ima ily di ec ed a u ban ee specialis s and eams based wi hin go e nmen - unded
depa men s and agencies, including local au ho i ies (e.g., coun y council, bo ough council) and
na ional s a u o y bodies (e.g., Na u al England, Na u al Resou ces Wales). The c i e ia o joining his
node a e:
a. Wo king o a s a u o y o ganisa ion
b. Wo king wi h u ban ees in some capaci y (e.g., pa ks and ec ea ion, s ee ee
managemen , u ban g een spaces, na u al esou ce managemen )
c. some esponsibili ies a ound communi y in ol emen , engagemen and/o consul a ion in
decisions abou and p ac ices o u ban ee ca e
6.3. Ne wo ked o ganisa ions
Ne wo ked o ganisa ions may s addle mul iple nodes, as hey o en si wi hin o adjacen o he
olun a y o s a u o y sec o s. This node is p ima ily in ended o connec o ganisa ions who a e
inhe en ly ne wo ked (i.e., hey ope a e ac oss mul iple geog aphic loca ions and a e s uc u ed o
ensu e in e nal sha ing o bes p ac ice). The c i e ia o joining his node a e:
a. Wo king/ olun ee ing o o membe o a ne wo ked o ganisa ion ha coo dina es ac oss
mul iple geog aphies and/o i ual spaces
b. Ha ing expe ise in a pa icula model o app oach ha has been o could be scaled (e.g.,
communi y o cha ds, s ee ee gua dianship)
c. Suppo ing g ass oo s ope a ions ela ing o ees in u ban spaces in mul iple loca ions
ac oss he UK
6.4. Na ional ENGOs
This node is he place o la ge na ionally- acing ENGOs. These o ganisa ions ha e a a ie y o
s uc u es, sizes and a eas o ocus, bu a e uni ed by hei in e es in suppo ing he u ban o es o
lou ish. The c i e ia o joining his node a e:
a. Es ablished as a na ional non-go e nmen al o ganisa ion (as opposed o being singula ly
place-based) wi h an en i onmen al pu pose which ela es o u ban ees
b. Cha i able and/o no - o -p o i legal s uc u e (e.g., Cha i able T us , Cha i able Inco po a ed
O ganisa ion (CIO), Company limi ed by gua an ee, Cha i able company, Communi y In e es
Company (CIC), Communi y Bene i Socie y, Coope a i e Socie y).
c. Regis e ed wi h he Cha i y Commission.
d. Ac i ely wo king on o ad ising abou ees in u ban a eas in policy and/o p ac ice
e. Subs an ial ins i u ional ecogni ion, in luence, each and/o capaci y-sha ing capabili ies
ha o e subs ance o he UFN’s ag eed pu pose and unc ions
68
6.5 Examples o ini ia i es ha could join each O ganising Node
Place-based Volun a y Sec o O ganisa ions
• Fo es Ga dens
• U ban O cha ds
• Communi y ee nu se ies
• T ee ac i is s/de ende s/campaigne s
• Na u e-based a s p ac i ione s
• Educa ion and wellbeing p ac i ione s
• U ban communi y o es s
• Tiny Fo es s (indi idual si es)
• T ee gua dian schemes
• Na ional Pa k Ci ies (indi idual si es)
• Inc edible Edible (indi idual si es)
Ne wo ked O ganisa ions
• A bo icul u al Associa ion
• T ees and Design Ac ion G oup
• Ancien T ee Fo um
• Fellowship o he T ees / Communi y T ee
Nu se y Collabo a i e
• The O cha d P ojec
• Tiny Fo es s (Ea hWa ch)
• NHS Fo es
• Associa ion o T ee O ice s
• London T ee O ice Associa ion
• The T ee Council T ee Wa den Ne wo k
• Social Fa ms and Ga dens
• Ag o o es y Resea ch T us
S a u o y O ganisa ions
• London T ee O ice Associa ion
• Associa ion o T ee O ice s
• Local Au ho i ies
• Rele an liaison wi h na ional and de ol ed
s a u o y o ganisa ions
• Fo es y Commission
• Fo es y and Land Sco land
• Na u eSco
• Na u al Resou ces Wales
• Na u al England
• NI Fo es Se ice
• Na ional Pa ks Au ho i ies
• De ol ed go e nmen he i age
o ganisa ions (e.g., Cadw in Wales)
Na ional ENGOs
• Woodland T us
• England’s Communi y Fo es s
• The T ee Council
• The Wildli e T us s
• RSPB
• English He i age
• Na ional T us
• T ees o Ci ies
• T ees o S ee s
69

7. Wha does success look like?
Wi h he p oposed es ablishmen o he UFN in ea ly 2026, we hope o see he ollowing by he end
o 2028 [NB: hese success indica o s and he c ea ion o an impac measu emen p ocess will be
discussed and inalised by he Con eno s]:
a. Membe s o O ganising Nodes a e well connec ed o one ano he and able o sha e lea ning,
bes p ac ice and oppo uni ies hey migh o he wise miss.
b. All membe s o he UFN ha e a g ea e unde s anding o each o he ’s oles and con ibu ions
o cul i a ing he u ban o es , enabling a sense o oge he ness and uni y e en when he e
a e di e en app oaches o con ex s.
c. Membe s o he UFN a e wo king in ways which show symbiosis, including a educ ion in
duplica ion and con adic ion o esou ces, messaging, e c.
d. Con eno s a e wo king e ec i ely behind he scenes o ensu e he UFN is esou ced and
coo dina ed and a e able o d aw in ex a suppo om wi hin he Ne wo k (usually om he
ENGO node) whe e needed.
e. In-pe son ga he ings o indi idual o c oss-cu ing nodes a e happening qua e ly in
geog aphic a eas and annually o he whole o he UK.
. Vi ual spaces ha e been de eloped o colla e and/o signpos o bes p ac ice, guidelines,
oolki s and o he esou ces and o hos cha -based o ums o pee suppo .
g. In o ma ion is sha ed e ec i ely ac oss o ganisa ional and egional nodes so ha all u ban
o es ini ia i es ha e easy access o consis en , high-quali y guidance, esou ces and
assessmen ools o in o m good managemen o u ban ees and wo k wi h communi ies.
h. 50% o membe s a e ac i ely engaging in he i ual spaces a leas once a mon h.
i. The ex en and signi icance (locally and globally) o u ban o es eescapes a e be e
unde s ood by o ganisa ions ac oss he UK.
j. Local expe ise and expe ience om g ass oo s o ganisa ions a e e lec ed in highe -le el
policy-making spaces as a esul o ela ionships o ged h ough he UFN.
k. The UFN coo dina es wi h ENGOs o ensu e e ec i e ad ocacy o go e nmen s (wi h
app op ia e a ia ion be ween na ions) which deli e s communi y-based u ban o es
canopy expansion and imp o ed unding o place-based g oups.
l. UFN membe s a e be e able o access signi ican unding s eams h ough coope a ion,
coo dina ion and pa ne ship wo king.
70
8. Nex s eps o es ablishing he UFN
To kick-s a he UFN, he ollowing asks ha e been iden i ied as i s s eps.
8.1. Ag ee go e nance s uc u e and pa ame e s
a. Ag ee Te ms o Re e ence o es ablish e ec i e go e nance and ways o wo king – his
documen p o ides a d a ha can be inalised by he Hos , Con eno o ganisa ions and key
s akeholde s a an online mee ing
b. Es ablish wo king/pa ne ship ag eemen be ween he Hos and Con eno o ganisa ions
which ou lines he oles and esponsibili ies o each
c. De e mine a decision-making p ocess o suppo e iciency and anspa ency (e.g., use o a
decision ee)
8.2. Es ablish he wo king model o he UFN
a. C ea e a bespoke and sepa a e space wi hin he exis ing Na u e Towns and Ci ies Ne wo k o
he UFN
b. Se up he UFN hub a ea o ini ial membe sign-up
c. D a and ag ee membe ship o m and ag eemen /code o conduc
d. C ea e o ganising nodes and s uc u e o hei i ual space
e. Enable geog aphic connec ions so ha o ganisa ions om di e en nodes wi hin one egion
can connec
8.3. Publicly launch he UFN
a. Launch he ne wo k and in i e key o ganisa ions (e.g., lis in Sec ion 6.5) o join
b. Coo dina e wi h ne wo ked o ganisa ions o colla e and signpos hei exis ing guidelines,
esou ces and bes p ac ice
c. C ea e an o ganising eam and se a da e o he i s annual in-pe son UFN e en o ake
place in Summe 2026
8.4. Consolida e and plan o he new yea
a. Speak o unde s and/o philan h opis s sha ing he s o y o he UFN, and look o unding
oppo uni ies ha would suppo i s main enance, each and annual in-pe son e en s om
2026–2030
b. Ongoing backg ound o ganising o he i s annual in-pe son UFN e en
71
Renewing biodi e si y h ough
a people-in-na u e app oach
ExCASES is a ‘solu ions gene a o ’ designed o ackle issues acing biodi e si y enewal
ha a e no co e ed by RENEW’s ou co e hemes. I p o ides an agile, lexible mechanism
o wo k collabo a i ely wi h pa ne s, esea che s, and o ganisa ions om di e se sec o s
on ocused opics. This c oss-cu ing heme is un by an in e disciplina y eam
o esea che s based a he Na ional T us and he Uni e si y o Exe e .
To con ac RENEW and ExCASES
RENEW
En i onmen and Sus ainabili y Ins i u e
Uni e si y o Exe e
Pen yn Campus, Pen yn
Co nwall, TR10 9FE
enewbiodi e si y.o g.uk
Email: ex[email p o ec ed].uk
Email: enew@exe e .ac.uk
Image c edi s
©Na ional T us Images/T e o Ray Ha /Paul Ha is/James Dobson/Iolo Pen i/A nhel de
Se a/Annapu na Mello /Pe e Ka ic/Emma Wes on/Sa ah Da is/Ray Dale/Megan Taylo /
Ma hew Oa es/Rob Coleman/Ch is Lacey/Ki s y Gibbons/Rob S o ha d.
U ban Fo es p ojec pho og aphy: Dan Whi e.
Unsplash pho og aphy: sq lim on Unsplash, GeoJango Maps on Unsplash, Daoud Abismail
on Unsplash, da id hughes on Unsplash, Ma Seymou on Unsplash.
Mission Repo
Cul i a ing communi ies
who ca e o u ban ees