Getting Our Cities Right #3: Summaries of presentations

In the first keynote of the conference, Thomas Randrup, Professor at the Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management at SLU, asked the question that we all had in the back of our mind for this conference: what is an urban forest? The presentation illustrated the huge diversity in definitions of urban forests, which are contextually dependent, geographically, spatially, ecologically and culturally. Whilst some physical criteria, such as proximity of trees to urban centers and the density of tree coverage, denote the ‘urban-ness’ of forests, other characteristics such as recreational use are important social factors that tie forests to urban citizens. 

‘Scale’ is central to constructing definitions of urban forests, whether it is individual trees, parks and gardens, urban and peri-urban woodlands, or vast forest surrounding urban areas. Definitions are not merely linguistic but have real impacts for the way urban forests are maintained, managed and governed. Thomas talked about the difference in governance and management processes, the former done through long term policies, planning form and design, the latter through shorter-term construction and maintenance. Reconciling long-term policy processes with short-term management is critical for the way urban forests form part of solutions to contemporary challenges like climate change, urbanization, air pollution, biodiversity loss and human health, making policy visions work on-the-ground for workers and users. These processes require communication between governance and management within municipalities, as well as dialogue with citizens and other stakeholders.  

Thomas exemplified how forests have increasingly formed part of sustainability debates, the terminology evolving over time and in meaning, from sustainability thinking, ecosystem services to nature-based solutions. The relationship between the urban and forests is continuously being redefined as we increasingly understand the complex relationships between people, place and the environment. Regardless of the terminology, Thomas emphasized that ‘being inspired by nature’ is a mindset that can shape both understanding of urban forests and how they form part of solutions for urban challenges. He terms this perspective ‘Nature-based thinking’.  

Transitioning from a linear economy to a more bio-based circular economy was forefront of Diana Tuomasjukka’s keynote at the conference. As Head of the Bioeconomy Programme at the European Forest Institute, Diana works with the concept of Biocities (a concept related closely to Forestscapes), which are urban environments that use nature-based solutions that promote life and biodiversity and apply principles of circular economy to become carbon neutral. Diana’s presentation highlighted synergies between principles of biocities and urban forests, namely, they both are highly dynamic, have a mature state of sustainability and are self-renewing, there is an interaction between multiple biological and ecological systems (living and physical infrastructure), and they are multifunctional and highly connected through policy and planning.  

Whilst biocities are not yet a reality, Diana emphasized that taking inspiration from circular bioeconomy principles can significantly help societies address their sustainability challenges and become resilient to climate change, especially within the forestry industry. By closing resource loops, slowing consumption, enhancing materials and energy flows, it is possible to maximize the social, environmental and economic outcomes of forest resource use. Moreover, this change can also support the development of new business models and ways of living based on sustainability principles. Despite challenges, such as engendering cultural change in business and consumption patterns, as well as addressing resource use across spatial scales, Diana emphasized that the core principles of circularity and multi-functionality can help develop multi-layered and multi-purpose solutions into infrastructure and governance of our cities, incorporating complexity at the meeting of urbanization and forests.  

Using the case of Sundsvall Municipality, Torgny Lind, Researcher at the Department of Forest Resource Management at SLU, illustrated how scenario analysis can help understand the different ways of managing urban forests. As with all data models, the outcomes of the scenarios depends upon the data that is selected and input. This means that good quality data about the forest is required, as well as clear objectives and goals for forest management, as well as sound map information. Torgny illustrated that the process of selecting points of analysis and different types of scenarios is where transdisciplinary processes come into play, which includes a diversity of clients, analysts and experts from different professional and disciplinary backgrounds. It is a process where there may exist goal conflicts between forest users, for example those wishing to have a productive forest, those wishing to improve resilience to fires, and those wishing for increased biodiversity or recreation. 

In the case of Sundsvall, Torgny’s use of Heureka, a computer-based program designed to simulate forest development in the long-term, has produced a number of different scenarios for the future of forest management.  Whereas the scenario for production points to management options that have shorter rotation, increased fertilization and keeping pine and spruce thinning, the scenario for fire prevention points to management options that have longer rotation periods and keeping a high percentage of deciduous trees. The differing goals for the scenarios demonstrate the diversity of management options, and consequently highlight the different skills, techniques and technology that each scenario demands. In the case of urban forests, the results from different possible scenarios demonstrate that more mixed forest closer to cities is considered better for recreation and is more biodiverse after thinning (due to longer periods between thinnings). These ‘social forests’ managed around goals of recreation have more synergies with other goals, such as greater carbon sequestration ability, greater biodiversity, and also low-costs for municipalities due to minimal management costs . They do, however, conflict with economic productivity, demonstrating the different synergies, trade-offs and conflicts inherent in goals and objectives for future urban forests.  

SLU Röbäcksdalen is a field research station based in Umeå, which carries out research and monitoring in a variety of research areas including agricultural science, ecology, soil science, animal science and food science, among others. Johanna Wallsten, Researcher and SITES Manager at Röbäcksdalen SLU, presented the collaborative work happening on site and highlighted the importance of the different infrastructures in close proximity to Umeå city.  

Röbäcksdalen has a lot of potential for teaching and applied research, with an urban dairy farm offering research on animal science and the qualities of different feeds grown on site, a biomass technology centre offering potential to participate in research and development of products and technology of bio-based industries, waterways like Dagernäs creek allow the collection of data and monitoring of water quality in the urban area and agricultural land, and the production fields provide opportunities to study and test different agricultural innovations.  

Whilst Johanna stressed the importance of these research facilities for providing opportunities to engage in transdisciplinary research, education and innovation, she also illustrated the benefits beyond academia due to the site’s unique proximity to the city. The green infrastructure of the fields are used for many recreational activities for people living in Umeå, such as dog walking, horse riding, skiing and bird watching. There is even a local allotment on-site, where food is produced for and by local citizens. The ‘urbaness’ of Röbäcksdalen presents both opportunities and challenges. Whilst proximity to the city means that many different actors engage and collaborate, the intersection of roads through the site and air traffic above the site contribute noise and pollution, and the presence of many different interest groups (wildlife enthusiasts, dog walkers, runners, agriculturalists) increases the potential for conflict. This is why Johanna emphasized the need for greater dialogue and cooperation in the site’s development, within SLU, with citizens through citizen science and with local actors like Umeå municipality.  

Fredrik Widemo, Associate Professor in Animal Ecology at SLU discussed the connection between urban ecosystems, green infrastructure and wildlife management. There are multiple ecosystem services and disservices derived from wildlife in urban areas through various human-animal and human-nature interactions. Fredrik highlighted that whilst municipalities employ certain wildlife strategies, unforeseen consequences of green space and public space management can inadvertently attract wildlife with undesirable consequences. For example, the prevalence of fertilized, mowed green lawns in residential and urban neighbourhoods is popular with citizens for recreation but is also a preferred environment of geese. The consequences of such urban planning options can therefore lead to the pollution of lawns, water ways and public pavements, highlighting risks to public health and other species from zoonosis and bacteria.  

Fredrik expressed that planning needs to occur at the landscape level, looking at how green infrastructure is connected throughout urban areas at the landscape scale, which allows a better understanding of how different species move across urban areas and interact with urban infrastructures. A combination of different management options are often required due to the diversity of species and fragmentation of natural habitats. Management plans at the municipal level are essential for employing coordinated multispecies management and planning between multiple actors at different scales. However, in Sweden, only 8% of municipalities currently have management plans.  In his presentation, Fredrik stressed that growing populations in urban areas will mean more interactions with wildlife and therefore an increase in conflicting values and ideas about how to deal with these human-animal relationships, therefore greater attention should be paid to the ethical considerations of wildlife managements as well as the practical management solutions.  

Frida Knutsson, Senior Project Manager at Rise and Viable Cities presented the transition arena, which aims to create a platform and framework for local stakeholders to collaborate and develop join plans to achieve climate neutrality by 2030. The transition arena is an initiative by Viable Cities, a strategic innovation program for climate neutral and sustainable cities for 2030. As of 2021, there are 23 Swedish cities participating in the mission oriented research and innovation. Frida highlighted the importance of transdisciplinary collaboration in achieving cities’ ambitions to become climate neutral by 2030, where the participation of citizens, public institutions, academia and business can accelerate co-creation and innovative new solutions; and empower citizens to be co-creators.  

Frida further explained the New European Bauhaus Academy, which connects the European Green Deal to daily lives and living spaces. It is an interdisciplinary and creative initiative that calls upon imagination in building a sustainable and inclusive future. The focus of the academy is the development of skills and knowledge on bio-based materials, circularity and sustainability in the construction industry. It has an objective to upskills and reskill 3 million people within 5 years to accelerate the transition of society and ensure the competitiveness of the European construction industry. The academy is based on digital learning, summer schools and the establishment of hubs of learning.  

Gireesh Nair 

Can multi-storey wooden buildings mitigate climate change? Gireesh Nair, Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Physics and Electronics, Umeå University, presented his research on the use of forest products in the construction industry and their potential to reduce CO2 emissions. The climate impact of the construction sector is huge, as the building sector is responsible for 35% of global energy process related CO2 emissions due mostly to cement use and the global cement demand is projected to grow by 12-23% by 2050. The global projections of an extra 2.3 billion urban dwellers by 2050 means that significant urban expansion will contribute significantly to construction related emissions. One answer to reducing CO2 emissions is to reduce concrete use and move towards wooden buildings. Gireesh stressed that research suggests that wood-framed buildings will emit less CO2 compared to concrete buildings from a life cycle perspective; and that wooden construction can contribute to densification of existing urban space through wooden extensions reducing need for sprawling concrete structures. Beyond woods use for reducing concrete, its properties may also reduce interior heat and contribute to cooling.  

However, Gireesh pointed out that it is difficult to transition this existing construction regime due to the embeddedness and power of the concrete industry within the economy and society. Wooden buildings as a niche market needs to compete (and outcompete) existing markets and regime to establish new socio-technical regime, which needs to happen on multiple-levels and across different dimensions (culture, symbolic, market, infrastructure for example). Whilst it is a challenge for wood to emerge in a market dominate by concrete, future resource shortages due to rapid urbanization will place further pressures and demands on forests for urban use.  

Liv Öberg, Project Manager for Circular Economy, City of Umeå 

Liv Öberg from City of Umeå, presented Act Circular, a hub for resused and leftover building material. With the city of Umeå projected to grow by 70,000 inhabitants by 2050, new housing will be developed at a rapid pace. In Sweden, approximately 14.6 million tons of construction and demolition has been produced since 2000. For example, in 2022, AB Bostaden in Umeå produced 270 tons of wooden construction waste. Liv stressed that if the city of Umeå is to meet its goals of becoming climate neutral by 2040, more action is needed to reduce, reuse and recycle waste, especially from the construction sector.  

Liv is working to establish a market hub for private consumers and smaller businesses to recycle and reuse leftover building material, such as wood. The long-term goals is to scale this business model into a circular system and business model, which will require developing methods, business models and educating both producers, retailers and consumers on the practice.