Higher education on urban forestry in Europe: an overview

In order to meet the demands of modern, information-based society, higher education in natural resource management needs to be transformed. Enhanced mobility of students and staff, multi- and transdisciplinary approaches, as well as innovative educational approaches are called for. Moreover, the urban component needs to be better incorporated, as exemplified by the emerging field of urban forestry. This paper relates to the developments in higher education within the context of education on urban forests and urban trees in Europe. Presented here are the main findings of a comparative European study led by the Danish Forest and Landscape Research Institute within the framework of the EU-funded COST Action E12 'Urban Forests and Trees'. In order to obtain an overview of the status of higher education on urban forestry in Europe, 180 educational institutions in 28 countries were sent a questionnaire. Results show that urban forestry is an expanding element of European education, as urban elements are becoming incorporated in higher education on natural resources. Urban forestry is primarily taught as a part of educational programmes in related disciplines rather than at a more integrative level, dealing with all elements of urban green structures. Student numbers in urban forestry programmes and courses are still relatively small. High staff-to-student ratios seem to facilitate the use of a wide range of educational approaches and methods. Higher education in urban forestry involves a broad range of disciplines and tries to find ways of incorporating natural and social science approaches. Together with the general trend towards internationalization in education, this calls for better co-operation between educational institutions, nationally and internationally.