URBforDAN solutions ready for transfer to your city (18 May)

On May 18, the URBforDAN partnership invited you to join in exploring the URBforDAN project results and open discussion of their transferability to other cities. Read on to learn more about the URBforDAN project.

Click here to access the full PDF with all presentations of the event.

Click here to dive into the recording.

URBforDAN project was designed to deliver a change in urban forest management and utilization of ecosystem services in 7 major Danube cities. It aimed to protect urban forests, while making sure they become places for socialization, relaxation, recreation and education. This was achieved through intensified cooperation between key actors, resolution of conflicts and improved management of over 700 hectares of urban and peri-urban forests. The webinar on May 18 invited participants to explore URBforDAN project results and discuss their transferability to other cities.

URBforDAN – Management and Utilization of Urban Forests as Natural Heritage in Danube Cities

We love trees! That’s our passion for this project

Todays’ lifestyle in cities is fast and very intense. Therefore, many citizens and visitors actively search for places to relax. Often, there is no time for “the escape from the city”, so they look for alternatives.

City inhabitants need their “green lungs”

Traditionally, they find them in urban forests. Their status of “green city lungs” is the main reason why forests in the project partner cities have so- far survived all urbanization pressures mostly intact.

However, the increasing numbers of citizens (almost 6,5 Million in project partner cities) and visitors (over 15 Million per year in project partner cities) and their need for outdoor activities) put urban forests under pressure. Even if many of the forests are protected as natural heritage, they are impaired by inappropriate management, overuse and poor coordination between key actors.

Transnational approach for big challenges

The City of Ljubljana being the European Green Capital 2016 composed the partnership in order to benefit from its so-far achievements to present new standards in sustainable management. The URBforDAN project aims to address actual needs and challenges linked to sustainable management of natural heritage within urban areas of the Danube Region. That is why a transnational approach is needed in order for those big challenges to be effectively resolved.

URBforDAN is designed to deliver a change in urban forest management and utilization of ecosystem services. They are provided by pre-selected areas in seven project partner cities. The project is intended to keep the current image of urban forests and to make sure that the forest areas become places for socialization, relaxation, recreation and education. Also, a high-quality experience of natural heritage and green tourism for a diverse set of target groups has to be ensured. URBforDAN aims to improve cooperation between key actors to resolve conflicts and improve management of urban forests. At the same time, it aims to enrich “green tourism” in Danube Cities through new and improved services and products, accessible on over 700 hectares of urban and peri-urban forests.

Webinar Agenda, May 18, 13:00 – 16:00 CEST:

The event will be moderated by Mr. Luka Sešel, URBforDAN Project Coordinator (City of Ljubljana)

TIME	CONTENT	MODERATOR
13.00-13.15	Arrival of participants
13.15-13.30	Introductory speech by URBforDAN Lead Partner representative	Welcome by Mr. Luka Sešel, URBforDAN Project Coordinator (City of Ljubljana) and Clive Davies (Convenor EFUF international steering group)
13.30-13.45	Introductory thoughts about the URBforDAN project	Klemen Strmšnik (ZaVita d.o.o., external expert)
13.45-14.00	URBforDAN short-movie presentation	Luka Sešel (URBforDAN Project Coordinator)
14.00-14.30	Profiling Users of Urban and Peri-urban Forests in 7 cities (with Q&A session).	Klemen Strmšnik (ZaVita d.o.o., external expert)
14.30-15.00	Contemporary reading of urban space: The new urban forest strategy of the City of Ljubljana, Slovenia (with Q&A session)	Tina Simončič (Slovenia Forest Service)
15.00-15.30	The Golovec Approach (with Q&A session)	Jurij Kobe (URBforDAN Urban Forestry Expert)
15:30-16:00	Concluding discussion and official closing by URBforDAN Lead Partner representative	Luka Sešel (URBforDAN Project Coordinator)