Environment and Health Seminar Series: The 3+30+300 rule for greener and healthier cities - background, implementation, and reflections with Cecil Konijnendijk
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Description
Hosted in collaboration with the Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Care
About the Seminar
In support of local urban greening programs, the 3+30+300 rule (or principle) sets evidence-based guidelines for visible green (seeing at least 3 larger trees from every home, place of work, and school), surrounding green (no less than 30% tree canopy cover in every neighbourhood), and recreational green (at most 300 metres to the nearest, high-quality public green space). Since its launch in early 2021 by the seminar presenter, in the midst of the Covid19-pandemic when the importance of visible and nearby nature became very clear, the rule has been adopted by municipalities, regional and national governments, and international organizations across the world.
This seminar will focus on this rule or guideline, presenting the background and research behind it. Current experiences with implementation of the rule will also be discussed. Focus will be, among other, the diversity aspect of 3+30+300, as the rule could in in principle be implemented without due care for diversity concerns, especially when it comes to the 3 and 30 components. What can be done to promote local biodiversity through the rule? What are some of the principles to work with so that a healthy and vital urban forest is created? But also, how does implementation of the rule consider ‘tree equity’ and the diverse demands for, and perceptions of urban nature held by different socio-cultural groups? The webinar shows how the concept of biocultural diversity, which recognizes that biodiversity and people/cultural diversity are closely entwined, can provide a useful lens for this. Future perspectives and recommendations for using 3+30+300 jointly with other principles and frames that specifically focus on enhanced biocultural diversity will be presented.
About the Speaker
Cecil has 30 years of experience studying, teaching, and advising on aspects of urban forestry and nature-based solutions. From Utrecht, The Netherlands, he co-leads the Nature Based Solutions Institute, a think tank for the evidence-based greening of cities. Cecil has held full and visiting professorships in Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Hong Kong, and Sweden. He helped found the leading academic journal Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, and edited seminal textbooks such as ‘Urban Forests and Trees’ and ‘The Routledge Handbook of Urban Forestry’. Early in 2024, his new book ‘Rethinking Urban Green Spaces’ was published by Edward Elgar Publishing. Cecil has advised international organisations such as the United Nations, as well as national and local governments in more than 30 countries. In 2021 he launched a new evidence-based guideline for urban greening, the so-called 3+30+300 rule. Cecil is passionate about building meaningful relationships between people and nature to create better urban places.
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