The Scientific Café brought together more than 20 stakeholders to examine how urban and peri-urban forests function today and how they should be managed in the future. Discussions highlighted that these forests are multidimensional spaces where social, ecological, and economic interests continually intersect.
1. How Urban Forests Serve the City
Participants agreed that recreation, well-being, and everyday contact with nature remain the most visible benefits for residents. At the same time, forests deliver essential environmental functions—cooling, air humidification, shading, and improved air quality—making them a key part of climate adaptation strategies.
2. Conflicts Between Uses
Different user groups often prioritize different functions, which leads to tension:
- recreation vs. soil protection
- high visitor numbers vs. conservation of sensitive species
- public expectations vs. private ownership rights
These conflicts underline the need for guided visitor access, better communication of management decisions, and cooperation among experts before plans reach the public.
3. Public Participation Matters, but It Must Be Meaningful
Stakeholders emphasized that public input must occur before interventions—not after. Digital tools can help, but they are not sufficient on their own due to representativeness issues. Effective engagement requires transparent presentation of plans, responses to public comments, mediators in conflict situations, and deliberate inclusion of less-heard groups, including forest owners.
4. Conservation and Climate Resilience
Urban forests help buffer climate impacts, but unmanaged pressures—such as increased visitation, pest outbreaks, or fire risk—require coordinated planning. Well-designed trails and visitor management reduce ecological damage, while better alignment between ministries, municipalities, and sectoral policies would strengthen long-term forest protection.
5. Media Influence and the Need for Clear Communication
Media coverage can educate or polarize, depending on how issues are framed. Participants stressed the importance of accessible, accurate communication from experts and forest managers, supported by civil organizations and local initiatives.
6. Ownership and Co-Management
Most urban forests in Ljubljana are privately owned, which shapes what management is possible. Because ownership rights determine on-the-ground actions, a governance model that includes both owners and the local community is essential for coherent, long-term stewardship.
What This Means for Residents
Urban forests are shared spaces with shared responsibilities. Their future depends on thoughtful management, cooperation with owners, informed public participation, and transparent communication. With these elements in place, urban forests can continue to provide recreation, ecological protection, and climate resilience—benefits that matter to every city resident.
Urban forests will only thrive if cities balance recreation, conservation, and ownership interests through clear communication, coordinated management, and genuine public participation.
