Tree Cities of the World Highlights: Tree Cities of Europe Come Together in Málaga, Spain

On September 23 and 24, 2026, Málaga, Spain hosted the first-ever Tree Cities of the World Europe Meeting, bringing together urban forestry leaders and municipalities from across the continent. Organized by national programme leads Arbocity of Spain, AlberItalia of Italy, and supported by the Arbor Day Foundation and UN FAO, the gathering took place at the Historic Botanical Garden of La Concepción and the University of Málaga campus.

Under the theme “For an Urban Forest without Frontiers,” the meeting focused on building capacity between nations so that the benefits of urban trees and forests are equally accessible to everyone who lives in a city. Cities showcased their urban forestry initiatives, discussed green infrastructure policy, shared on-the-ground projects with their peers, and heard about the progress and next steps of the Tree Cities of the World programme.

City presentations were organized around three thematic round tables: urban tree management (inventories, risk assessment, and new technologies), governance in urban forestry (policy, strategies, and procurement), and urban forests and communication (celebration, citizen participation, and campaigns). The programme also included technical workshops and a Mayor’s Roundtable as well as an introduction to the new Tree Cities of the World Growth Awards.

The meeting ran alongside the 5th European i-Tree and Ecosystem Services Conference on September 24-25, giving Tree Cities teams the chance to connect with researchers and practitioners from across Europe. Attendance was free for recognized Tree Cities of the World teams, and sessions were offered in English with AI translation available for all attendees and presenters. The Málaga meeting marks an important step in building a European community of practice.