India Urban Forestry Roundtable Held in Mumbai

This event was held alongside the International Arboriculture Conference and supported by the International Society of Arboriculture and the Amenity Tree Care Association. The roundtable created a timely platform for practitioners to connect local urban forestry efforts with global goals and to strengthen collaboration across India’s rapidly expanding community of practice.

Across discussions, participants emphasized the need to expand a narrow focus on tree planting toward a more holistic, systems‑based approach centered on long‑term stewardship, ecological function, and human wellbeing. Urban forests were consistently framed as critical infrastructure — essential to addressing extreme heat, flooding, air pollution, and public health. Speakers also highlighted the persistent gap in governance, data, capacity, and sustained financing that must be addressed to unlock their full potential.

The roundtable also reinforced strong momentum for Tree Cities of the World in India, with participants noting the program’s value in benchmarking progress, strengthening governance, and elevating urban forestry within municipal priorities. Looking ahead, there was shared interest in establishing a national or regional community of practice, identifying pilot cities, and continuing knowledge exchange through future convenings. India is poised to play a leading role in shaping the future of urban forestry through collaboration and shared learning.