Broadening the concept of ‘urban forest’ to address climate change through biodiversity conservation: (in Amsterdam) it’s more than just planting trees

In the face of a widespread recognition of the benefits provided by trees, many authorities have identified urban forestry as a powerful tool to ameliorate the quality and liveability of cities. Without a profound awareness of the interlinks existing between different environmental problems, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, the concept of ‘urban forest’ often proves to be underexploited in its potential ability to tackle these criticalities. Suggesting a broader understanding of urban forestry, in combination with the recognition of biodiversity conservation as an active agent in climate risk mitigation, the paper argues that both emergencies can be more effectively addressed synergically. Proposing the City of Amsterdam as a case study, various development strategies produced by the municipality will be critically analysed to underline how the design of an articulate network of multifunctional, multi-sized, varied green spaces can simultaneously respond to several issues and create more resilient urban ecosystems.