When: Wednesday, March 11, 2026 | Networking with light refreshments 6 PM | Lecture 7 PM
Where: UBC Forest Sciences Centre Atrium (networking) | Room 1005 (Lecture)
Guest Speaker: Cecil Konijnendijk
Open to the public
You are invited to the Urban Forestry Leadership Annual Public Lecture & Networking Night, hosted by UBC’s Master of Urban Forestry Leadership (MUFL) program. This special evening features internationally recognized urban forestry expert Cecil Konijnendijk, who will present a timely lecture on building greener, healthier communities through his globally adopted 3+30+300 principle. Connect with students, professionals, and community members while gaining valuable insights into the future of urban forests.
Lecture Description
Moving from Tree Loss to Tree Love with the 3+30+300 Principle
Many cities and communities are facing substantial loss of trees and green spaces, for example because of urban infill and sprawl. As trees and green are essential for our health, wellbeing, and the vitality of our settlements, we urgently need to turn tree and nature loss into gain. In February 2021, during the Covid19 pandemic, Cecil launched a new evidence-based guideline for greener and healthier communities: the 3+30+300 principle. This guideline calls for all of us to have at least 3 mature trees in sight from where we live, work, study, or are cared for. It also sets a threshold of 30% tree canopy cover at the neighbourhood level. Finally the principle calls for having a high-quality, publicly accessible park or other green space within 300 metres from all homes. During its first five years, 3+30+300 has become widely implemented across the world, including in Canada. The talk will discuss the impact of the principle, as well as how to use it with vision, nuance, and care. Drawing from his new upcoming book, Cecil will also show why it is important to foster more tree love in our communities.
Speaker
Cecil Konijnendijk is a former professor in the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship and former Director of the Master of Urban Forestry Leadership (MUFL) program. For more than 25 years, he has studied, taught, and advised on the role of trees and green spaces in urban environments. His expertise spans green space governance, community engagement, people–nature relationships, cultural ecosystem services, and urban forestry. Throughout his career, he has worked closely with decision-makers and practitioners around the world to advance research with strong practical impact.
At UBC, Cecil’s research and teaching focused on governance and policy in urban forestry. He co-developed and taught key courses including UFOR100 Greening the City, UFOR402 Urban Forest Administration, Policy and Law, and the program’s capstone course.
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact sara.barron@ubc.ca