Author: Jade Schofield, OUFC
The 2020 Tree Cities of the world World have been announced and communities across Canada are once again demonstrating their commitment to manage and enhance the urban forest on a global scale.
The Tree Cities of the World program was developed as a result of the 2018 World Forum on Urban Forests. This program is led by the Arbour Day Foundation, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations alongside its Canadian partner, Tree Canada. The purpose of the program is to connect cities around the world in a new network dedicated to sharing and adopting the most successful approaches to managing community trees and forests.
The uptake in the program has grown significantly since its first year in 2019. In 2020, recognition was announced to 120 cities spanning 23 countries around the world. Of those communities, 8 are located in Ontario including 2nd-year cities Guelph, Toronto, Thunder Bay and Whitby, as well as newcomers Cambridge, Mississauga, Richmond Hill & York Region. Congratulations!