Enhancing decision making in urban forest management based on a range of sustainability criteria

Abstract

Urban forests are extremely important for the environment, animals, and the well-being of local communities. EU’s biodiversity strategy aims to protect 30% of land and sea areas, and the protection of urban forests will help achieve this goal. This thesis undertakes a comprehensive analysis of nine forest areas situated within the city of Lappeenranta, located in the province of South Karelia, and evaluates them using five criteria: biodiversity index, edge effect, connectivity, current use, and future use. The study’s findings reveal that forests located in isolated areas, such as islands, and that do not receive visitors often have the best conservation potential, while forests located in more densely populated areas and used for activities detrimental to the environment have the lowest. This study represents a pioneering effort in the assessment of urban forests, which can be further improved in future research.