Growing City Forests for Mental Health and Climate Resilience with Cecil Konijnendijk

Cecil Konijnendijk is widely considered one of the world’s leading experts on urban forestry. He co-leads the Nature Based Solutions Institute, a think tank for the evidence-based greening of cities. He’s also an honorary professor at the University of British Columbia with over 25 years of experience studying, teaching, and advising on aspects of urban forestry and nature-based solutions. In 2021, he launched the 3-30-300 rule for greener and healthier cities, which is being implemented in communities around the world. In this wisdom-packed conversation, Cecil shares the basis for the 3-30-300 rule he created, how it benefits mental health, cools cities, and improves social cohesion. We get behind the scenes to understand what strategies and tactics are working well to improve forestry in cities, what cities are doing it well, what the challenges are, and what gets politicians to take action. Cecil shares his vision for how future cities will look and feel different, and then we close by understanding how Cecil defines nature and how he microdoses it regularly.Episode LinksCecil Konijnendijk @anurbanforester on XNature Based Solutions InstituteEvidence-based guidelines for greener, healthier, more resilient neighbourhoods: Introducing the 3–30–300 rule by Cecil KonijnendijkHow to Read a Tree by Tristan GooleyFinding the Mother Tree by Suzanne SimardWhy We Sleep by Matthew WalkerMichael PollanFalling Fruit a non-profit that helps connect people to the culinary bounty of city streets (i.e. free fruit) to help locate free fruit and connect people around the worldConnect with Nature Junkie@NatureJunkieRadio on InstagramEmail: [email protected] (submit a microdose of nature by emailing a 30-60 second voice memo with your name, how you microdose nature and how it makes you feel so we can share it with the community)Newsletter SignupShow Production CreditsPodcast cover art by Ahab Nimry (@ahabnimry, https://bigdaytheagency.com/)Outro music on acoustic guitar by Tyler JohnsonEnjoy the Ride,Jeff