ABSTRACT
This chapter first describes the spatial configurations and the social and ecological traits that characterize urban woodlands, and discusses related perspectives and challenges for their management. It presents a set of good-practice concepts for urban woodland management. The chapter then highlights exemplary management practices in some case reports. Emphasizing natural dynamics in urban woodland management can be cost-effective. The management of urban woodlands has both landscape and stand-level perspectives, and even individual trees can be of concern due to conservation, landscape experience, or safety reasons. Usually, though, the practices of silviculture prevail, with patches or stands of trees as the unit of management. Management of rural woodlands, where timber production is often a key value, is one thing. Management of urban woodlands, where the values are decidedly not timber-related and challenges abound in relation to high densities of people, pets, and built infrastructure, is another.
