Cecil Konijnendijk

Cecil Konijnendijk was born in Maurik, and grew up in the Dutch village of Abbenbroek. He studied forestry at Wageningen University{{Cite web |date=2021-09-06 |title=Cecil Konijnendijk |url=https://www.wur.nl/en/research-results/chair-groups/environmental-sciences/forest-and-nature-conservation-policy-group/people/cecil-konijnendijk-2.htm |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=WUR |language=en-us}} and obtained his Doctor of Sciences degree in agricultural and forestry economics from the University of Eastern Finland. He continued his academic career in Denmark, Sweden, Canada, and Spain, before returning to the Netherlands in 2022.

Although trained as a forester, Konijnendijk embarked on a career in the interdisciplinary field of urban forestry. During large parts of his career as a researcher and educator, he worked in landscape architecture and planning departments, including three years as a head of the landscape department at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Alnarp, Sweden.

He has held full or visiting professorships at the University of Copenhagen, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, The University of Hong Kong,{{Cite web |title=Cecil Konijnendijk |url=https://www.ias.hk/cecil-konijnendijk/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=IASHK: Institute of Arboriculture Studies (HK) |language=en-US}} the University of British Columbia, KU Leuven (the {{lang|nl|Katholieke Universiteit Leuven}}), and several Chinese universities. In 2020 he co-founded the Nature Based Solutions Institute, a think tank for the evidence-based greening of cities across the world.

Together with colleagues at the then Danish Centre for Forest and Landscape, Konijnendijk helped set up a network of European researchers in the field of urban forestry. He has been a key driver behind the European Forum on Urban Forestry,{{Cite web |title=European Forum on Urban Forestry {{!}} EFUF |url=https://efuf.org/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |language=en-US}} a platform for practitioners and researchers in urban forestry for the exchange of ideas and experience.

Konijnendijk led large European-funded projects like Neighbourwoods{{Cite web |date=2001-07-01 |title=NeighbourWoods - Advancing the Quality of Life and the Environment of European Cities Through Socially-inclusive Planning, Design and Management of Urban Woodlands {{!}} European Forest Institute |url=https://efi.int/projects/neighbourwoods-advancing-quality-life-and-environment-european-cities-through-socially |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=efi.int |language=en}} and GREENSURGE.{{Cite web |last=Olafsson |first=Anton Stahl |date=2019-08-22 |title=GREEN SURGE |url=https://ign.ku.dk/english/green-surge/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=ign.ku.dk |language=en}} In 2002 he co-founded the scientific journal Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, currently the leading journal in the field of urban forestry.{{Cite web |title=Urban Forestry & Urban Greening {{!}} Journal {{!}} ScienceDirect.com by Elsevier |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/urban-forestry-and-urban-greening |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=www.sciencedirect.com |language=en-us}} He served as editor-in-chief for 18 years. Since 2021 he has been editor-in-chief of another journal, Arboriculture and Urban Forestry.{{Cite web |title=International Society of Arboriculture > Who We Are > Our Leaders > Editorial Board |url=https://www.isa-arbor.com/Who-We-Are/Our-Leaders/Editorial-Board |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=www.isa-arbor.com}}

In February 2021, Konijnendijk proposed a new guideline for the evidence-based greening of cities, the [https://www.330300rule.com/ 3:30:300 rule].{{Cite web |title=Promoting health and wellbeing through urban forests – Introducing the 3-30-300 rule {{!}} IUCN Urban Alliance |url=https://iucnurbanalliance.org/promoting-health-and-wellbeing-through-urban-forests-introducing-the-3-30-300-rule/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=iucnurbanalliance.org |language=en}}{{multiref2|1={{Cite web |title=3-30-300 |url=https://nbsi.eu/the-3-30-300-rule/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=3-30-300 |language=en-GB}}|2={{cite conference |last1=Konijnendijk |first1=Cecil |title=Threes for trees: 3–30–300 rules for greener and healthier cities |location=Ljubljana; Barcelona; Brussels |conference=A tree awakening – Call for Action: EU Green Week |publisher=European Forum on Urban Forestry; European Forest Institute; CLEARING HOUSE Project |url=https://efuforg.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/konijnendijk_330300_brief_a_tree_awakening.pdf |id=[Presentation brief] |date=11 June 2021}}}} The rule emphasises the importance of being able to see mature trees, live amongst trees, and have high-quality public green space within easy reach. The rule has since found wide application in cities and towns around the world.{{Cite journal |last=Nieuwenhuijsen |first=Mark J. |last2=Dadvand |first2=Payam |last3=Márquez |first3=Sandra |last4=Bartoll |first4=Xavier |last5=Barboza |first5=Evelise Pereira |last6=Cirach |first6=Marta |last7=Borrell |first7=Carme |last8=Zijlema |first8=Wilma L. |date=2022-12-01 |title=The evaluation of the 3-30-300 green space rule and mental health |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935122017145 |journal=Environmental Research |volume=215 |pages=114387 |doi=10.1016/j.envres.2022.114387 |issn=0013-9351|doi-access=free |hdl=10230/56005 |hdl-access=free }}{{Cite web |title=Promoting health and wellbeing through urban forests – Introducing the 3-30-300 rule {{!}} IUCN Urban Alliance |url=https://iucnurbanalliance.org/promoting-health-and-wellbeing-through-urban-forests-introducing-the-3-30-300-rule/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |website=iucnurbanalliance.org |language=en}}

Konijnendijk served on the board of international organised such as the European Forest Institute, World Urban Parks, the International Society of Arboriculture, and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations. He advised international organisations like FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and the Nordic Council of Ministers on their urban forestry activities.

Konijnendijk is an International Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, a Fellow of the UK Landscape Institute,{{cite web |title=Welcome to the LI's newest Fellows |website=Landscape Institute |url=https://www.landscapeinstitute.org/news/new-fellows-2020/ |date=20 July 2020}}{{Cite web |date=2023-07-28 |website=Landscape Institute |title=Connecting people, place and nature |url=https://www.landscapeinstitute.org/ |access-date=2023-08-26 |language=en-GB}} and an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Foresters.{{cite web |last1=Goodwin |first1=Mark |title=Prestigious Institute awards presented at National Conference 2023 |url=https://www.charteredforesters.org/prestigious-institute-awards-presented-at-national-conference-2023 |website=The Institute of Chartered Foresters |date=26 May 2023 |quote=The Institute was also delighted to present Professor Cecil Konijnendijk FICFor (Hon) with an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his services to urban forestry.}} The International Society of Arboriculture awarded him with the L .C. Chadwick Award for Arboricultural Research (2013) and the Sharon J. Lilly Award of Achievement (2021) for his work. In 2022 he was awarded the International Francqui Professor Chair by the Francqui Foundation of Belgium. Two Belgian universities, KU Leuven and UCLouvain (the {{lang|fr|Université catholique de Louvain}}), co-sponsored the award application and his Francqui professorship programme.{{cite web |title=International Francqui Professor: Titulars – 2021-2022 |url=http://www.francquifoundation.be/new-page-4-2/international-francqui-professor-deadline-may-15/titulars-ifprof/ |website=Fondation Francqui – Francqui Stichting.be |date=2021 |access-date=2023-09-08 |archive-date=2023-02-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218135451/http://www.francquifoundation.be/new-page-4-2/international-francqui-professor-deadline-may-15/titulars-ifprof/ |url-status=dead }} {{cite web |title=International Francqui Professor: About the award |url=http://www.francquifoundation.be/new-page-4-2/international-francqui-professor-deadline-may-15/ |website=Fondation Francqui – Francqui Stichting.be |date=n.d. }}

{{reflist}}

• {{google scholar id|1RPzIAAAAAJ}}
• [https://unece.org/forests/new-un-forest-podcast UN Forest Podcast] featuring Cecil Konijnendijk
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI98HPPJbbE What are Urban Forests?]
• {{cite web |title=IUCN launches global alliance for greener cities {{!}} IUCN |url=https://www.iucn.org/news/secretariat/201809/iucn-launches-global-alliance-greener-cities |website=IUCN |language=en |date=24 September 2018}}
• [https://www.330300rule.com Threes Rule for Trees] 3+30+300 website

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Category:Dutch environmentalists

Category:21st-century Dutch scientists

Category:1970 births

Category:Living people