Assessing urban forest governance through a capacity-based approach: insights from a case study in Milan, Italy

Although urban forest governance is gaining momentum in the literature, scholars have paid limited attention to assessing its functioning and performance. This article addresses this gap by adopting a governance capacity lens and providing an assessment framework tailored for local-level application. Using a mixed-methods approach, the framework is operationalized to investigate the governance of BoscoInCittà in Milan. Results show that actors collaboration is crucial for establishing effective governance arrangements that ensure the successful management of urban woodlands, tackle urbanization pressure, enhance ecological connections, and deliver forest benefits, even in the absence of participatory processes and comprehensive management and monitoring plans.