Cecil Konijnendijk has 30 years of experience studying, teaching, and advising on aspects of urban forestry and nature-based solutions. From Utrecht, The Netherlands, he co-leads the Nature Based Solutions Institute, a think tank for the evidence-based greening of cities. Cecil has held full and visiting professorships in Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Hong Kong, and Sweden.

He has advised, national and local governments in more than 30 countries, as well as international organisations such as FAO and UNECE, on the formulation and implementation of green space and urban forestry policies and programs. He was part of the team, for example, of development urban forest master plans for the cities of Birmingham (UK) and Groningen (The Netherlands), as well as for the development of a green roof and façade strategy for Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).

His books include ‘The Forest and the City: the cultural landscape of urban woodland’(2nd edition in 2018) and ‘Rethinking urban greens spaces’ (2024). In 2021 he launched a new evidence-based guideline for urban greening, the so-called 3+30+300 rule, which is now used by municipalities, regional governments, and organisations across the world. Cecil is passionate about building meaningful relationships between people and nature to create better urban places.