The urban forest is nature close to home for many city dwellers. Yet, engagement with and access to the urban forest is unequal. Current research focuses on achieving the dimensions of distributive and procedural access rather than addressing the dimension of a sense. This sense of access can also be understood as ‘belonging’. A key question is how such a sense of belonging in urban forests can be defined and fostered. How does it feel to belong in the urban forest?

Why do autumn leaves change colour? As days shorten, and night envelopes us earlier each day, I keep finding patches of bright autumn leaves on my way. Where do these colours come from, I wonder, and what might be their purpose, I ponder.

This morning, I heard rivers streaming up and down. Not north to south, but up, towards the sky, and down, into the earth.

If leaves could talk, what stories would they tell?