Urban planning and governance play a crucial role in shaping the built environment and addressing environmental and social challenges in cities. In this field, we examine concepts of equitable urban forest governance, exploring how distributional, procedural, and recognitional justice can be integrated into urban environmental governance practices. We also investigate the links between urban greening initiatives and gentrification, aiming to understand and mitigate the potential negative impacts on vulnerable communities. We are increasingly partnering with local communities and organizations leveraging participatory action research methodologies to enable grassroots action and community-centred planning.