<![CDATA[University tree management increasingly requires a technological shift beyond passive inventory systems toward approaches that connect ecological data with actionable governance. This study proposes DIGI TREE as a Digital Participatory Tree Governance model to support sustainable tree management at Brawijaya University. Using a conceptual-qualitative approach, the study synthesizes literature on smart urban forestry, examines governance and technological gaps, and maps collaborative actors, digital features, and operational mechanisms. The study establishes DIGI TREE’s circular workflow, which consists of the stages scan–learn–observe–report–verify–respond–feedback. Through this workflow, each tree’s digital identity, accessed via QR codes and physical signage, links ecological characteristics and educational content with academic community participation through citizen science, expert verification, managerial decision-making, maintenance actions, and status updates. The main novelty of DIGI TREE lies in integrating citizen participation and digital technology into a closed-loop governance ecosystem, transforming public observations into verified and accountable management actions. Brawijaya University serves as a living laboratory for the development and empirical testing of this framework. Further implementation is needed to evaluate data accuracy, user engagement, and institutional response speed before the model is replicated across other higher education campuses.]]>
