We are developing a plan to protect, manage, and grow the City’s urban forest.
The urban forest contributes to our community’s health, livability, biodiversity, climate resilience, and beauty. The City is currently developing an Urban Forest Plan to better protect and grow the urban forest to deliver long-term benefits to our community.
The Urban Forest Plan will be a roadmap to ensure our community has a healthy and resilient urban forest by protecting and expanding our tree cover. The Plan will provide baseline information about trees in the City and describe the vision, goals, and actions needed to protect and grow the urban forest over the next 30 years.
What is an urban forest?
The urban forest includes all of the trees and supporting vegetation in the community. This includes individual trees and groups of trees located on publicly and privately owned land including in parks, backyards, streets, and in commercial and industrial zones. The urban forest is an interconnected ecosystem that also includes the soil, water, and air that nourishes trees.
Why is the urban forest important?
The urban forest plays an essential role in creating a healthy and sustainable community, and is an important part of our green infrastructure. It reduces stormwater run-off, cleans the air and water, provides shade and temperature regulation to our streets and buildings, supports soil health, and captures and stores carbon. Additionally, the urban forest enhances biodiversity by providing and connecting habitat for wildlife, beautifies our community, and improves mental and physical well-being.
Why develop an Urban Forest Plan?
The urban forest is an integral natural asset that provides many important benefits for the health and livability of our community, but it continues to be impacted by climate change and development activities. It is important to develop a plan that will maintain the health and maximize the benefits of the urban forest over the long term.
What will the Urban Forest Plan include?
The Urban Forest Plan will include:
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Information on the current and historical state of the urban forest;
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A long-term vision for the urban forest; and
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Goals, strategies, and actions to grow the tree canopy cover and achieve our community vision.