308B - Guiding Urban Forestry Policy into the Next Decade: A Private Tree Protection & Management Practice Guide

October 07, 2020

12:50PM - 1:05PM

As the field of planning enters into a new decade, many municipalities are facing challenges associated with accommodating future population growth while mitigating the effects of climate change. Urban trees can provide a variety of social, economic and environmental benefits for municipalities - they contribute to resident health and well-being, to attractive communities with increased property values, and to reductions in pollution levels, air temperature, and stormwater runoff. As these benefits are increasingly realized, many municipalities have shifted their tree protection management practices away from a focus on aesthetics and hazard reduction towards maximizing ecosystem services and supporting the ecological integrity of neighbourhoods. This Practice Guide compiles research conducted pertaining to urban forestry literature, how Ontario’s planning framework applies to private trees, and a case study of 17 municipalities’ approaches to, and evaluation of private tree protection measures. Using this research, a list of 12 recommendations were generated - ranging from policy amendments to resident education programs - to help municipalities meet and exceed their tree canopy goals.

Learning Objectives:

1) By the end of this session, participants will understand the current state of, and approaches to, private tree protection and management in Ontario. 

2) By the end of this session, participants will learn about effective methods to protect and enhance the tree canopy in their municipality. 

https://uwaterloo.ca/planning/news/grad-students-develop-tree-protection-guide-private-land

Speakers