A variety of municipal policies can support tree canopy expansion — or, in some cases, constrain progress. As your plan evolves, evaluate these polices to shape them into opportunities to advance tree equity goals.
Comprehensive plans | The comprehensive plan – yours may be called a general plan or master plan – is the foundation policy document for local governments. They’re called “comprehensive” because they address many different community concerns – from land use and transportation to school boundaries and public health. These kinds of plans help guide specific policy decisions for a decade or more. |
Stormwater, water quality and watershed plans | Because of Federal and state requirements, your community almost certainly works under a similar plan or set of plans. |
Green infrastructure plans | The best begin with a comprehensive assessment of needs and wants, then proceed to lay out the case for why green infrastructure [including forestry] should be implemented, its costs and benefits. All crafted with the best available science at the core. |
Transportation plans | Streets and roadways constitute the largest share of publicly owned and controlled land. Consequently, they’re one of the best places to implement municipal urban forestry plans. Many communities integrate green and gray infrastructure as part of their stormwater management on public streets. |
Sustainability plans | Many communities – large and small – have developed multi-dimensional sustainability plans. Virtually all embrace protecting and enhancing the natural resources that make urban spaces livable. |
Watershed plans | The most useful watershed plans transcend urban and rural boundaries. Viewing the watershed as a whole [i.e. “everybody lives downstream from somebody else”] enables planners to evaluate the impact of site-specific interventions, including urban forests. |
Disaster, hazard mitigation and climate adaptation plans | Particularly for cities subject to severe weather events, these types of plan – while aiming at resilience – also offer a framework to establish goals and develop policies to protect natural resources. Urban forests almost always can play a significant role in stormwater management and, to a lesser but still relevant extent, in flood control. |
Stormwater ordinances | Though often constrained by state best management practices (BMPs) manuals and other state or Federal rules, modifying your stormwater ordinances to incorporate trees and other forms of green infrastructure may be the most direct route to achieving your goal. |
Zoning, development, site and subdivision design ordinances [LID] | Whichever of these regulatory approaches one chooses, by applying low-impact design principles, communities can exercise significant influence on the extent of impervious cover in new developments and the practices required to manage on-site stormwater. |
Tree protection ordinances | These often form the core of a community’s urban forestry efforts — setting standards for tree removal, replacement and for protection of trees during construction. |
Urban forestry practices and protocols | These can include a wide range of tools – guidelines, ordinances, laws, regulations – concerning such things as public agency cooperation, green industry collaboration, cooperative arrangements with utilities, protection and preservation of large and/or private trees, use of native species, planting requirements, preferred soil specification, etc. |
Urban forestry budget and staffing | With a budget in place and protected, adequate staffing is essential for making progress toward a sustainable urban forest. Of course, municipal capacity can get a tremendous boost from independent nonprofits, community groups, and individual volunteers. And increasingly, formal arrangements with commercial contractors can be an economical way to supplement municipal staff. |
Urban Forestry Maintenance Plans | These plans address operational processes involving individually managed trees on public property such as streets, recreation centers, and other public places. |
Regional and statewide plans and regulations | These could include existing plans or planning processes directly or indirectly related to aspects of the broader urban forest, such as open space, recreation trails, economic development, etc. |
Capital project plan and construction review | Charlotte, North Carolina for example requires sign-off [literally] from their urban forestry staff at every stage of every capital project. Needless to say, this makes it [much] easier to ensure natural elements are included in site and building plans. |
Neighborhood redevelopment projects | Many cities – small and not-so-small – are rebuilding themselves. Different municipal departments in partnership with residents, community organizations, and local experts, can come together to plan for a greener setting guided by community focused objectives. Bonus: different agencies have their own funding streams that can contribute to the cost of the project. |