Urban Forest Master Plan

The City of Burlington is seeking community input to help develop an Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP). The Urban Forest Master Plan will update and replace the Urban Forest Management Plan created in 2010. The new Master Plan will provide the strategic direction to manage the urban forest in response to new challenges related to urban development, climate change and extreme weather, and invasive pests. Specifically, the UFMP will provide:
• Baseline information on the current state of Burlington’s urban forest
• A long- term vision for the urban forest
• Updated goals, recommendations, and targets
• OperationalContinue reading
The City of Burlington is seeking community input to help develop an Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP). The Urban Forest Master Plan will update and replace the Urban Forest Management Plan created in 2010. The new Master Plan will provide the strategic direction to manage the urban forest in response to new challenges related to urban development, climate change and extreme weather, and invasive pests. Specifically, the UFMP will provide:
• Baseline information on the current state of Burlington’s urban forest
• A long- term vision for the urban forest
• Updated goals, recommendations, and targets
• Operational plans to guide implementation
Visit this page between June 8 to June 29 to provide your input. Please subscribe to this project page to stay up-to-date.
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Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP) Phase 1 engagement report- now available
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe UFMP phase 1 engagement report is now available to read. Phase 2 of the engagement process will happen in early 2023. Burlington's Urban Forest Mast Plan will update and replace the city's existing plan (2010). It will provide strategic direction for the management of the City's urban forest in the face of contemporary challenges which range from urban development to climate change, extreme weather and invasive pests.
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We appreciate your input!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkBetween May 30 and June 29, 2022, more than 1,200 people visited the Burlington’s Urban Forest Master Plan project page on Get Involved Burlington. Through the engagement tools posted to the project page, Burlington residents identified 50 locations where they either particularly value or otherwise want to improve the urban forest. In addition, 465 people responded to the public survey. Through your responses, we have learned that most would like to live on a street with regularly spaced, large trees. This is despite few respondents currently living on such a street. In addition, more than 80% of respondents want canopy cover to increase in Burlington and would be willing to pay at least a little more in taxes to support those efforts.
The State of the Urban Forest report provides you with more information about the current state of Burlington’s urban forest. Our project team will prepare an engagement summary and use it to inform the drafting of Burlington’s Urban Forest Master Plan. Stay tuned for more opportunities to provide input on the draft Master Plan in the winter of 2022/2023! We will also offer opportunities to provide input on the City’s Woodlot Management Strategy this coming fall.
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Urban Forest Master Plan Information Meeting now available to view
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe June 8 recording of the PIC meeting and Q & A are now available. It can also be found on this page in the document library. To enable the closed captioning, hover over the video and select the CC icon.
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View the interactive Urban Forest Story Map
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkVisit the interactive Urban Forest Story Map: View data, graphics, and maps that highlight the current state of Burlington’s urban forest.
Don't forget to complete the survey to help shape the urban forest vision and strategic directions for the Urban Forest Master Plan
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Opportunities for public input are now available!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkTake the Burlington Urban Forest Master Plan survey to help shape the urban forest vision and strategic directions for the Urban Forest Master Plan. The survey is approximately 15 minutes in length, and we will be open until June 29, 2022.
Submit places in Burlington where you value the urban forest and places where you would like to see it improved along with a photo of the location. Find out what other people think by clicking the points on the map. We will be collecting your urban forest locations until June 29, 2022.
Attend the first online public information centre on June 8th, 2022 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. to learn more about Burlington’s state of the urban forest and ask questions about the Burlington Urban Forest Master Plan. The public information centre is hosted via Zoom and pre-registration is required.
Visit the interactive Urban Forest Story Map: View data, graphics, and maps that highlight the current state of Burlington’s urban forest
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Public Engagement on the Burlington Urban Forest Master Plan
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkPublic engagement for the Burlington Urban Forest Master Plan will begin on June 8, 2022. Engagement objectives for this project are to:
- Inform the public about the status of the urban forest, the many benefits the urban forest gives to the community, and the current challenges and opportunities for urban forest management.
- Involve the community in developing a long-term vision for the urban forest and goals for its management.
- Consult the community to find opportunities to preserve and protect, grow, and improve the health of our urban forest.
We want to hear from you! Visit this page between June 8 to June 29 to provide your input. Save the date to attend our virtual public information centre on June 8 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. to learn more about the state of Burlington’s urban forest.
Who's Listening
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Manager, Urban Forestry
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Supervisor of Forest Planning & Health
KM
Level of Engagement
- Inform
- Consult
- Involve
Background Information
Burlington’s urban forest includes of all trees, forests, plants, soils, and ecosystem components located within the city. Many types of trees make up the urban forest, including City street trees, park trees, and trees in natural woodlands as well as the trees on private land in urban and rural landscapes. Burlington’s trees are an important asset to the City and our community because of the many environmental, social, and economical services they provide.
Urban Forest Master Plan
The Urban Forest Master Plan is being developed over five stages planned for completion in the spring of 2023. Our team completed a background review of the UFMP and other policies and regulations that impact the urban forest. We assessed the current state of Burlington’s urban forest with a tree canopy analysis to assess the extent and distribution of the urban forest and a review of the public tree inventory to evaluate the distribution, diversity, and condition of our street trees. The results from our background review and data analysis will be summarized in a State of the Urban Forest Report that will be available in June 2022.
We are now in the stakeholder consultation phase of the project and are seeking input to inform the vision, principles, goals, and recommendations that will be developed for the Master Plan. A second round of engagement will be needed to seek feedback on the draft Master Plan anticipated in late 2022. The Urban Forest Master Plan and supporting operational plan is anticipated for completion in spring 2023.
Woodland Management Strategy
Burlington is also in the process of developing its first Woodland Management Strategy to provide standards and guidelines for the management of City woodlands. Forest management plans will also be developed for woodlands greater than one hectare in area. More information about the Woodland Management Strategy and engagement opportunities about it are coming in the fall of 2022.
Key Dates
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Winter to spring 2022
Urban Forest Master Plan has finished this stageAssessment of the state of Burlington’s urban forest
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June 2022
Urban Forest Master Plan has finished this stageCommunity engagement to inform the Urban Forest Master Plan
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June 8, 2022
Urban Forest Master Plan has finished this stagePublic information centre
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Virtual via zoom
Pre-registration required https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAodOurqDwtHdb4wiFkcooxz8hP2QPAe5Bg
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Summer to fall 2022
Urban Forest Master Plan has finished this stagePlan review and update
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Winter 2022/2023
Urban Forest Master Plan has finished this stageEngagement on the draft Urban Forest Master Plan
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Winter to spring 2023
Urban Forest Master Plan is currently at this stageFinalization of the draft plan