No two cities are the same - and neither should be their efforts to protect urban forests. There are countless methods to protect trees and increase canopy cover, but choosing the right strategy for your city can be overwhelming. In this Toolkit, we highlight unique, thoughtful, and promising projects that can be used as models for communities beginning their Biophilic journey.
In the early 2010s, after several years of drought, the City of Melbourne realized that their urban canopy was vulnerable to disease and age-related tree loss. A Useful Life Expectancy (ULE) assessment in 2012 concluded that over twenty percent of the tree population would be lost within ten years, and almost forty percent would be lost within twenty years. These percentages only increased in heritage landscapes and reserves. Melbourne’s broader assessment also concluded that the lack of diversity in Melbourne’s canopy increased the risk of “ill health and mortality through pests, pathogens, extreme heat events, and low rainfall” - all of which events are expected to increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change. To begin combating this issue, the city developed a 68-page Urban Forest Strategy plan that lays out ambitious goals for canopy improvement by 2040. The plan takes into account specific issues facing Melbourne such as population increase and fire risk to craft a plan seeking to “manage existing landscapes, adapt [new] landscapes, and engage with the community. The strategy document follows a standard comprehensive plan format, laying out a series of goals, principles, strategies, actions, and outcome-monitoring procedures.
Several tools mentioned in the Urban Forest Strategy have been created and are now publicly available. The most notable tools are:
The Exceptional Tree Register, which adds additional protections for trees that have “aboriginal association; aesthetic value; curious growth form; environmental/micro-climate services; historical value; horticultural value; location or context; outstanding example of species; outstanding habitat value; outstanding size; particularly old; rare or locali[z]ed; or social, cultural or spiritual significance”;
The new 2012 Melbourne Tree Valuation Method, which increases the value of individual trees and financially incentivizes developers to find ways to protect trees instead of removing them;
The Melbourne Urban Forest Visual, which maps individual trees based on their age, species, and precinct to better understand the life expectancy of the current inner city canopy; and
The “Email-A-Tree” campaign, which evolved from a method of reporting diseased trees to a way to encourage emotional connection with the forest.
Melbourne has established itself as a national leader in urban forest protection due to its thorough planning initiatives and easy-to-read strategic documents. It hopes to not only increase its canopy cover from 22% to 40% by 2040 but to diversify its tree stock and protect trees on both public and private land.
To see more resources regarding Melbourne’s urban forestry efforts, visit these links:
City of Melbourne Urban Forest Strategy Home Page
Tree Valuation: Implementing new strategies for urban forestry in the City of Melbourne (2020)
City of Melbourne: Nature in the City: Thriving Biodiversity and Healthy Ecosystems (2017)
Like many other Canadian capital cities, Edmonton has a plan to conserve its urban forest and increase its canopy percentage over the next few decades. The Greener As We Grow project and Urban Forest Asset Management Plan commits the city to planting two million new trees by 2050 in order to reach their 20% canopy cover by 2071. These saplings will be planted across Edmonton’s “target areas,” which include municipal parks, roadsides, stormwater management facilities, utility corridors, and open spaces. In order to determine the best location for these new trees and collect data on where mature trees can be protected, Edmonton is developing two tools: the Naturalization, Restoration, and Reclamation Plan (NRRP) and the Green Infrastructure Expansion Mapping (GIEM) Model.
Along with these efforts, Edmonton is employing standout public engagement strategies and initiatives. On October 29, 2024, Edmonton held a committee meeting that included a conversation on “Trees on Public and Private Property.” This item consisted of a presentation, a public comment period, and an interactive question period. The convening’s dialogue, which lasted about two and a half hours, was respectful and contained several presentations from community members. The “Trees on Public and Private Property” meeting was the most recent of several efforts to engage the public in tree protection and comprehensively assess the public’s perspectives on the city’s urban forest. In December 2022 and August 2023, Edmonton released two “What We Heard” Reports which summarize public engagement responses to its urban forestry tool creation initiative. The responses, which align with phases 1 and 2 of the project, will inform the NRRP plan to restore depleted land areas, identify opportunities to plant new trees, and help to map available city land. These reports are quality examples of public-facing documents that explain the results of their respective initiatives without superfluous or complicated details. The processes for collecting data are clearly explained, demographic information is provided, and responses are summarized in qualitative and quantitative ways.
In the December 2022 Report, Edmontonians expressed a strong desire to “plant more trees, protect older trees, remove sick trees, and maintain current trees.” (Phase 1 pg. 7) Almost half of respondents indicated no concern with planting more trees and the majority of identified concern was regarding the obstruction of sight lines. The Phase 2 engagement process, which included in-person opportunities and multiple forums, asked more focused questions about tree benefits, protection, and planting. This phase had more varied responses than the first, with a wider spread of opinions and more ways to interact with the content provided. The city mapped uses and perspectives on a series of maps that highlighted similar priorities in certain hotspot areas. (Phase 2 pg 28-31)
Edmonton’s councillors recently decided not to move forward with a private tree protection bylaw. However, the city's engagement strategies mark an important initial step toward understanding the community’s preferences. Conducting well-structured meetings, surveys, and reports are positive beginnings for a city that is hesitant to take significant actions regarding private property.
To see more resources regarding Edmonton’s urban forestry efforts, visit these links:
“What We Heard Report: Naturalization and Tree Planting Project Phase 1.” (2022)
“What We Heard Report: Naturalization and Tree Planting Project Phase 2.” (2023)
“Greener as We Grow” ArcGIS Story Map
Tree Equity Score measures how well the critical benefits of urban tree canopy are reaching those who need them most. The score establishes an equity-first standard to guide investment in communities living on low incomes, communities of color and all those disproportionately affected by extreme heat, pollution and other environmental hazards.
Predict tree survival from root disruption with unparalleled accuracy. Our Predictive Analytics Engine will overlay your development plan and instantly compute survival scores for each disrupted tree. Options for using metric scales are also available. Users can also adjust the plan scale during their work, instead of closing the plan and starting over.
i-Tree is a state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed software suite from the USDA Forest Service that provides urban and rural forestry analysis and benefits assessment tools. The i-Tree tools can help strengthen forest management and advocacy efforts by quantifying forest structure and the environmental benefits that trees provide.
Biophilic Cities’ own Timothy Beatley released his latest book in 2024. “Canopy Cities: Protecting and Expanding Urban Forests” shifts the perception of trees from luxuries to essential urban elements, exploring policies that enhance tree protection, such as codes and bylaws, and emphasizes community engagement. It presents international case studies from cities like the US, Canada, and Australia, showcasing best practices for integrating trees into urban planning, including forested towers and urban forests.
“The Nature of Cities” is an annual learning symposium that brings together curious and interested individuals to learn about Biophilia. In 2023, Tim Beatley wrote an article for the event entitled, “A New Tree Ethic: What if Trees Really Mattered?” This article laments trees’ status as a “nice-to-have” amenity instead of a critical resource and offers some solutions.
David Nowak from the USDA Forest Service’s contribution to Volume 3 of the Biophilic Cities Journal. “"Understanding the cost and benefits related to urban trees can lead to better designs to improve the urban environment with trees.”
