HRM Urban Forest Master Plan

HRM Urban Forest Master Plan

• HRM’s Urban Forest• History• Themes in the Plan• Management Framework• Status of the Plan Today

HRM’s Urban Forest• The peri-urban forest Halifax

is expanding• 157,000 HRM-owned street trees• Private residential trees

Challenges

• Development• Species and age-class diversity (Norway maple,

over mature street trees)• Construction/conflict with infrastructure• Imperviousness/plantable sites• Invasive species (DED, EAB, ALB, and many other

acronyms)• Climate change• Lack of knowledge

History and Genesis of the Plan

Halifax’s urban forest in 1750: dark and dangerous surrounding forest… and the gallows tree

History• Trees cleared for development and strategic

reasons (Citadel and forts)• Trees widely planted in early/mid 20th century• European influence Prolific Norway maple,

elm, and linden• Lack of management (and tree planting) in late

20th century• Advent of research, management plans, model,

tools, etc. for SUFM -2000-2011

Genesis of the Plan

• Regional Council Motion - 2001• HRM UFMP policy in 2006 Regional Plan• Dalhousie/HRM collaboration 2007-2011• UFORE, STRATUM,LiDAR,GIS• Public Engagement 2010

UFMP Team• Dalhousie: Peter Duinker, James Steenberg, Gary

Davidson, Jen Ross, Justin Hack• HRM: John Charles, Peter Bigelow, John Simmons

Themes in the Plan:The Neighbourhood Approach

UFMP Study Area

10 Communities

111 Neighbourhoods

Four Scales of UF Management

• UFMP Study Area Community

Neighbourhood Neighbourhood Division

Neighbourhood Analysis

Urban Forest Canopy Data

Neighbourhood Canopy Targets

• North End: 70%• Stadacona: 20%• Mulgrave Park: 20%• NSCC: 20%• Novalea Centre: 20%• Oland Brewery: 20%• Parks: 40%

• Forest stands/ naturalized areas

• Riparian zones• Value trees

0-8 8-15 15-30

30-46

46-61

62-76

76-91

91-107

>1070.00

200.00

400.00

600.00

Age Distribution of Trees

Diameter at Breast Height (cm)

Num

ber o

f Tre

es

STRATUM

Norway maple

American elm

Linden

Littleleaf linden

Callery pear

Sycamore maple

Sugar maple

Northern red oak

Amur corktree

Other

0 20 40 60 80

Species Mix

Percent of Trees

Neighbourhood Types

Landscape Pattern Language

Network

Patchwork

Ribbon

Belt

Wedge

Dartmouth Today

Network

Patchwork

Ribbon

Belt

Wedge

Dartmouth Tomorrow

The Management Framework

Operational Principles

1. Comprehensive approach

2. Urban forest values3. Space and location4. Time and timing5. Climate change6. Naturalness7. Invasive species8. Public understanding

9. Stewardship10. Priority-setting11. Green infrastructure12. Sense of identity13. Cooperation and

partnerships14. Equity15. Integrated planning

Values, Objectives, Indicators, Targets (VOITs)

ValueAn urban forest characteristic or

entity considered by an interested partyto be important in relation to a

defined forest area

ObjectiveA broad statement describing

a desired future state or conditionfor a value

IndicatorA variable that measures

the state or condition of a value

Targeta specific statement describing

a desired future state or conditionof an indicator

Actions

Three major types of actions:1. Actions derived from VOITs2. Actions derived from Operational Principles3. Policy-based actions (e.g. MPS,LUB

amendments).

Status of the Plan

1. VOIT development in summer, 20102. Community engagement in summer, 20103. Neighbourhood classification and analysis in

spring/summer, 20114. Management framework development in summer, 20115. First draft completed in early September, 20116. Plan released to Steering Committee and public in fall,

20117. Regional Council, 2012