HRM Urban Forest Master Plan HRM Urban Forest

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 20 th century • European influence Prolific Norway maple, elm, and linden • Lack of management (and tree planting) in late 20 th 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, Li. DAR, 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 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:

• Forest stands/ naturalized areas • Riparian zones • Value trees

STRATUM Species Mix 600, 00 Number of Trees 400, 00 200, 00 7 >1 0 10 7 91 - -9 1 76 -7 6 62 -6 1 46 Percent of Trees 80 -4 6 60 30 40 -3 0 20 15 0 815 0, 00 08 . . . . Age Distribution of Trees Diameter at Breast Height (cm)

Neighbourhood Types

Landscape Pattern Language

Dartmouth Today Network Patchwo rk Ribbon Belt

Dartmouth Tomorrow Network Patchwo rk Ribbon Belt

The Management Framework

Operational Principles 1. Comprehensive approach 2. Urban forest values 3. Space and location 4. Time and timing 5. Climate change 6. Naturalness 7. Invasive species 8. Public understanding 9. Stewardship 10. Priority-setting 11. Green infrastructure 12. Sense of identity 13. Cooperation and partnerships 14. Equity 15. Integrated planning

Values, Objectives, Indicators, Targets (VOITs)

Actions Three major types of actions: 1. Actions derived from VOITs 2. Actions derived from Operational Principles 3. Policy-based actions (e. g. MPS, LUB amendments).

Status of the Plan 1. VOIT development in summer, 2010 2. Community engagement in summer, 2010 3. Neighbourhood classification and analysis in spring/summer, 2011 4. Management framework development in summer, 2011 5. First draft completed in early September, 2011 6. Plan released to Steering Committee and public in fall, 2011 7. Regional Council, 2012