This factsheet explains why developing an urban forest plan to manage and protect tree canopies is important for their long-term success. It provides guidance on creating, establishing and maintaining an urban forest plan tailored to your community’s needs and priorities.  

This factsheet was created to support small and rural communities who are just developing their urban forestry approaches and content might be helpful for municipal staff working in various departments such as public works, recreation or public health services. 

Why does urban forest planning matter? 

Urban forestry is the sustained planning, planting, protection, maintenance and care of trees, forests, greenspace, and related resources in and around communities to create economic, environmental, social and public health benefits. Urban forestry practices are relevant for communities of any size. The practices are similar for rural, small, medium and large communities—anywhere people live and interact with trees or forested areas, including where people manage social, economic and environmental policies and programs.  

Trees take decades to mature and can live for centuries. Over their lifetimes, trees will encounter challenges and changing environments. Decisions made today about planting, protection and management will have lasting effects for generations. An urban forest plan can anticipate challenges and guide local governments towards achieving a more resilient urban forest that benefits the entire community. A well-crafted urban forest plan establishes a long-term vision supported by clear goals, measurable targets, timelines, responsibilities and resource needs for implementation. 

The journey to a healthy and resilient urban forest starts with a plan. 

Key components of an urban forest plan 

Urban forest plans set goals for management and guide professionals on how to plant, protect and maintain the urban forest proactively, ensuring it delivers maximum benefits to the community and wildlife. A well-crafted urban forest plan should include: 

• a collective vision for the urban forest
• an assessment of the current state of the urban forest
• a strategic framework consisting of goals, objectives and targets to help fulfill the vision
• an implementation plan that outlines detailed actions and steps with specific timelines (months or dates) and assigned responsibilities
• a monitoring plan with a system to track progress and revise the plan if needed 

Setting the context for your urban forest plan

Understanding the context of your community’s urban forest is essential for developing a plan that aligns with its unique characteristics and needs. The planning process should consider your community’s demographics and development patterns, the resources it has in place to manage the urban forest, the current urban forest management program (if one exists), and emerging opportunities and challenges.  

Consider which staff and departments (such as planning or public works) might be involved in managing the urban forest and invite them to participate in the planning process. It is also important to identify and engage interested stakeholders, including equity-deserving groups and rights holders, to ensure that planning efforts are inclusive and responsive to community needs. 

Here are some guiding questions you can ask to better understand the context of your community’s urban forest: 

• What is your community like? For example, is it vulnerable to extreme weather events such as floods and heat waves? Do you foresee any changes that will impact the planning or management of the urban forest?
• How is your urban forest managed currently? Do you have an inventory of the trees in your community?
• What are the opportunities and challenges related to urban forest management in the next 10, 20 and 50 years?
• How is the urban forest recognized among community members and other stakeholders or rights holders? What about your Council and senior management?
• Are all the relevant and interested parties engaged, including equity-deserving groups who most need to benefit from the urban forest?
• What do the various parties hope to address through the urban forest planning process?
• Do you have the appropriate data to help you understand the current state of your community’s urban forest and possible future changes?
• Do you have adequate levels of staffing and funding to support the planning and implementation of urban forestry programs?
• Does your community have people with the right expertise needed in urban forest planning and management? 

Getting started on an urban forest plan

Below are some guiding steps that can help your community get started on creating an urban forest plan. Depending on the work your community has done to date, you may choose to skip or rearrange some of these steps.  

1. What do you already have? 

Understand the current landscape for urban forest management: 

• “Plan to plan” by organizing resources and seeking senior management and Council support for the development of an urban forest plan.
• Create or update your community’s tree inventory to ensure you have an accurate picture of the current state and health of your urban forest.
• Review relevant policies and practices to understand the current policy framework and practices around urban forest management.
• Identify opportunities and gaps in current policies and practices. 

2. What do you want? 

Establish a long-term vision, goals and targets in collaboration with the community: 

• Identify and engage stakeholders or rights holders; learn about their values, concerns and ideas for trees in the community.
• Develop a long-term vision and supporting goals based on what you learned in previous steps.
• Develop measurable targets (such as tree canopy or crown volume targets). 

3. How do you get there? 

Outline your plan’s strategies and detailed actions based on the vision, goals and targets established in previous steps: 

• Develop a list of actions that would help achieve your vision, goals and targets.
• Invite community stakeholders and/or rights holders to review, assess and prioritize the actions based on their values and concerns.
• Allocate resources, assign responsibilities and specify timelines for each action to develop a comprehensive implementation framework. 

4. How do you stay on track? 

Develop a monitoring plan to track and evaluate progress and to support adaptive management: 

• Identify what you need to monitor and evaluate to ensure progress is being made on implementation and outcomes.
• Develop a monitoring system to track implementation progress, evaluate actions against goals and targets, and share results publicly on a regular basis.
• If satisfactory progress has not been made, investigate the causes and adjust the plan as necessary. 

You have a plan, now what? 

If your community has developed an urban forest plan, there are several steps you can take to further support the plan’s implementation: 

• Develop a planting master plan to guide planting along streets, in parks and other community properties, aligning with the vision, goals and targets set forth in your urban forest plan.
• Develop or update regulatory tools related to urban forest protection and management (see Metro Vancouver’s Tree Regulations Toolkit for examples), including:  
  • tools that regulate how trees are dealt with (e.g., tree bylaws, environmental development permit areas and covenants)
  • tools that regulate land use and tree retention, including zoning bylaws and subdivision bylaws
• Develop or update an urban forest asset management plan to integrate the urban forest into conventional asset management (see the City of Vaughan’s Asset Management Plan for Urban Forestry for examples).

Opportunities to involve the community  

Community involvement in urban forest planning is vital for raising awareness, gaining support and fostering collaboration. Community input plays a vital role in shaping key directions and priorities in the planning process, ensuring that urban forest plans and strategies reflect the community’s diverse needs and values. 

Prioritizing Reconciliation and engaging with Indigenous Peoples on urban forest planning and management is equally important to recognize and respect Indigenous rights. To achieve this, communities can: 

• Identify Indigenous Peoples: Use available resources and information to identify Indigenous communities whose rights may be affected by the local government’s urban forest management activities.
• Acknowledge legal and traditional rights: Recognize Treaties and frameworks of legal, customary and traditional rights, including the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
• Involve Indigenous leaders and Knowledge Keepers: Seek guidance from Indigenous leaders, Knowledge Keepers, Elders and Youth to advise on urban forest planning and stewardship from an Indigenous lens. 

Local governments can prioritize inclusive community engagement, establish diverse partnerships, adhere to equitable protocols and target programming to ensure that forests and trees are planted, preserved and protected in all neighbourhoods regardless of social, ethnic or economic demographics.  

Engagement can occur at different stages of the planning process, including before the plan is developed to gather input on community values, or after drafting the plan to ensure it aligns with community priorities and concerns.  

Various engagement methods can be utilized, including:  

• questionnaires and surveys to collect broad input from community members
• open houses and workshops to facilitate in-depth discussions and interactive sessions
• online tools to provide accessible platforms for community members to contribute their perspectives and expertise. 

Some resources that can help with these steps include: 

• Future Cities Canada and Evergreen’s Civic–Indigenous Placekeeping and Partnership Building Toolkit
• Climate Caucus’s Community Engagement Handbook for local elected officials 

Next steps

Here are additional resources that can help you get started with urban forest planning: 

• Vibrant Cities Lab, Planning: Best Practices in Urban Forestry
• Inland Urban Forest Council with support from CAL FIRE, U.S. Forest Service and California Urban Forest Council, Urban Forest Management Plan Toolkit
• Tree Canada, Compendium of Best Urban Forest Management Practices: Chapter 4. Strategic and Operational Management Planning 

This resource was created in partnership by Tree Canada and FCM’s Green Municipal Fund for the Growing Canada’s Community Canopies initiative, which is delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Government of Canada. 

This factsheet covers key points to consider when choosing trees and shrubs for your local planting projects. It provides step-by-step guidance communities can follow to ensure the right trees are planted in the right places to achieve their urban forestry goals, beautify the landscape and deliver the long-term benefits of a healthy community canopy.  

This factsheet was created to support small and rural communities who are just developing their urban forestry approaches and content might be helpful for municipal staff working in various departments such as public works, recreation or public health services.

Why does stock selection matter? 

Stock selection is all about choosing high-quality trees and shrubs to plant that are suitable for local conditions. This process includes determining the required stock size, selecting the right species and evaluating the condition and quality of young trees before purchasing and planting them. Well-chosen stock should be aligned with your project’s planting objectives and compatible with the planting location. 

Selecting the right stock is critical for tree establishment and growth. High-quality trees and species that are well-suited to the planting site are more likely to thrive and achieve their intended benefits. Choosing the most appropriate species for the site is also the best way to increase biodiversity and support the broader ecosystem. 

Choosing the right species to plant  

First, consider the objectives of your planting project when selecting what species to plant. What are your community’s planting or other sustainability goals, such as canopy cover or biodiversity targets? Do you have site-specific objectives, such as flood mitigation or urban heat island mitigation? What are the traits the selected species should have to best meet these objectives and suit the site conditions? 

For example, if you are looking to mitigate urban heat island effects in a neighborhood prone to hot and dry conditions, you would choose drought-tolerant species that can withstand harsher conditions. Or, if your objective is to restore habitats for species-at-risk or to restore forests in naturalized areas, you would consider choosing a diversity of native species that grow well in existing conditions. 

There are several factors to consider when choosing which species to plant: 

Suitability 

Choose species well-suited to the local environment and planting site. Consider water use, shade tolerance, wind tolerance and physical limitations. Determine which plant hardiness zone your area is in to understand what species can survive the lowest temperatures. Whenever possible, choose nursery stock that has been grown locally or in a similar climate.  

Species should also be suitable for future climate scenarios. This may mean selecting more resilient species that can tolerate warmer or dryer conditions, choosing fire-resistant species in fire-prone areas and avoiding species that are threatened by endemic pests and diseases. Regional climate models can help you evaluate how local conditions may change over time. 

Diversity  

Aim for a diversity of species for a tree canopy that is more resilient to pest and disease infestations. Adopt a diversity guideline to inform stock selection, such as the 10-20-30 rule, which recommends having no more than 10 percent of one species, 20 percent of one genus and 30 percent of one family in an urban forest population. These guidelines can be adjusted according to the diversity of species the local climate can support. Alternate methods include ensuring functional diversity in the trees you select, so that different traits, such as tolerance to shade, droughts or floods, are well-represented. 

Consider shrubs (smaller, multi-stemmed, woody plants) for part of restoration or habitat planting projects, for edible planting projects, or for specific sites within the project where tree planting is not viable. 

Native vs. non-native species 

It’s important to select regionally and genetically appropriate seed stocks that are likely to survive a changing climate. Choose native species whenever possible for natural areas and where site conditions permit as they support native habitat and biodiversity.  

In urban settings, non-native species can be better adapted to conditions or more resilient to climate change. However, extra care is needed when choosing non-native species. Invasive species should be avoided as they can have very detrimental effects on local ecosystems and biodiversity. It is important to ensure the selected species comply with local regulations. 

Aesthetics and maintenance 

Consider the species’ appearance and maintenance needs, including potential nuisances like allergens. Trees grow in a variety of forms and colours that can beautify landscapes. Factors such as fall colour, flowers or fruit and growth form should all be considered in species selection.  

Ensuring the stock you choose is high quality

Nursery stock comes in various ages, sizes and types. Here are common types you may choose from: 

• Seedlings are very young trees, easy to plant in large numbers, easy to transport and inexpensive. They are most appropriate for natural planting or large-scale planting (e.g., replanting a forest). They are less well-suited for street tree planting or planting in high traffic areas as they can be easily damaged.  

• Bare-root trees are transplanted without soil on their roots. This means they are lighter, but it also makes them more susceptible to root damage. It’s important to keep them moist if they are not going to be planted immediately.  

• Container-grown trees and shrubs are often grown in artificial soil in various sizes. They are easy to handle and transport, but their roots can girdle and be restricted by the container size. Also, winter conditions can damage container-grown trees if they are grown above ground because they are less protected from cold temperatures. However, they can be moved inside more easily before planting if needed.  

• Ball and burlap trees are commonly larger trees, grown in the soil at the nursery and then removed with their roots and soil covered by burlap material. The root ball protects the roots during transport, but ball and burlap trees are heavier and more difficult to transport. Their large size makes ball and burlap trees more resistant to damage and therefore more appropriate for planting in high traffic areas.  

Consider the type of trees and shrubs that will best suit your planting needs and contact a local nursery to source suitable stock. Always assess nursery stock to ensure plants are high quality and likely to establish and grow after planting. Young plants should be inspected at the nursery and upon delivery in accordance with the Canadian Landscape Standard and Canadian Nursery Stock Standard.  

Here’s a quick guide you can follow when inspecting nursery stock for acceptance: 

1. Is the stock free of pest and disease? 

2. Is it free of invasive weeds in the root ball? 

3. Is it free of injury or other defects? 

4. Is it free of girdling roots (roots that grow in a circular pattern around the trunk, or at or below the soil line)? 

5. Is it free of co-dominant leading stems (single leader present)? (This is for trees only.)

6. Are branches well-spaced and not crowded? (This is for trees only.)  

7. Does the trunk increase in diameter closer to the root ball (also called trunk taper)? 

Make sure to plan the logistics of accepting, transporting and storing nursery stock, especially if you will not be planting immediately. For example, you will want to ensure that plants are stored in the shade and any coverings used to protect leaves or roots are removed to avoid excessive heat stress. Work with your contractor or the nursery to ensure the successful transfer and storage of trees and a timely planting operation.  

Opportunities to involve the community 

Engaging the community in stock selection can foster urban forest stewardship and create educational opportunities. For example, residents can play a role in selecting species for planting projects in their own neighbourhoods and learn how to select, plant and care for trees on their own properties. By involving community members, local governments can gather valuable feedback on the types of trees preferred and educate people about the reasons behind stock selection. This engagement empowers residents to participate in decisions that impact their environment, promotes a sense of shared responsibility for the urban forest and can encourage good tree planting practices across the community. 

Next steps 

Here are additional resources that can help you get started with stock selection: 

• Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, Canadian Nursery Stock Standard  

• Landscape Ontario, Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide  

• Government of Canada, Forest Change adaptation tools  

• Tree Canada, Compendium of Best Urban Forest Management Practices: Chapter 8. Species Selection and Planting  

• Tree Canada, Compendium of Best Urban Forest Management Practices: Chapter 16. Invasive Plant Species 

This resource was created in partnership by Tree Canada and FCM’s Green Municipal Fund for the Growing Canada’s Community Canopies initiative, which is delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Government of Canada.