Langley City's New Urban Forest Management Strategy Approved

I posted about Langley City's draft Urban Forest Management Strategy in September. The strategy's overall goal is to expand and strengthen the existing tree canopy to increase its coverage from 17% today to 20% by 2046. I posted about the four main goals previously with added detail, though they are:

1. Protect and enhance trees, forests, and soils
2. Manage the urban forest for its health and resiliency
3. Support community partnership
4. Monitor progress and adapt to changing circumstances

The plan also includes some "quick wins," including:

• Adding tree canopy coverage targets and supporting requirements into all City planning and zoning bylaws and policies.
• Adding tree protection and tree planting requirements into the Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw (applied during redevelopment.)
• Adding policies to ensure that publicly managed trees are protected and maintained to a high level, ensuring the City is leading by example.
• Improving the process to ensure that developer-planted trees and other plantings survive beyond the initial few years.
• Updating the recommended tree species list for public and private planting to ensure survivability and ecosystem diversity even with climate change.
• Developing programs to help encourage City residents to be a part of protecting and growing our urban forest.
• Inventorying all street and park trees.

Council endorsed this strategy on Monday, and I look forward to the City starting to implement these quick wins.

You can read the complete Urban Forest Management Strategy on Langley City's website.