Session Title: (412) Planning for the Trees: Columbus’ First Urban Forestry Master Plan

Session Type: Education Session Talk
Topic(s): Conservation, Planning and Design
Community Engagement, Natural Resources Management

Day/Time: Thursday - Block 8
10/12/2023 12:30 PM (Central Time (US & Canada)) - 10/12/2023 01:30 PM (Central Time (US & Canada))

Room: Room C145

Audience Experience Level: Beginner
Audience Familiarity with DEI: Any Level
CEU: 0.1

Description:
The Columbus (Ohio) Urban Forestry Master Plan (UFMP) is the first citywide, strategic plan to invest long term in Columbus’ trees. The UFMP will guide the entire Columbus community to prioritize, preserve and grow our tree canopy. Rosalie Hendon, UFMP project lead, and Kerry Gray and Rachel Comte, urban forestry consultants, will detail the community engagement techniques used to co-create the plan with stakeholders. Extensive research, including an operational review and policy analysis, formed the plan’s recommendations. One analysis, the UFMP’s equity index, prioritizes areas that will benefit the most from investment in their trees. The UFMP has three goals: to stop net canopy loss by 2030, to invest in equitable canopy by 2030, and to reach 40 percent tree canopy by 2050. Approved unanimously by city leaders in April 2021, the UFMP is now in implementation. We will share progress so far, including increased funding, expanded staffing, updated tree data and stronger tree codes.

Learning Objectives:
1. Advocate for the need to invest in trees in park and recreation agencies’ own community.
2. Engage residents in multiple avenues to gather feedback equitably and representatively.
3. Identify common challenges in the planning process and how to overcome hurdles in implementation.

Speaker(s):

Rosalie Hendon
Steven Horhut