dlr TREES & URBAN FORESTRY Strategy (2021-31)

Overview

The council is reviewing its dlr TREES Strategy 2011-2015 with a view to adopting a new strategy in Autumn 2021. The new strategy will be designed to meet current and future challenges in managing, protecting and expanding the county’s tree cover. The title of the new strategy – ’A Climate for Trees: Human Well-being and Nature’ – reflects international best practices and research on the multiple benefits of trees, with a special focus on their vital role in Climate Adaptation and Human Health. This approach to the new strategy is in accordance with the council’s commitments to Climate Action and Quality of Life, both of essential elements in its Corporate and Local Economic & Community Development Plans.

The County Development Plan (CDP 2016-22) commits the Council “to implement the objectives and policies of the Tree Strategy for the County to ensure that the tree cover in the County is managed and developed to optimise the environmental, climatic and educational benefits which derive from an ‘urban forest’.”  Action 14 of dlr’s Climate Change Action Plan (2019-24) commits the council to “Update dlr TREES 2011-2015 strategy”. Preparation of a new strategy coincides with current reviews of the CDP (2022-28) and the dlr Heritage Plan, providing opportunities to embed policy links across all three documents.

Why your views matter

In advance of preparing a first Draft, and to facilitate public engagement with process, the Council is seeking the views of the public on an ISSUES PAPER it has prepared. The PAPER includes a critical a review of the outgoing dlr TREES Strategy 2011-2015

This is the first opportunity to participate in preparing a new strategy; a second will occur once the first draft of the new strategy has been published. It also poses some Questions and Opportunities for your consideration.

You may download the Issues Paper and related material, including the project roadmap at the bottom of this webpage.

What happens next