Budget for and achieve resilient urban canopy/tree planting goals.
Best Practice of this action
Rating Guideline
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A minimum number of trees planted by the city each year, OR at least 2-3 trees planted for each city tree lost. Report tree inventories, canopy studies, and analysis of financial/social benefits under BPA 16.7. |
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An overall city tree canopy of at least 30% and/or a canopy above 60% for residential areas located in Environmental Justice areas of concern; include tree replacement money in Pavement Management Program budget. |
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Have in the city tree canopy no more than 5% of any one species, 10% of any one genus, and 15% of any one family, and report a planting list that take this guideline into account; have an overall city tree canopy of at least 40%, with canopy over parking lots (~50%), canopy over residential (~60% - 75%), canopy over commercial/industrial (~60% - 75%) - ensuring Environmental Justice areas of concern are incorporated if within municipal bounds. |
Resources
- Utilize data and mapping such as the MPCA map of Areas of Concern for Environmental Justice and Met Council’s Place-Based Equity Research, which allows users to identify Census tracts where additional consideration or effort is warranted to evaluate the potential for disproportionate adverse impacts.
- Use the ICLEI Land Emissions and Removals Navigator web mapping tool to estimate the local GHG impacts of your community’s forests and trees.
- Typically forestry goals are included in a city's comprehensive plan, and the city adopts an urban forest management plan that includes a budget for upkeep of a city tree inventory and preservation of soils. A "5-10-15" tree-diversity goal for reducing the risk of catastrophic tree loss due to pests is to have in the city tree canopy no more than 5% of any one species, 10% of any one genus, and 15% of any one family.
- The Northern Institute of Applied Science provides menus of adaptation strategies and approaches for multiple forestry topics.
- The DNR provides a list of “Best native yard trees for our changing climate” by region. Additional recommended tree lists can be located through the University of Minnesota Extension and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science. The DNR “Tree Troubles” site lists potential threats to Minnesota trees. The Seedlot Selection Tool is a GIS mapping program designed to help forest managers match seedlots with planting sites based on climatic information.
- See BPA 16.7 for information on evaluating the financial and social benefits that trees provide your community.
- NOTE: tree inventories and benefits assessments were previously included under this BPA. You will continue to find action reports related to BPA 16.7 here.
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