Request for Input - Trees and Forests Outreach and Engagement Strategy

Background

The development and implementation of a Trees and Forests Outreach and Engagement Strategy is recommendation #23 of Putting Down Roots for the Future, the City of Ottawa's Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP). The Trees and Forests Outreach and Engagement Strategy will ensure that the community is aware of the City’s vision and objectives related to tree and forest health. The strategy will highlight new and existing outreach and engagement initiatives as well as the development of communication, education, and action plans to support these initiatives.  

Introduction to the Strategy

Grow, Protect, Maintain. These are the three pillars upon which the City of Ottawa’s Trees and Forests Outreach and Engagement Strategy will be built. The aim is to have these principles widely recognized and adopted both within the City’s internal departments – and externally in the community. The Trees and Forests Outreach and Engagement Strategy will be built upon the following three pillars: 

The first pillar, Grow, focuses on actions that will increase both canopy cover and planting opportunities in all areas of the City of Ottawa. This includes the use of various communication channels to effectively promote the planting programs and grants offered by the City that support tree planting on municipal and private properties. There will also be an emphasis on increasing the availability of educational materials through City channels that detail best practices for planting trees, including species selection, planting process, and ongoing care.        

The second pillar, Protect, emphasizes the protection of existing trees and forests that make up the City of Ottawa’s tree canopy. The strategy will work to increase communication and education activities that highlight the importance of the Tree Protection by-law, the minimization of tree injury, and the negative impacts related to the introduction and proliferation of select invasive plant species. An improved intake and approval process for community stewardship activities that focus on the protection of trees and forests will also be an integral aspect of this pillar. 

The third pillar, Maintain, will bring awareness to the various ways in which the City of Ottawa’s Forestry Services performs work to maintain the health of trees and forests, such as pruning and watering. This pillar will also highlight the ways in which community members can contribute to the maintenance of trees on municipal and private land. A streamlined intake and approval process will allow for community stewardship projects with a focus on tree maintenance to commence with proper knowledge and support in place. 

This survey will be live for the month of June 2023.