Urban Forest

Trees are an integral part of the community’s biodiversity, enhancing neighbourhoods and creating vibrant, livable and sustainable communities.

Victoria’s urban forest is a diverse landscape comprised of a variety of tree species, shrubs, groundcover and the vital living ecosystems of the soils in which they grow.  

There are approximately 150,000 trees which populate our parks, natural areas, boulevards, residential gardens and backyards. Roughly one quarter of the urban forest inventory is managed by the City, while the remaining 75% consists of trees on private and other public land.

Benefits of the Urban Forest 

The City’s Urban Forest Master Plan identifies 26 recommended actions for the improved management of trees on public and private lands over the next 50 years. Click on the image to enlarge it. 

 

image by Diamond Head Consulting

 Priority Actions for 2020-2021:

• Citizen Stewardship
  The support and active participation of citizens is crucial to the long-term sustainability of the urban forest. In 2020, the City is participating in the UN Trees in Cities Challenge to plant 5,000 trees. Join us and become a tree-champion with the Trees in Cities Challenge 2020.

• Tree Protection
  

  In May 2020, Council directed staff to prepare a new Tree Protection Bylaw to protect and grow the urban forest. The proposed updates will help implement several Urban Forest Master Plan recommendations. After a second phase of bylaw review, staff proposed changes in six key areas to align with leading practices and standards across the region. Phase one of the bylaw review resulted in Council adopting changes in fall 2019 to reduce the minimum size of protected trees and clarify certain definitions.

  The new Tree Protection Bylaw will be presented to Council for reading and adoption later this year.

   Learn more about the Tree Preservation Bylaw

• Setting Targets
  The City will be developing tree canopy targets and acquiring data on ecosystem services delivered by the urban forest. These actions will help to prioritize the tree planting and preservation initiatives in the locations where they are needed most. 
• View the City of Victoria canopy cover
• Review the new landscape design guidelines
• Design guidelines for Multi-Unit Residential, Commercial and Industrial (see policies 5.8 and 5.9)
• Design Guidelines for Attached Residential (see policies 4(o.) and (p.)

• Tree Planting
  Neighbourhood tree planting plans will be developed with public input, to guide the City’s planting program over the next ten years.
• Learn about the Trees in Cities Challenge and check out the Tree Tracker
• Learn more about planting and management in the City of Victoria

• Tree Management
  Long-term viability of the urban forest requires consistent attention and support by professional arboriculture staff.  The City’s tree management program is focused on the full life cycle of each tree, and efforts to maximize species and age diversity, adapt to our changing climate, minimize maintenance costs, and to take advantage of the benefits of green infrastructure.
• See tree removal and replacement updates
  

Further Resources

• How to Plant a Tree and Properly Care for It
• How to Choose the Right Tree for Your Property
• Small Species Selection Guide
• Medium Species Selection Guide
• Large Species Selection Guide
• Tree Preservation Bylaw
• Urban Food Tree Stewardship Program
• Lower Allergen Landscape Planting Resource List
• Pollinator and Allergy-Aware Gardening

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