The Pittsburgh Urban Forest Master Plan: Three Collaborator Perspectives
Photo by Joey Kennedy
Since its release in 2012,
"Pittsburgh's
Urban Forest Master Plan: A Road Map for the
Effective Management of Our Urban Forest"
(http://treepittsburgh.org/urban-forest-master-plan) has
been circulating widely among city foresters. The Plan
is receiving high marks for its ambition, comprehensiveness, thoughtfulness, and motivational power.
Here, we get three perspectives on the Pittsburgh
Plan. First, Tree Pittsburgh's Director of Urban Forestry
Matthew Erb outlines the stakeholders, goals, and
components of the planning process. Next, Pittsburgh
City Forester Lisa Ceoffe speaks to what the Plan will
mean for her City's program. Finally, Davey Resource
Group Consultant Andy Hillman elaborates on progressive benefits of the Plan in two key areas: research and
environmental justice.
The Process—Matthew Erb, Tree Pittsburgh
In the Summer of 2010, Tree Pittsburgh hosted an
Urban Forest Master Planning Symposium, convening
over 50 key stakeholders from Pittsburgh, the region,
and nationally, to begin the work of creating a master
plan for Pittsburgh's urban forest. This initiative will
align the community around a shared vision for protecting, growing, and maintaining our urban forest for future
12
generations, creating substantial returns from a singular investment.
Stakeholders came up with the following needs of an
Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP):
• To proactively address growing
environmental challenges
• To create a coordinated vision
• To practice and model efficiency and
cooperation
• To create baseline metrics and clear
goals for Pittsburgh's urban forest
• To develop long-term advocates and
increase civic participation
At the end of the planning symposium, goals were outlined for the planning process which included fundraising and project partners. Tree Pittsburgh began fundraising immediately for development of the Plan and for
data collection to create the baseline metrics needed.
By early 2011, funding was secured from local foundations, the Pittsburgh Shade Tree Commission, and the
US Forest Service.
The University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Lab was
City Trees
