A systems approach
An effective and sustainable urban forest management
program must address three major components: social
systems, governance systems, and ecological systems.
The social component provides the justification for the
plan by demonstrating value to the people that live and
utilize the forest. The governance component provides
guidance to responsible entities on how, when, and
where management activities will occur. The ecolog-
ical component addresses the dynamic nature of the
system, which is the reason this process is different than
simply managing other infrastructure such as trans-
portation systems, sewer systems, or electrical grids.
As you might expect, the social and governance
components add a level of complexity to the
planning process not often encountered when
developing an urban forest management program.
Ideally these three components are integrated
throughout the plan to inform government depart-
ment procedures, policies, and other activities.
This guide leads you through a series of steps to
develop a long-range strategic plan that will:
• Identify the perceptions and values of the citizens;
• Create a citizen-based vision for the urban forest;
• Identify broad qualitative goals that define the vision;
• Draw up guiding principles that define the
limits of government purpose and action;
• Identify quantifiable management objectives;
• Implement plans (short range);
• Develop annual work plans; and
• Monitor implementation and effectiveness.
For each step, we provide the what, who, how, and
why. In addition, we include specific appendices with
information on various techniques, methods and
examples, as well as an annotated bibliography.
Adaptive management
A key element in successful planning is the inclusion
of performance indicators that enable measuring
progress towards the achievement of objectives. This
assessment capability supports an adaptive manage-
ment approach whereby managers can adjust policies
or operations as part of an iterative learning process
leading to more effective decisions and improved
conditions on the ground and with partners.
The Primer includes many sample indica-
tors that managers can use to monitor the
impact and adjust direction over time.
Project Planning Team. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones Each step of the strategic management plan must support the
vision statement. The brackets on the left side reflect "who"
develops the management plan (Public Committee vs. Experts),
while the brackets on the right indicate which steps are influenced
by social inputs vs. derived from technology and science (arrows).
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