Urban Forest Master Plan

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What is the Urban Forest Master Plan project?

The city is in the process of creating its first-ever Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP). The UFMP will guide planning and management of Fairfax’s urban forest over the next 20 years – and we need your help. It will explore topics including tree care, planting needs, staff capacity, budget, invasive species, tree-related policy, volunteer opportunities, and other topics discovered through research, analysis, and community input.

Where are we in the process?

The project includes two phases. We are about halfway through Phase 1. Phase 1 emphasizes research, analysis, and community input. We held Public Meeting #1 in July, Public Meeting #2 in October, and the Public Survey was live from September 19 - October 25. Tabling events and stakeholder discussions are ongoing. Phase 2 of the project will include the UFMP Outline, several Draft UFMP Reports, and additional public meetings and engagement opportunities. Phase 1 is estimated to complete in February 2025 and Phase 2 is estimated to completed late 2025. See Phase 1 timeline below.

What is my role?

You are a local expert! By living in the city, you have daily opportunities to observe your neighborhood and the community’s urban forest. Your input is critical to ensure the UFMP responds to the needs of residents.

Help give our community forest a voice. Please use the tools on this page to participate and provide feedback. Sign up to receive updates and notifications for upcoming events and other ways to get involved.

Phase 1 Timeline (July 2024 - February 2025)


Creating the Urban Forest Master Plan is a SPROUT program initiative. SPROUT (Stewarding, Planting, Restoring Our Urban Trees) was awarded a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, and improve access to nature.

What is the Urban Forest Master Plan project?

The city is in the process of creating its first-ever Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP). The UFMP will guide planning and management of Fairfax’s urban forest over the next 20 years – and we need your help. It will explore topics including tree care, planting needs, staff capacity, budget, invasive species, tree-related policy, volunteer opportunities, and other topics discovered through research, analysis, and community input.

Where are we in the process?

The project includes two phases. We are about halfway through Phase 1. Phase 1 emphasizes research, analysis, and community input. We held Public Meeting #1 in July, Public Meeting #2 in October, and the Public Survey was live from September 19 - October 25. Tabling events and stakeholder discussions are ongoing. Phase 2 of the project will include the UFMP Outline, several Draft UFMP Reports, and additional public meetings and engagement opportunities. Phase 1 is estimated to complete in February 2025 and Phase 2 is estimated to completed late 2025. See Phase 1 timeline below.

What is my role?

You are a local expert! By living in the city, you have daily opportunities to observe your neighborhood and the community’s urban forest. Your input is critical to ensure the UFMP responds to the needs of residents.

Help give our community forest a voice. Please use the tools on this page to participate and provide feedback. Sign up to receive updates and notifications for upcoming events and other ways to get involved.

Phase 1 Timeline (July 2024 - February 2025)


Creating the Urban Forest Master Plan is a SPROUT program initiative. SPROUT (Stewarding, Planting, Restoring Our Urban Trees) was awarded a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, and improve access to nature.

Comments

Let us know what you'd like to see included in the Urban Forest Master Plan.

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Working with home owners to replace trees in some of our older developments would be welcomed. We have lost a considerable number of trees in the Warren Woods, Westmore & Ardmore areas. Many due to trees dying. Hopefully sooner then later this area will be addressed.

WarrenWoods 3 months ago

The new developments, Breezeway, NorthFax and West Drive, along with all other new developments, must be compelled to plant trees. The development at Northfax and West Drive removed significant trees and wildlife habitat; within their plans, there is little in the way of replenishing the tree canopy. The City needs to update its zoning plans to ensure that such developments protect trees and their roots and ensure suitable planting takes place, and that tree care is maintained. The maintenance can be compelled through the provision of HOA rules and orders. Neigbouring juristrictions have good examples. eg https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Building/Resources/Tree-Replacement(External link)

LFS 3 months ago

In looking at the comments, I see opportunities for communication about how trees directly benefit property owners (lower energy costs, higher property value) and boost the value and comfort of whole neighborhoods, even without delving into the many environmental benefits. The City can also better communicate that there IS a carrot for planting and maintaining trees: You can send a simple form about your trees and get a reduction on your stormwater utility fee. Year after year, you can benefit from keeping your same trees! The City could send this tool/a link to it via email to residents.

KatyOG 3 months ago

The Westmore park on Berry St. is in awful conditions. This large green area has been neglected for years. The park is in need of more trees and better care of the existing ones.

LisaC 4 months ago

Trees not only improve the air quality on hot days for our children, but also benefit their mental health. Sterile lawns loaded with pesticides do no good for our collective physical and mental health, our pets and the wildlife. One has to think beyond oneself if we want future generations to live decently.

Vero63 4 months ago

I should be able to cut down any or all the trees on my property if I desire with no permits required. It's MY property that I own. Not anyone else's.

FairfaxCityAnon 4 months ago

"Rather than just growing trees on city property, we should also think of ways to encourage people to remove invasive plants from their lawns and plant more trees" We already have ordinances to discourage tree removal, however they are rarely enforced and there are plans to make even more burdensome regulations that, based on historical performance, will also not be enforced. So, staff, enough with the "stick" and figure out a carrot. Give me a credit for my trees or I'll slowly remove them within the confines of your regulations of course :-) ..!.

Hahaha 4 months ago

Individuals and companies who are building new homes or businesses should not be given blanket permission to cut down all the mature trees on any given property. Rather, a careful assessment should be done, and only necessary cutting should be permitted. The same should hold true for existing properties where a homeowner should not be allowed to cut down any and all trees on his/her property (unless clearly dangerous) without a permit. That permit should be given only after careful assessment with regard to canopy and wildlife disturbance. One of my neighbors cut down 12 oak trees and another one cut down 21, both saying they don’t like leaves. And that’s just 2 tiny examples in a small neighborhood of dramatic degradation of my own adjacent property, to say nothing of harm to tree canopy and native wildlife populations.

Tina 4 months ago

There should be a low barrier to entry to encourage large tree planting on private property. Does a program exist to get trees into people's yards that want them? DC has a few programs like that for residential plantings. Also, cutting down trees over a certain circumference shouldn't be allowed (assuming the tree is healthy), if we want to maintain a good tree canopy, reduce the heat island effect, and help people and businesses save on energy costs. Maintaining our current tree canopy is key to that and planting a 6'-7' tree after cutting down a 40' one is not an equal exchange.

CMG 4 months ago

Rather than just growing trees on city property, we should also think of ways to encourage people to remove invasive plants from their lawns and plant more trees.

Glenden 5 months ago
Page last updated: 21 Nov 2024, 12:44 PM