NEWS RELEASE

HRM and Dalhousie Join Forces to Protect Urban Forest

(Tuesday, August 10, 2010) - The municipality is looking for a plan to manage and preserve its urban forest, and has found an enthusiastic partner in Dalhousie University’s School for Resource and Environmental Studies (SRES).

The two groups will be working together to create the HRM Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP), a strategic policy document that will help manage the urban forest in HRM over the next 25 years. The idea, says John Charles, a Planner with HRM Real Property Planning, is to provide a way to protect what he sees as one of our urban core’s most precious resources.

“Following the destruction of Hurricane Juan, it became clear that the urban forest was a precious resource that must be carefully managed,” he says.

The goal of the Plan is fourfold: to establish the values and benefits of long term care for trees in HRM; to suggest changes to by-laws, regulations, policies, and processes for managing trees in urban and suburban HRM; to identify areas of concern for HRM's urban forest; and to raise awareness of the importance of trees to the city and its citizens.

The term “urban forest” refers to all trees within the urban core - wherever they may be: on streets, on private or public land, or in one of the municipality’s many urban parks.

The group is looking for public input. Interested individuals can participate in the process in three main ways: an Urban Forest Walkabout - to be held on August 17th from 3:30-5:30 pm and from 6-8 pm (meet in front of 6100 University ave.); by way of an Open House - taking place on August 18th from 4-8 pm; or by being part of a UFMP Focus Group - taking place on August 25th & 26th from 6-8 pm. Individuals interested in taking part in the focus group should contact the department before August 20th - at the number below.

For more information on the Plan or any of the community engagement opportunities, call 490-2367 or visit:

http://www.halifax.ca/RealPropertyPlanning/UFMP/index.html.

- 30 -

Contact:
Shaune MacKinlay
HRM Public Affairs
490-6531

Jen Ross
Public Engagement Coordinator
Dalhousie University UFMP Team
490-2367