Creating Succession Plans for Urban Forestry
Western Tree Management Symposium
Trees & ClimateLos Angeles County Arboretum
January 14, 2010
Walt WarrinerCommunity Forester
City of Santa Monica, California
Consistent control and development of the urban forest.
Development of policies and procedures for the urbanforest to improve its operations and increase its value.
Transition of successive urban forest managers
Identification and development of potential species for keyplacement in an urban forest
A continual process of replacement planting that gradesindividual species on the basis of past performance.
Evaluating species for a use in locations where they willserve the best purpose.
What is Succession Planning?
The perspective of decades & generations
Useful life span of treesStrategy for replacements
Reasons for a Succession Plan
The perspective of decades & generations
Useful life span of trees
Create long term strategy for funding
Future threatsDevelopment
New ordinances
Insects & diseases
Reasons for a Succession Plan
1. Crape Myrtle2. Mexican Fan Palm3. Liquidambar4. Canary Island Pine5. Magnolia6. London Plane7. Queen Palm8. Carrotwood9. Jacaranda10. Chinese Elm11. Tristania12. Camphor
13. Sycamore14. California Pepper15. Holly Oak16. Live Oak17. Ficus18. Brazilian Pepper19. Bradford Pear20. Aleppo Pine21. Red Iron Bark22. Eucalyptus spp.23. Evergreen Pear24. Lemon Scented Gum25. Red Gum
25 top species in southern CaliforniaLompoc – San Diego*
•Data courtesy of West Coast Arborists
1. Crape Myrtle2. Mexican Fan Palm3. Liquidambar4. Canary Island Pine5. Magnolia6. London Plane7. Queen Palm8. Carrotwood9. Jacaranda10. Chinese Elm11. Tristania12. Camphor
13. Sycamore14. California Pepper15. Holly Oak16. Live Oak17. Ficus18. Brazilian Pepper19. Bradford Pear20. Aleppo Pine21. Red Iron Bark22. Eucalyptus spp.23. Evergreen Pear24. Lemon Scented Gum25. Red Gum
25 top species in southern CaliforniaLompoc – San Diego*
•Data courtesy of West Coast Arborists
Sharing your visionDevelop a core that shares the vision
Improve policies & procedures
Envisioning a Succession Plan
Urban Forestry
Public Works
Planning
The Public
Sharing your visionDevelop a core that shares the vision
Improve policies & procedures
Change the perspective on treesAssert proper forest management
Show that trees have equal priority
Trees as part of the infrastructure
Envisioning a Succession Plan
Objectives of a Succession Plan
Define the urban forest in an Agency’s hierarchyDeclaration of its value
Objectives of a Succession Plan
Define the urban forest in an Agency’s hierarchyDeclaration of its value
Quantify the environmental benefits of the forest
Revise and update policies and proceduresDefine Best Management Practices
Delegate responsibility to individual departments
Perpetuate the urban forestDesignate replacement species
Establish an uneven aged stand of trees
Increase diversity in the forest with new species
Objectives of a Succession Plan
Identify policy applications for different departmentsPlanningPublic Works & UtilitiesRisk Management Upper Management
Match policies with responsible positionsPlannersArchitects & EngineersStreet Maintenance Supervisors & Utility ManagersDecision makers
Community LeadersBoards & CommissionsCity Council
Urban Forester
Landscape Architect
Tree Board
Community Stakeholder
Internal Staff
Peers
Process for Developing a Succession Plan
Process for Developing a Succession Plan
Tree Inventory
How many trees do you have?
How old is your forest?
What is the remaining life span of your trees?
What species do you have?
What are the threats to those species?
What are the environmental benefits of the forest?
Urban Forest DesignCool Designs vs. Practical Applications
Way finding trees
Process for Developing a Succession Plan
Urban Forest DesignCool Designs vs. Practical Applications
Way finding trees
Neighborhood designsSingle species
Diversity in neighborhoods
Part of the infrastructure
Process for Developing a Succession Plan
Executive Summary
First thing to be seen
Keep to less than 10% of the entire document
Summarize key points of the document
Make accurate recommendations
Components of a Succession Plan
Executive Summary
Vision / Mission Statement
Inspiring & energizing
Encompass the value the community places on its trees
Declares the expected outcome of the program
Keep it short and to the point
Components of a Succession Plan
Executive Summary
Vision / Mission Statement
Description of the urban forest
Number of trees
Top 10 species
Expected life spans
Number of trees in the wrong location
Planting requirements
Components of a Succession Plan
Executive Summary
Vision / Mission Statement
Description of the urban forest
Strategic Plan for the design of the urban forest
What needs to be done?
Who will do what?
When will it get done?
How will it get it done?
Components of a Succession Plan
Executive Summary
Vision / Mission Statement
Description of the urban forest
Urban forest design
Strategic Plan
Appendix
Components of a Succession Plan
SummaryThink beyond your experience
Plan beyond your tenure
Share your visionDevelop your core group
Integrate the forest into the infrastructureAssert proper urban forest management policies
Assign responsibility
Bring about change
Top Related