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Tree Ordinance Guidelines
About this site
This site provides a variety of tools and resources for citizens and local
governments interested in developing, revising, or evaluating local tree
ordinances. Rather than using a “model ordinance” approach, we describe
how tree ordinance development can be integrated with an overall community tree
management program. The site includes annotated examples of effective
tree ordinance provisions used throughout the country. We also provide
detailed descriptions of practical methods used to monitor community tree
resources, tree management activities, and community attitudes.
Support for the development and support of this site is provided by
grants from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service through
the National Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council 1999 Challenge Cost-Share Grant Program, the
International Society of Arboriculture, and ESRI,
Inc., and in-kind contributions from: Phytosphere
Research
American Forests
Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA)
International City Management Association (ICMA)
National Association of State
Foresters (NASF)
Alliance for Community Trees (ACT)
California ReLeaf
American Planning Association
This content of this site was produced by Elizabeth A. Bernhardt and Tedmund J.
Swiecki of Phytosphere Research, Vacaville, CA. It is based on the publication Guidelines
for Developing and Evaluating Tree Ordinances (Bernhardt
and Swiecki 1991). The original report was prepared for the California
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection,
Urban Forestry Program. A complete version of the original publication
in Adobe Acrobat PDF format can be downloaded from the CalPoly
Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute
site.
The purpose of this site is to provide practical information for
communities dealing with tree ordinances and other urban forest management
issues. We also hope to provide a means for sharing successful ordinance
provisions and urban forest evaluation and monitoring methods used in cities
and counties throughout the country. If you have material that you would like
to submit for possible inclusion in the site, please
e-mail Phytosphere Research.
You may also contact us by phone (707-452-8735, 9-5 pm Pacific time) or
mail (Phytosphere Research, 1027 Davis Street, Vacaville, CA 95687).
How to use this site
Whether a community is large or small, rural or urban, in a natural forest or
in the desert, the basic process for developing a tree ordinance is the same.
In each case, the community needs to determine what it has to work with and
what it hopes to achieve. It must then formulate and execute plans to get what
it wants, and finally, evaluate whether it is achieving its desired ends. The
information in this web site is intended to guide you through this process.
The process we recommend for developing or revising a tree
ordinance is outlined in Part 1
. Following the process in Part 1 will help you determine whether you actually
need to develop or revise a tree ordinance. It also describes the importance of
setting definite goals in the development of a tree ordinance. After
reviewing the material in Part 1, you will be better able to effectively use
the remaining sections of this site.
Part 2 is a guide to drafting an ordinance. It shows how to select specific
ordinance provisions to meet the tree management goals set by your community.
Please note that this section does not present a "model" ordinance. Instead, it
is a listing of provisions from various tree ordinances that can be used to
help achieve specific goals. Individual ordinance provisions are presented and
explained, and example text is provided. Using the input of local citizens,
your community can select provisions and develop language that will yield an
ordinance that is uniquely suited to its own needs and desires.
How can you determine if your tree ordinance is working? Part 3 is a technical
guide to methods which can be used to evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of
ordinance provisions. Many of the evaluation methods described in this section
may also be employed in the process of ordinance development described in Part
1.
This site is designed to be used by either citizen groups or local
governments. However, development of a tree ordinance will be most effective
when both groups work together. Some communities have found that forming a task
force is an excellent way of ensuring cooperation between groups with diverse
interests.
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