What we do
OHIO URBAN FORESTRY PROGRAM FIVE YEAR PLAN 2006-2010
PURPOSE STATEMENT: A significant majority of Ohioans live and/or work within urban areas. The quality of life for them and their families is dependent upon the urban environment. Healthy, safe, and functional trees enhance this environment by promoting clean air and water, increasing property values, reducing erosion and stormwater runoff, providing wildlife habitat, moderating temperature, lessening energy demands, and offering year-round enjoyment. Without a vibrant urban forest all life would appreciably suffer.
Ohio’s Urban Forestry Program was created in 1979 within the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to promote trees and other vegetation as tools to enhance the quality of life within our cities and villages. Our purpose is to provide community officials and allied agencies with the organizational and technical ability to effectively manage the trees along streets, within parks, and on public grounds. Through a statewide network of regional urban foresters, we help communities manage their urban forest resources to meet their local needs.
OBJECTIVE: Through this program, we envision an improved quality of urban life for all Ohio communities. We believe this can only be achieved when comprehensive urban forestry programs (organizations within the community infrastructure that have the authority and ability to effectively manage its urban forest resource) are integrated and on par with other community services.
STRATEGY: A four-phase strategy will be used to meet the stated objective.
1) Direct Assistance: Regional urban foresters, through one-on-one assistance, will encourage, enhance, and/or expand local tree care programs within participating communities (cities, villages, and townships). Through technical knowledge, the urban foresters will convey the benefits of a safe, healthy, and functional urban forest resource to community leaders. Using organizational skills they will demonstrate how to effectively provide these benefits by properly managing the urban forest resource.
Activities
- Facilitate at least two training opportunities for communities per year.
- Personally visit community officials at least once per year.
- Make one new contact with a non-client community monthly.
2) Grant Program: An urban forestry grant program, funded by federal, state, and/or private sector monies, will be administered for Ohio communities when available. The grant program will be based on community commitment rather than community need. These will be reimbursable grants requiring a 50/50 match, used to promote comprehensive tree care programs.
Activities
- Seek adequate and permanent funding sources.
- Review and modify grant application process.
- Monitor community grants through regional urban foresters.
3) Information Facilitation: Ohio’s Urban Forestry Program will provide information to help communities successfully implement their urban forest management programs. A World Wide Web site will be maintained for the efficient dissemination and communication of information. A yearly networking meeting, to enhance communication among Ohio’s city foresters and between green industry and other organizations, will be held.
Activities
- Monitor and update World Wide Web site.
- Host annual networking symposium for Ohio’s city foresters and allied green industry organizations.
- Hold regional conferences annually for local community officials and interested citizens
- Annually evaluate the communications needs of Ohio communities.
- Explore the use of GIS in various program activities
4) Emerald Ash Borer: The Urban Forestry Program will become an active and effective partner in Ohio’s Emerald Ash Borer control and containment effort. The Regional Urban Foresters will work with EAB infested population centers to help them deal with the situation, as well as with non-infested communities to enable them to prepare for possible infestations.
Activities
- Hire an EAB Urban Forester to oversee statewide efforts
- Implement EAB Canopy Restoration Program for affected property owners
- Raise EAB awareness among community leaders
CONCLUSION: During the last twenty-five years, the awareness level of municipal officials to the benefits that properly managed trees bestow upon their community has markedly increased. The challenge for Ohio’s Urban Forestry Program is to constantly channel this awareness into long-term urban forestry commitment at the local level. As Ohio continues to urbanize, this need increases, as does our obligation to enhance the quality of life in our cities, villages, and townships through healthy and productive urban forests.
|