On September 9, 2024, Saanich’s Mayor and Council endorsed the updated Urban Forest Strategy. You may read the final copy here [PDF - 38 MB]
The strategy will guide Saanich through the next 40 years towards a canopy cover of 44%, outlining key actions to protect and enhance our urban forest such as revising our planning and design processes to consider trees earlier in the process, developing and implementing a tree planting plan for our public lands, connecting and enhancing Saanich’s natural forests, and exploring tree planting and voluntary stewardship programs on private lands and incentives for property owners to retain high-value trees.
Our urban forest includes all trees and their ecosystems within Saanich:
- In parks and private lands
- On commercial and institutional lands
- Along highways, roads and trails
- Throughout open spaces in the community
Background
Saanich Council endorsed Saanich’s first Urban Forest strategy in 2010 that included a 10 year time frame. Saanich Council’s 2019-2023 Strategic Plan identified the need to “Review and implement the Urban Forest Strategy" as an initiative under Climate Action and Environmental Leadership, and Saanich Council endorsed funding for this important initiative at the end of 2020. On September 9, 2024, Saanich’s Mayor and Council endorsed the updated Urban Forest Strategy.
State of Urban Forest Report - March 2023
To review the current state of our urban forest and provide a baseline, we have developed this report. Review the State of the Urban Forest Report [PDF - 16 MB] here.
Urban Forest Strategy (2010)
The 2010 Urban Forest Strategy [PDF - 1.2 MB] offered an intial plan to achieve a sustainable urban forest.
