Policy Toolkit: Protecting Mature Urban Trees on Private Lands

Mature urban trees are a critical resource for urban landscapes. Trees are the most productive during this period of their lives and contribute outsized benefits compared to newly planted trees in terms of the ecosystem services that they provide, along with biophilic benefits for health and well-being.

This toolkit introduces and provides links to strategies to value and retain mature urban trees that are underway in one form or another in cities across the US and internationally. A four-step policy roadmap provides the structure for the toolkit and its accompanying policy advisory. The toolkit will continue to be developed and augmented with new and updated strategies. This will be an ongoing initiative of the Center for Forest Urbanism at the University of Virginia School of Architecture.

1: Take Stock of Existing Mature Urban Trees

Valuing Mature Urban Trees

Mapping and Data Collection

2: Engage Stakeholders

3: Adopt Baseline Protections

Mature tree retention

Procedural and Legal Protections

Mature Tree Protection during Development

Enforcement

Private restrictions

4: Provide Support

Creating Value for Retaining Mature Trees on Private Lands

Regulatory Flexibility for Developers Protecting Urban Trees

Financial Support

Technical Support