Addressing Loss of Tree Cover in Urban Watersheds: The Importance of Local Codes and Policies
Karen Cappiella, Center for Watershed Protection
Lydia Scott, Chicago Region Trees Initiative
Across the country, a number of cities are setting ambitious tree canopy goals to fight the trend of a decline in tree canopy. Among the many causes of canopy loss, development is a key driver, and is one that communities can significantly influence through local codes, ordinances and other planning tools. In 2018, the Center for Watershed Protection released the guide “Making your Community Forest-Friendly: A Worksheet for Review of Municipal Codes and Ordinances” to help communities better address these challenges. In this webinar, Karen Cappiella of the Center for Watershed Protection will provide an overview of this tool and share a related research project that is being conducted in the Delaware River watershed. Lydia Scott of the Chicago Region Trees Initiative will share successful strategies and lessons learned from efforts to help strengthen tree preservation ordinances across the 284 municipalities in the Chicago region and also across the state of Illinois.
