Planting trees is an effective way to tackle climate change in our region while contributing to the overall health and well-being of our communities. As trees grow, they absorb and store carbon dioxide, and shade and cool our streets and buildings while also absorbing storm water.
Recognizing the climate benefits of trees, Metro Vancouver developed its Urban Forest Climate Adaptation Initiative to assess the risks and predicted changes to the region’s urban forest. In 2018, Metro Vancouver’s Tree Species Selection Database was also updated to include species from other North American cities with conditions similar to the predicted future climate in Metro Vancouver.
Metro Vancouver, with the project consultant Diamond Head Consulting Ltd., was recently awarded the Canadian Institute of Planners’ Award for Planning Excellence 2019 under the Climate Change Planning category. The Initiative also actively encourages municipalities to utilize and build upon their methodologies, tools, and tree species database, helping to transform this regional tool into an approach that can be utilized across Canada.
The jury of the Canadian Institute of Planner’s recognized the project’s outstanding efforts in the realm of climate change adaptation. The award was accepted at the 2019 Canadian Institute of Planners National Conference on July 5, 2019.