Metro Vancouver’s management plans identify adapting to climate change as an important piece of building and maintaining a livable region. Many member municipalities and Metro Vancouver land managers have been actively engaged in evaluating the condition and rate of change in their urban forests, but have had limited practical guidance about how to plan and manage these complex systems in a changing climate.

The purpose of this project was to identify the risks facing urban forests, assess regional vulnerability of the existing urban forest and develop a framework and guidelines for building resilience moving forward. Regionally specific guidance on species selection and management techniques can help reduce the risk of significant urban forest mortality and maximize the benefits (ecosystem services) urban forests provide. A second piece of work was developed concurrently to address the design and siting of trees to maximize climate adaptation benefits (Design Guidebook: Maximizing Climate Adaptation Benefits with Trees).