Woodland Management Program

Overview

The City of Mississauga sought forest certification for its management of 36 woodlands throughout the City. This included the development of a woodland management plan and the operating framework for its assessment and maintenance.

Management objectives include:

• Woodland and tree health
• Recreation
• Safety
• Tree biodiversity
• Aesthetics
• Wildlife habitat and environmental protection

Why a Woodland Management Plan

Woodlands are complex ecosystems made up of trees, shrubs, ground vegetation as well as the biotic and abiotic environmental conditions on which they depend.

In 2022, the City began a Woodland Risk Tree Program in which trees posing potential risk to target areas were mapped with respective tree attributes such as size, species, mitigation strategy and level of risk. Target areas included official woodland trails, roads, residential, commercial property or other infrastructure, such as playgrounds, benches and sports fields.

A woodland management plan will act as a guiding document in managing City-owned woodland resources and providing necessary information to allow responsible and professional management for a 20-year planning period.

The woodland management plan will provide:

• A comprehensive overview of woodland health, diversity, size, risk, and tree regeneration
• Overall management objectives for the woodland resource
• Targets and methods to achieve success

Project documents

View the Woodland Management Program project documents

Public engagement

Resident feedback is a critical part of the process to ensure a comprehensive and holistic outlook on the management of these natural areas.

We hosted a public consultation period from November 2022 to May 2023.

Contact

If you have any questions about this project, contact the Project Manager at ross.lucas@mississauga.ca.