Fairfax planning commission hears update on city's first Urban Forest Master Plan

Fairfax Planning Commission members received an update July 28 on the city's first Urban Forest Master Plan, a two-phase effort that consultants and staff said will set 20-year goals and implementation actions for tree canopy, planting, protection and community stewardship.

"This effort will create the first ever urban forest master plan for the City of Fairfax," consultant Garrett Wolf, the engagement lead for the project, told the commission. He said Phase 1 focused on outreach and a review of current conditions and that Phase 2 will produce the full plan and an implementation schedule.

City staff and the consultant framed the plan around three preliminary goals: build and maintain a resilient and equitable urban forest, increase the city's capacity to care for public trees, and strengthen community support and involvement. Anna Stafford, a city planning staff member who led the presentation of the State of the Urban Forest review, described six draft objectives that support those goals, including stronger tree-protection policies, a long-term planting program, creation of a centralized urban forestry division and improved data collection.

Staff presented data used to inform the recommendations. According to the presentation, 2023 land-cover imagery showed Fairfax with 37.86% tree canopy…