Brunswick Tree Resiliency Plan

This plan is the culmination of a year-long planning process that included workshops and strategic planning sessions led by the Green Infrastructure Center, Inc. (GIC) with city staff and community partners. The public was engaged in this process through outreach events at community festivals, a public tree survey, in-person comment stations set up at local, accessible public facilities and a community open house. The extent of urban forest cover was determined by analyzing aerial imagery to map the city’s land cover. Open space was evaluated to determine the Potential Planting Area where future trees might be planted, along with assessments of the environmental and social benefits the city’s trees provide. In addition, environmental, threats to the tree canopy such as future climate, flooding, heat stress, salt stress, pests and disease, storm surge and sea level rise were analyzed. Based on these maps and data, strategies for retaining, protecting, and restoring tree canopy coverage were created to address these challenges and sustain a resilient urban forest. Brunswick City Goal is to maintain 30% tree canopy coverage city-wide with the potential for incremental increases over time. The Brunswick Tree Resiliency Plan supports the City’s Comprehensive Plan, by encouraging economic growth while conserving its natural assets through the preservation and expansion of the city’s tree canopy.