Urban Woodlot and Park Management

Natural areas such as woodlots, ravines and other open areas with self-sustained vegetation make up a significant component of the urban forest and land-use fabric. They are composed of natural and semi-natural vegetation and managed for their multiple ecological and social functions. Natural areas are a component of the urban forest that are managed at a stand (i.e. group of trees) level. They are a vital part of urban green infrastructure and enable linking urban areas and regional networks (City of Ottawa, 2022; Ontario Nature, 2014). Due to their position near and within cities, urban woodlots and natural parks also face multiple anthropogenic challenges including pollution, contamination, and heavy recreational pressure which leads to soil compaction and invasive species proliferation. They also tend to have multiple groups of stakeholders who all carry different needs and management capacities (Duinker et al., 2017; Miller et al., 2015). 

As critical components of the urban forest, urban natural parks and woodlots hold native diversity and provide wildlife habitat, absorb and filter rainwater, and provide outdoor recreation opportunities to city residents. Urban woodlot and park management involves addressing several common issues, including ensuring safety via regular tree and risk assessments, mitigating the impacts of recreation such as soil compaction and garbage dumping, and monitoring and managing invasive species to limit their spread and negative effects on plant and wildlife communities. Efforts also focus on encouraging community use and stewardship by supporting involvement in tree planting, restoration, and other stewardship efforts and activities, as well as protecting and restoring ecosystems through ongoing monitoring and initiatives to strengthen forest health. Because of their many functions, pressures, and stakeholders, urban woodlots and parks should be managed with multiple goals in mind. Their management should be based on detailed knowledge and data about their structure, composition, and health, as well as the pressures of community use (Duinker et al., 2017). 

The management of natural parks and woodlots involves several steps. First, determining clear management goals is essential to guide all subsequent actions. These goals may include enhancing biodiversity, promoting recreation and ecological values, ensuring safety, preserving culture, or storing carbon. Conducting a detailed and informative inventory that includes the entire vegetation community composition provides the base data necessary to develop an effective management and conservation plan. Detailed data collection enables assessing the current state of the woodlot or park, including its flora, fauna, soil conditions, water resources, and any existing human impacts or infrastructure (Tuckett, 2013; Puric-Mladenovic & Baird, 2017). Specific management and conservation strategies are developed by following set objectives and are based on inventory data and identified environmental and anthropogenic pressures. Management strategies may include controlling invasive plants, managing trails to reduce soil compaction, planting native species, or engaging the community in restoration projects. 

While similar problems and opportunities might be present across natural areas and woodlands, individual urban woodlands or patches of natural areas often need to be evaluated and managed according to their specific attributes, policy designation or role in the local urban ecosystem. For example, some of them might have a higher density of trails, deer browsing issues, and a decline in tree species. Some could provide wildlife or species at risk habitat or require fire to manage native biodiversity, such as High Park in Toronto (High Park Nature. 2019).

In terms of woodlot management activities, cities such as Guelph, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and Halifax have focused management plans to manage the spread of invasive buckthorn using chemical strategies such as herbicides and physical methods such as tree cutting (ISC, n.d.). Other examples include municipalities that have prioritized biodiversity and conservation in these natural remnant woodlots (City of Toronto, 2019; City of Surrey, 2014; City of Edmonton, 2009). Some other Ontario municipalities are partnering with academic institutions or allied organizations with established vegetation monitoring and research to better understand and manage these natural areas (Puric-Mladenovic, 2015; Puric-Mladenovic & Baird, 2017). Urban woodlot management comes in many forms and must be based on detailed data, guided by set goals at an individual woodlot level, and updated regularly based on community needs and ecological health.