Project Update - July 14, 2025
Thank you to everyone who took part in shaping View Royal’s Urban Forest Strategy.
In fall 2024, we heard from residents about their values and priorities for the future of our urban forest. That input helped shape a community-driven vision and guided the development of the draft strategy.
In July 2025, we invited the community to review and provide feedback on the draft. Your feedback will now help us finalize View Royal’s first-ever Urban Forest Strategy, which will be presented to Town Council later this fall.
A What We Heard report summarizing the most recent round of engagement will be available in the documents library this fall.
Project Update - June 11, 2025
The draft strategy is now available for community feedback before it is finalized. Thank you to everyone who shared their input during the initial engagement phase! Now it’s time to review the draft strategy and let us know if we got it right.
Upcoming Engagement Opportunities
Attend the open house on the draft Urban Forest Strategy on Thursday, June 19 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm at View Royal Town Hall (45 View Royal Avenue). Learn more about the draft strategy, speak to the project team, and provide your feedback before the report is finalized.
Can’t attend? Complete the online survey (found below) until July 13.
Phase 2 Survey
The Town of View Royal is home to a vibrant urban forest that spans our parks, streets, private yards, and natural areas. The urban forest is a valued community asset, and provides numerous benefits to residents and visitors, such as improving air quality, managing rainwater run-off, offering recreational opportunities, and supporting biodiversity.
Examples of Key Features of View Royal’s Urban Forest
Pressures of urban growth, climate change, and various other forest health concerns (e.g. drought, extreme weather, pests, and disease) now test the resilience of our trees and forests in new and unprecedented ways. To respond to these challenges, the Town of View Royal is creating a Town-wide approach for the long-term protection, management and growth of the urban forest, through the development of an Urban Forest Strategy.
The Urban Forest Strategy (UFS) will:
- Provide insight into the current condition of View Royal’s urban forest
- Establish a community-supported vision and goals
- Provide guidance and strategic actions to grow, manage, and protect the Town’s urban forest
The UFS will be developed over the next several months and include two phases of public engagement where community members will have opportunities to learn about and contribute to the development of the Strategy.
Engagement Phase 1 - Complete
The first phase of community engagement was held in the fall, 2024. It was focused on creating a community-supported vision for urban forest management.
Engagement Phase 2 - Complete
The final phase of community engagement was held in the summer, 2025. It was focused on seeking public input on the draft Strategy, including the vision, strategies, and core actions being proposed.
