Whitby’s urban forest includes the trees on both public and private land across the Town. Technical studies completed as part of this project estimate that there are between 1.3 and 1.9 million trees in Whitby, covering about 25% of the Town. Our urban forest provides oxygen, shade, cooling, stormwater management, carbon storage, and many other essential services and benefits. These services are valued at over $6.3 million per year!
However, as our community grows, its trees are also increasingly challenged by stressors associated with both urbanization and climate change (e.g., less space for roots and branches, ice storms, droughts, new invasive species, and more).
Whitby’s Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) will help us maintain, protect, and enhance our tree cover over the next 20 years. It will do this by including a strategic framework and a series of actions that support proactive management of the urban forest so that it can withstand and recover from stressors and continue to provide the essential services and benefits that make it so valuable.
Following a comprehensive urban forest analysis, broad community engagement, and consultations among various divisions within the Town who work with trees, a Draft UFMP has been completed. This Draft UFMP has been developed with careful consideration for the information gathered though the tree inventory, urban forest canopy cover analysis, policy and technical review, and Phase 1 engagement.
We would like to know what you think about the Draft Town of Whitby Urban Forest Management Plan!
We encourage you to read the Full Draft UFMPand / or the Executive Summarybefore completing the survey below. Let us know what you think by:
Completing the online survey below by January 30, 2026
Attending the community engagement session on Wednesday, January 21 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. You can attend in-person at Town Hall (575 Rossland Road East) or virtually on Zoom. Please email us at urbanforest@whitby.ca for the Zoom link.
Next Steps
Community feedback gathered in early 2026 will help us finalize the Town’s Urban Forest Management Plan.
The final UFMP will be brought forward for Council approval in Spring 2026.
Stay Connected Please check back for updates or email us at urbanforest@whitby.ca if you have questions.
Whitby’s urban forest includes the trees on both public and private land across the Town. Technical studies completed as part of this project estimate that there are between 1.3 and 1.9 million trees in Whitby, covering about 25% of the Town. Our urban forest provides oxygen, shade, cooling, stormwater management, carbon storage, and many other essential services and benefits. These services are valued at over $6.3 million per year!
However, as our community grows, its trees are also increasingly challenged by stressors associated with both urbanization and climate change (e.g., less space for roots and branches, ice storms, droughts, new invasive species, and more).
Whitby’s Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) will help us maintain, protect, and enhance our tree cover over the next 20 years. It will do this by including a strategic framework and a series of actions that support proactive management of the urban forest so that it can withstand and recover from stressors and continue to provide the essential services and benefits that make it so valuable.
Following a comprehensive urban forest analysis, broad community engagement, and consultations among various divisions within the Town who work with trees, a Draft UFMP has been completed. This Draft UFMP has been developed with careful consideration for the information gathered though the tree inventory, urban forest canopy cover analysis, policy and technical review, and Phase 1 engagement.
We would like to know what you think about the Draft Town of Whitby Urban Forest Management Plan!
We encourage you to read the Full Draft UFMPand / or the Executive Summarybefore completing the survey below. Let us know what you think by:
Completing the online survey below by January 30, 2026
Attending the community engagement session on Wednesday, January 21 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. You can attend in-person at Town Hall (575 Rossland Road East) or virtually on Zoom. Please email us at urbanforest@whitby.ca for the Zoom link.
Next Steps
Community feedback gathered in early 2026 will help us finalize the Town’s Urban Forest Management Plan.
The final UFMP will be brought forward for Council approval in Spring 2026.
Stay Connected Please check back for updates or email us at urbanforest@whitby.ca if you have questions.
As Whitby grows, its trees face challenges from urban development, climate change, invasive species, and more. That’s why the Town is working on an Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) to help maintain, protect, and enhance tree cover over the next 20 years.
Last year, more than 300 community members shared their thoughts and ideas for the UFMP. Thanks to that feedback, the plan is now in its final stages, and we want to know what you think.
