[CANUFNET] Urban Forest Funding

[ebuffie at mymts.net]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Erna Buffie, I’m a science and nature documentary filmmaker for The Nature of Things and I’m also a member of an advocacy group here in Winnipeg called The Trees Please Coalition. We represent residents’ groups from across the city that are concerned about the current and emerging threats facing our own urban forest and others across the country, and the problem of chronic underfunding for Urban Forestry. We’re in the process of formulating a lobbying effort aimed at encouraging governments to classify urban forests as natural capital assets based, include them in asset management plans and make them eligible for infrastructure funding, especially those federal infrastructure funding programs aimed at cities and municipalities. 

Do any of you know of any similar efforts being made by other organizations in other areas of the country? And Is this something you or your organization might be interested in supporting? I know, for example, that Green Infrastructure Ontario is lobbying for a more general natural infrastructure funding stream at the national level, but I don’t know of any other efforts being made. 

Any information or support you might be able to provide would be welcome!

Many Thanks,

Erna

Erna Buffie
Trees Please Coalition
Winnipeg, MB