Forestry and Natural Resources Plan Engagement
Forestry and Natural Resources Plan Engagement
Share Your Feedback on the Latest Draft of the Forestry and Natural Resources Plan (FNRP)
This engagement includes an opportunity to review the latest draft for the FNRP before County Board consideration this fall. This plan covers impacts and opportunities related to Arlington's tree canopy, natural lands, urban development, wildlife, recreation, public education and stewardship amongst other topics. At this stage, the draft has been informed by two rounds of community feedback, and now includes new graphics and an implementation framework. Help further refine the draft by sharing feedback on:
- How well the plan addresses conservation and enhancement of Arlington's forestry and natural resources
- What you feel might still be missing
Your feedback, as well as, input from County leadership, commissions and advisory groups, and subject matter experts will help inform a final draft of the Forestry and Natural Resources Plan.
This questionnaire will be open through June 30. Also, please join us for an in-person open house on June 14, as well as, virtual office hours where you can learn more about the draft and get your questions answered.
For more information, please visit the Forestry and Natural Resources Plan project page.
WHAT WE HEARD ABOUT THE FIRST DRAFT
We received more than 1,800 engagement responses in engagement #2. Participants engaged in a variety of ways including an online form, commenting directly on the draft, attending in-person pop-up events at 23 locations, commission meetings, through stakeholder groups and community events, and at a virtual open house session.
Approximately 70% of the respondents “support the County's vision for its forests and natural resources” and felt the strategic directions were on target.
Top themes from the open-ended comments include:
- Strong support for the vision and recommendations in the draft.
- More urgency in tone and content, especially regarding climate issues and how direct and specific the plan's recommendations are.
- More metrics, measurable goals, and specifics on implementation.
- Deeper, more creative thinking about land uses, possible conservation incentives, and educational efforts.
- A more ambitious goal for tree canopy than what was in the preliminary draft.
For more information on what we heard, please review the engagement summary and engagement report from the second engagement that informed this final draft plan.