Create Plans and Policies

You’ve collected data, built a coalition, and gathered community input to develop an action plan. Now it’s time to begin pulling on the levers of power to create real, measurable change through local policy.

Start by taking a comprehensive inventory of the existing policies plans and codes that affect trees in your city. Identify what is working and where there are opportunities for improvement. Then begin to craft new policy priorities, assessing your initiatives for potential impacts to the community. Finally, take stock of the strengths that you and your team members bring to the initiative and decide how you will put those skills to work.

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Policy Inventory and Gap Analysis

Suggested Time: 1–2 weeks

Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Partcipants: 2–4 individuals with strong knowledge of the community’s laws, codes, existing plans and policies

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Policy Impact Assessment

Suggested Time: 1 week

Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Partcipants: 1 leader; 2–4 individuals with strong knowledge of the laws, code, existing plans and policies

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Policy Advocacy Guide

Suggested Time: 1 day

Level of Difficulty: Low

Partcipants: 2–4 individuals who are willing and able to help steer change in their community

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Policy Inventory and Gap Analysis

Take stock of existing policies that affect trees in your city and identify opportunities for improvement, particularly with an equity mindset. This activity will help you develop a clearer picture of what’s working, what’s missing and what can be changed or improved to make Tree Equity a reality for your community.

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Activity Steps

Use the Policy Inventory and Gap Analysis Worksheet to identify existing urban forestry policies (and other related policies) and make notes on what they cover.

Use the guiding questions in the Equity Assessment for Existing Policy Worksheet to evaluate current policies through an equity lens and identify opportunities to advance Tree Equity through policy.

Policy Impact Assessment

Now that you have a clear picture of existing policy and you understand where the gaps are, you can begin to align policy action with community priorities. Identify the broader issues you can address and the needs you can meet through Tree Equity policies, then evaluate each policy initiative for its potential effects.

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Activity Steps

Use the Align Priorities With Policy Action Worksheet to develop ideas for how to address priorities through policy solutions.

Use the Forecasting Policy Impact Worksheet to critically examine potential outcomes of existing or new policy that could help advance urban forestry and Tree Equity in your community.

Policy Advocacy Guide

Evaluate the strengths that you and your team members bring to your initiative, then visualize how you can put those strengths into play. This exercise will give you a clearer sense of just how your coalition can build power — and help you believe that change is achievable.

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Activity Steps

Read about the key players in change-making and transformation.

Identify your specialty.

Use the Advocacy Team Map to build your team and consider your team’s strengths.

Apply you and your team’s strengths to advance policy changes through advocacy.