The UFMP Process
The Process
The road leading up to the Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP) started in 2015 with an urban tree canopy assessment. The results of this study showed that canopy cover had been declining for several years. After an eight year major planting effort, Louisville performed another UTC assessment and discovered that overall canopy went up by 1%, but certain areas of the city were still experiencing canopy loss. Trees Louisville, in partnership with Louisville Metro, decided to pursue a master plan for the urban forest to create a strategic plan for the entire community related to trees.
This master plan project started in January 2024, with the Discovery Phase running through August 2024. The plan is expected to be completed in early 2025.
The overall project timeline can be seen below, along with a description of the Advisory Group and Equity Council. Meeting notes and summaries can be found here.
This master plan project started in January 2024, with the Discovery Phase running through August 2024. The plan is expected to be completed in early 2025.
The overall project timeline can be seen below, along with a description of the Advisory Group and Equity Council. Meeting notes and summaries can be found here.
UFMP Advisory Group
The following are members of the UFMP Advisory Group. This group will meet three times during the project to talk through issues, brainstorm on challenges, help guide the direction of this plan development process. Thank you to all that expressed interest in serving in this group. We had over 200 interested, and had only 100 spots to fill.
Within this group, there is also an Equity Council, designed to center the voices of historically excluded and currently marginalized communities. These members are notated with an EC after their names below. A full description of the Equity Council can be found further down on this page.
Within this group, there is also an Equity Council, designed to center the voices of historically excluded and currently marginalized communities. These members are notated with an EC after their names below. A full description of the Equity Council can be found further down on this page.
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McCauley Adams, Brown Forman
Vashawn Anderson, Neighborhood Representative - Pleasure Ridge Park (EC) Kevin Bailey, KY Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Juva Barber, Building Industry of Greater Louisville Von Barnes, Neighborhood Representative - Algonquin (EC) LaDonna Barnett, Neighborhood Representative - Chickasaw (EC) Jordan Basham, Louisville Water Company Donald Biddle, University of Louisville - Geographic and Environmental Sciences Deborah Bilitski, Waterfront Park Emily Boone, Greater Louisville Sierra Club Jerry Brown, Metro Tree Advisory Committee (TAC) Jeffrey Brown, Louisville Metro Government - Department of Public Works Ronel Brown, Neighborhood Representative (EC) Ben Cecil, Metro Tree Advisory Committee (TAC) Bradley Coomes, Louisville Metro Government - Air Pollution Control District (APCD) Carolyn Cromer, Sisters of Nazareth Jody Dahmer, Beargrass Thunder Daniel DeCaro, University of Louisville Lisa Dettlinger, Louisville Grows Katie Doran, Louisville Metro Government - Fleets and Facilities Mesude Duyar, Louisville Metro Government - Parks & Recreation Barry Edgar, Louisville Metro Government - Urban Forestry Jaquelyn Ekland, ISA Certified Arborist Kristen English, Metro Tree Advisory Committee (TAC) Rebecca Fleischaker, Louisville Downtown Partnership Ozzy Gibson, Louisville Metro Government - Parks & Recreation Kent Gootee, Mindel Scott (LA) Morgan Grubbs, TreesLouisville Helen Hacker, Metro Tree Advisory Committee (TAC), GLI Frank "Peanut" Hall - Neighborhood Representative - California (EC) Felicia Harper - Kentuckiana Regional Planning & Development Agency (KIPDA) Tonesha Hearn, Louisville Metro Government - Office for Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods Patrick Henry - Metro Tree Advisory Committee (TAC) Bill Hollander, TreesLouisville Keelonda Hunter, Neighborhood Representative - Parkland (EC) Barbara Hurt, Dendrifund Mike Jackson, Urban League / Kentucky Greens Co. Julie James, Filson Club Charlotte Jones, Goodwill Industries Jessica Kane, Jefferson Memorial Forest & Natural Areas Jennifer Kern, Louisville Metro Government - Department of Public Works Mike King, Louisville Metro Government - Department of Public Works Kathy Knotts, Gheens Foundation Allison Lloyd, PepsiCo Maria Koetter, CoolSeal by GuardTop |
Chris Kolb, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS)
Charlie Marsh, TreesLouisville / Stephen C Gault Co. Kurt Mason Anthony Mathis, Norton Healthcare Lori Mattingly, Angel's Envy Bear Miles, TreesLouisville Keith Morgan, Neighborhood Representative - Shawnee (EC) Jeff O'Brien, Louisville Metro Government - Economic Development Chris O'Bryan, Metro Tree Advisory Committee (TAC) Andrew Owen - Louisville Metro Government - Council Rep. District 9 Brooke Pardue, Parks Alliance of Louisville (PAL) Prasanthi Persad, Wilderness Louisville Patrick Piuma, University of Louisville Michelle Ralkey, Hess Landscaoe Sumedha Rao, Louisville Metro Government - Office of Sustainability Tee Ray, Bob Ray Co. Steve Ricketts, Kentucky Solar Energy Society Lynn Rippy, YouthBuild Louisville Lorri Roberts, Brightside, Inc. Donald Robinson, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Jan Rogers, Neighborhood Representative (EC) Robert Rogers, Neighborhood Representative - Shawnee (EC) Betsy Ruhe, Louisville Metro Government - Council Rep. District 21 Sarah Beth Sammons, Booker Design Collaboration Jared Smith, Louisville Metro Government - Urban Forestry Ted Smith, University of Louisville - Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute Matt Spalding, Olmsted Parks Conservancy Leia Staples, Bellarmine University Cindi Sullivan, TreesLouisville John Swintosky, Metro Tree Advisory Committee (TAC) Donovan Taylor, Neighborhood Representative - Chickasaw (EC) Erin Wagoner, Metro Sewer District (MSD) Chris Weidamann, KY Division of Forestry Matthew Wieczorek, Metro Tree Advisory Committee (TAC), LG&E Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, Accelerator for America Julia Williams, Louisville Metro Government - Office of Planning & Design Services Dash Williams, Louisville Metro Government - Office of Sustainability Sean Willis, University of Louisville - Urban Design Studio Ward Wilson Liz Winlock, Metro Tree Advisory Committee (TAC), Olmstead Parks Conservancy Ray Yeager, University of Louisville / Green Heart Mark Zoeller, Louisville Metro Government - Fleets and Facilities |
About the UFMP Equity Council
Recognizing the profound impact of a robust urban tree canopy on human health and environmental well-being, Louisville Metro Government (LMG) and local nonprofits are launching an Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP) to analyze and rectify inequities in our urban forest. As part of this initiative, an Equity Council has been established to empower community leaders in underserved areas of Louisville.
Creating an equitable urban forest is an opportunity for Louisville to begin to redress historic disparities, foster equity, and create a healthy urban forest for residents long into the future. Throughout this project, the views, needs, dreams, and desires of the various residents and stakeholders will be documented and honored.
We acknowledge that voices and concerns have historically been excluded from formal decision-making processes. Specifically, communities of color, linguistically isolated communities, socio-economically disadvantaged populations, and other marginalized groups are often left outside formal public input and planning processes more broadly. Centering these perspectives in the process and recommendations of Louisville’s Urban Forest Master Plan is a key aspect of engagement for this project.
Members of the Equity Council will be asked to provide their perspectives, expertise, goals, and priorities through a series of structured and facilitated workshops together with the larger Advisory Group, as well as in additional smaller meetings just for the smaller Equity Council. This council will also ultimately set the goals for the plan.
Having a smaller group available to delve further into the concerns, ambitions, and priorities of these communities is aimed at prioritizing these perspectives in the development of the outcome and recommendations of this project. Funds have been set aside to provide stipends for Equity Council members that might face financial constraints.
Creating an equitable urban forest is an opportunity for Louisville to begin to redress historic disparities, foster equity, and create a healthy urban forest for residents long into the future. Throughout this project, the views, needs, dreams, and desires of the various residents and stakeholders will be documented and honored.
We acknowledge that voices and concerns have historically been excluded from formal decision-making processes. Specifically, communities of color, linguistically isolated communities, socio-economically disadvantaged populations, and other marginalized groups are often left outside formal public input and planning processes more broadly. Centering these perspectives in the process and recommendations of Louisville’s Urban Forest Master Plan is a key aspect of engagement for this project.
Members of the Equity Council will be asked to provide their perspectives, expertise, goals, and priorities through a series of structured and facilitated workshops together with the larger Advisory Group, as well as in additional smaller meetings just for the smaller Equity Council. This council will also ultimately set the goals for the plan.
Having a smaller group available to delve further into the concerns, ambitions, and priorities of these communities is aimed at prioritizing these perspectives in the development of the outcome and recommendations of this project. Funds have been set aside to provide stipends for Equity Council members that might face financial constraints.
