An analysis of urban forest management plans in Canada: Implications for urban forest management

•Urban forest management in Canada can be understood via management plans (UFMPs).•Canadian UFMPs are not specific or operational in most ecological, social, and economic management themes.•Nativeness, connectivity, climate change, community stewardship, and economic incentives need more attention.

Urban forests are an integral part of urban ecosystems and quality of city life. The urban forest in Canada is highly valued, underscoring the importance of devising schemes for sustainable urban forest management. During the last decade, many urban forest management plans (UFMPs) have been prepared. This study analyses 14 Canadian UFMPs published in this period. We found that most of the UFMPs are dominated by an approach that relies on single-tree maintenance, canopy-cover enhancement, tree-diversity enhancement, and planting-oriented educational programmes. These activities dominate the operational features of the plans, while other ecological, social, and economic considerations lack specificity and operational clarity. A suite of best management practices based on UFMP documentation is included here.