Public feedback sought on Summerville Urban Forest Master Plan

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - As Summerville continues to grow, town officials said they want to balance the new development with the existing forest.

The town is creating an Urban Forest Master Plan and wants the community’s feedback.

Town officials said as the town experiences more development, more people have begun noticing the loss of trees.

Summerville Director of Planning Jessi Shuler said they’re working on an Urban Forest Master Plan to provide a framework for the town’s forestry.

Shuler said they will be analyzing both the forest and the policies and procedures they have in place to protect it.

But, a big part of this plan involves public input, which is why the town is encouraging people to fill out a recently released survey.

Shuler said the survey will help the town better understand how the public feels about trees, and how they feel about the town’s current tree management policies.

“I would say we do currently have a pretty strict process in place for review of trees before a development is approved. So why it may seem like we’re approving a large number of trees to be removed at a time, it does go through a significant process before it gets to that point, and there is significant mitigation that’s required a part of that approval as well,” Shuler said.

She said the survey takes less than 10 minutes and they hope to receive as much public input as possible.

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