Embracing Diversity
Diversity in forests and among trees in an urban setting provides ecological strength and sustainability. Diversity of people on tree boards, planting projects, and the other affairs of urban forestry also help assure success and sustainability.
Embracing social diversity does not usually happen by accident and may take effort, but the results are a win-win situation with great dividends for urban and community forestry.
“Approach diversity management not only as an ethical responsibility, but also as a business strategy,” counsels Glenn Llopis, consultant and author of Earning Serendipity. In the ‘business’ of urban forestry, making diversity part of everything we do should be as much of the conscientious planning effort as conducting tree inventories or selecting sites for a tree planting project.
But what is diversity? For many years, Arbor Day Foundation publications have stressed the importance of biodiversity, especially tree diversity in communities. In this bulletin we discuss social diversity. This kind of diversity is about the differences that are a natural part of society.
As the face of America changes, both embracing diversity and making renewed efforts to address underserved communities are essential to the future of trees and nature in neighborhoods and cities throughout the nation.
In This Bulletin
Here’s what’s inside:
- The ‘What’ and ‘Why’ of Diversity – what a diverse tree board looks like and why it’s important
- Some Notable Efforts – examples of a focus on equity and inclusion
- Tips to Increase Diversity – a checklist to help in your efforts
