A REGIONAL URBAN FOREST INITIATIVE An urban forestry program really has no end… It will require “ the continued commitment of citizens, local tree groups and the elected officials of this generation and those of the future.” USDA FOREST SERVICE SACRAMENTO TREE FOUNDATION June 2005 BACKGROUND The State of the Trees Report, published by the Sacramento Tree Foundation in 2000, laid out a bold vision: to capitalize on the remarkable benefits of trees to create the best urban forest for the Sacramento region. As a result, in 2001 elected officials Beginning in 2005, residents and representing twenty municipalities in stakeholders were invited to participate in our six-county region took an exciting leap a public involvement campaign to contribute towards regional collaboration by signing their thoughts and ideas in reviewing the an Urban Forest Compact. The Compact first draft of the Greenprint. Over 35 proposed a shared vision and identified presentations were made to elected bodies, goals to optimize the benefits of our region’s civic groups, professional organizations, urban forest. service clubs and general community meetings. Hundreds of citizen participants Over the next three years, an educational from Colfax to Winters, Live Oak to Galt, campaign produced a video and brochure, and all compass points between helped both titled What’s the Value of a Tree. In craft the best approaches to greening our specific detail they describe the benefits of communities. trees and their financial value to our region. Other educational materials described the The Greenprint represents the thinking and significant economic and health benefits that vision of the Tree Foundation board and trees provide, and detailed the supporting staff, members of the scientific community, studies conducted by leading scientists. urban foresters and arborists, civic and elected leaders and concerned citizens from throughout the region. 2 2 Sacramento Regional GREENPRINT GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR CITIES AND COUNTIES Our region is remarkably well suited to capture the benefi ts of trees. Our hot summers and cool winters enable us to maximize the benefi ts of shade trees in energy savings, air quality improvement, stormwater runoff retention and community enhancement. ■ ■ We recognize the importance of tree We support the value of public-private ■ We support the importance of nurseries canopies and their contributions to partnerships with business and nonprofi t and other green industries in providing the clean air and water, stormwater runoff organizations in order to mobilize highest quality tree stock and state-of-the- reduction, energy conservation, improved resources, widen funding sources, art tree and urban forest services. public health, and increased property and increase the understanding of the values. importance of trees. ■ We support a regional Greenprint steering committee of elected offi cials. ■ We support the protection of native ■ We support the development of urban trees, woodlands and riparian areas as key forest best management practices, policies ■ We support a Greenprint Clearinghouse features to sustain our ecosystems and and ordinances, and the adoption of to provide high-quality technical promote our natural heritage. urban forest master plans for each of our information, education, and funding communities. resources to communities so they can ■ We support the importance of citizen expand, protect, and steward their awareness and community involvement ■ We support coordinated tree planting community trees and urban forest. as major contributors to healthier urban plans in order to double the tree canopy in forests, and in building neighborhood our region. unity, community pride and civic trust. 3 Why TREES? URBAN HEAT ISLAND IMAGE CANOPY MAKES A HEALTHY COMMUNITY The Greenprint invites our region’s cities and counties to develop livable and sustainable communities by building the best urban forests. Scientifi c investigations by a variety of nationally recognized research institutions have quantifi ed a long list of tree-related benefi ts including improved air quality, energy conservation, attraction and retention of business, extended roadway life, water quality and stormwater mitigation, erosion prevention, dust removal, skin cancer prevention, summer air temperature relief and more. In 1998, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) AIR took fl yover thermal image shots of Sacramento to analyze the urban heat 10 million pounds of air pollutants island effect. The urban heat island effect is caused by condensed areas of hard surfaces that radiate heat $25 million in annual air pollution clean-up from the sun, which results in higher temperatures. For example, the red areas in the image above are 118˚ Fahrenheit, WATER while green areas are 82˚ Fahrenheit. One of the most effective ways to 1.75 billion gallons of rainwater mitigate urban heat islands is to increase shade with tree canopy. $17.5 million in annual stormwater runoff costs 4 energ Y SH ade C over A dds Value to O ur R egion Building an urban forest agenda begins by recognizing the pivotal role 30% annual savings on summer cooling costs of canopy cover in the development of our communities. The Greenprint sets an average 35% shade canopy $50 million in annual energy savings goal for our region based on the best available science. business Increase in customers and frequency of business 11 % increase in retail sales prices real estate Well-shaded and landscaped yards and neighborhoods 1% increase in home sale value 5 The GREENPRINT REGIONAL MAP PURPOSE GREENPRINT To guide cities and counties of the Sacramento Area Council of BOUNDARY YUBA COUNT Y Live Oak Governments region in developing urban forest initiatives. SUTTER COUNT Y Marysville Yuba City Colfax GOALS PLACE R Wheatland COUNTY ■ To optimize the benefi ts of trees throughout our region. Auburn Lakeake Tahoeoee Lincoln YOLO 99 E L D O R A D O ■ To create sustainable urban forests. COUNT Y Rocklin COUNTY Loomis 5 Roseville Placerville 5050 ■ To build community-wide appreciation for our urban forests. Citrus Folsom Woodland Heights Sacramento Rancho Winters Davis 80 Cordova West ELEMENTS Sacramento Elk Grove SACRAMENTO A successful urban forest program requires attention in three key elements: 99 5 99 C O U N T Y Galt A Management of Public Trees N Isleton B Policies and Ordinances 10 5 0 10 miles C Community Partnerships Cities and counties within the Sacramento Area Council of Governments 6 ELEMENTS OF THE GREENPRINT GROWTH RINGS The Greenprint offers a step-by-step approach to enhancing your urban forest called growth rings. The growth rings represent increasing levels of commitment and benchmarks for progress. There is built-in fl exibility for each city and county to determine their particular pathway for achieving progress in each of the A B growth rings. MANAGEMENT P O L I C I E S A N D Reaching growth ring 4 in all three elements O F P U B L I C ORDINANCES is the ultimate goal. It will take several years, TREES even decades to achieve, depending on local priorities, resources, and commitments. C C O M M U N I T Y PARTNERSHIPS 7 E L E M E N T A : Management of PUBLIC TREES AIR QUALITY City and county streets and parks are home to most of our public trees. These are often the signature trees of a community, because they are typically the largest and most frequently seen. Properly managed, they serve as models to showcase the best tree selection, pruning, and care. The values of a community are displayed daily by the presence and quality of public trees, or by their absence. Some of the many components to public The Greenprint Clearinghouse, managed by tree management include: knowledgeable the Sacramento Tree Foundation, will have and experienced staff and contractors, state- available technical, scientifi c, and policy- of-the-art tree care programs, comprehensive making information and resources to assist inventories, regular tree assessments, and Greenprint cities and counties in building Doubling the region’s tree regular inter-departmental communications. optimal public tree management programs. canopy is key to: Adopting an urban forest master plan ■ Removing 250,000 tons of reinforces the values, goals, and vision carbon dioxide annually4 of your city or county. ■ Removing 10 million pounds of air pollutants annually5 ■ Reducing air pollution by as much as 50%6 ■ Removing 50 tons of 4 nitrogen oxide annually 4 What’s the Value of a Tree video. Sacramento Tree Foundation. 2004. 5 E.G. McPherson, et al. Guidelines for San Joaquin Valley Communities. March 1999. 6 Tree species selection can ensure low biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions. 8 GROWT H R I N G 1 ■ Maintain public trees on an emergency basis ■ Become a Greenprint participant GROWT H R I N G 2 ■ Assign a liaison to the Greenprint Clearinghouse ■ Conduct an urban forest value assessment7 ■ Convene interdepartmental urban forest stakeholder working group ■ Develop stage 1 of urban reforestation program components8 GROWT H R I N G 3 ■ Develop stage 2 of urban reforestation program components9 ■ Adopt an urban forest master plan ■ Adopt staff education and certification guidelines GROWT H R I N G 4 ■ Form an urban forest department/hire an urban forest coordinator ■ Conduct biannual urban forest department evaluations ■ Publish a state of the urban forest report on 5-year intervals 7 An urban forest value assessment provides a net value of your urban forest, canopy cover %, and priorities for management direction. The Greenprint Clearinghouse offers this service using a program developed and endorsed by the U.S. Forest Service. 8 Mature tree care program; young tree care program; tree purchasing and planting specifications; 5-year planting plan 9 Tree inventory and database; 20-year planting plan; tree hazard, pest and disease management program 9 E L E M E N T B : Local Government POLICIES and ORDINANCES TRANSPORTATION Improving the extent, safety, and health of trees can be advanced by adopting tree policies, ordinances, and plans for both public- and private-property trees.