Nature to Nurture The History of Sacramento s Urban Forest

Transcription

1 Nature to Nurture The History of Sacramento s Urban Forest Original Presentation Dr. E. Greg Mc Pherson and Nina Luttinger, USDA Forest Service Updated Ray Tretheway Sacramento Tree Foundation

2 Time Periods 1840 s 1900 Transition from Native to Urban s City of Trees 1950 to 1980 Fighting to Save Trees 1980 to Present Urban Forest Renaissance

3 Transition from Native to Urban 1840 s City on the Plains Park Development Early Tree Plantings Early Tree Advocacy

4 City on the Plains

5 Sutter s Fort

6 Gold Rush

7 Early Tree Plantings Willows planted to secure levees Locust trees in Plaza Park Cottonwood banned ,000 Eucalyptus planted Recommendation by Board of Health

8 Our citizens have a mania for planting trees. There is hardly a tree in the suburbs that in a few years will not be beautifully shaded by rows of trees. Daily Democratic State Journal 1855

9 City Underwater circa 1850 s

10 Why Did They Plant Trees? Public Health Flood Protection Shade Winter Windbreaks Food Aesthetics

11 In a few years when the thousands of trees that are being planted have grown to a respectable size, our city will almost appear a forest. Sacramento Bee 1857

12 Plaza Park 1887

13 Sacramento s Park Neighborhoods Streetcar Suburbs Major Tree Plantings 1860s through 90s

14 Downtown Sacramento 1885

15 A Horticultural Showplace Shade trees add much to the beauty of the place; it will be, in a few years, the city of trees. 1885

16 A Horticultural Showplace A new vision For Capitol Mall

17 Second Period 1900 to 1940 s Tree Planting Continues Maintenance Begins Strong Community Initiatives Storms and Trees

18 Tree Planting 1905 Tree planting ordinance 1923 Street tree planting campaign - 1,000 a year 1935 First tree inventory - 60,000 trees (1 tree for every two residents)

19 Commitment to Parks Park Gardner 1904 Del Paso Park 1911 Park Department 1911 Park Planner John Nolan 1915 William Land Park Design 1922

20 McClatchy Advocacy Front Page Tree Obituaries Editorials The streets can be paved, the car tracks can be laid, the sidewalks constructed, and those majestic oaks not be sacrificed. 1913

21 Early Volunteerism Mrs. J. Henry Miller Waged campaign to convert swamp to McKinley Park Volunteered time, energy and resources Park dedicated in 1902

22 Downtown Neighborhood 1907

23 First Superintendent of Parks Responsible for 40,000 street trees and 6,000 park trees First Street Tree Inventory 1935

24 Free Street Trees

25 Sacramento: A City of Trees The crowning glory that is Sacramento s her glorious shade trees, are glorious because the city looks out for them with as much care and anxiety as a fond parent does for her offspring. Sacramento Bee, August 31, 1939

26 1938 Wind Storm 944 Trees Lost Topping of Elms requested Smaller, cleaner trees (ash, linden, birch) Public backlash to tree removals

27 Storm Damage

28 Storm Damage

29 Sacramento Science Teachers Assn. City Council Minutes Public Protest Over Tree Removals Our city is noted for its beautiful shade trees and it is the duty of the citizens to see that they are preserved. We suggest that the sole power to determine whether a tree is removed be taken out of the hands of one person and placed in the hands of a committee We, as science teachers constantly present to the future citizens of our city a conservation program in our schools. If commercial influences are always to outweight moral and aesthetic influences, then the teaching of conservation in our schools is futile.

30 Post War Boom s Waging war on pest and diseases Tree removals mounting costs an public protest Waning interest in tree planting

31 Tree Maintenance 5,000 lbs lead arsenate 3,000 lbs wettable DDT 2,800 lbs benzene hexachloride 4,200 lbs copper sulfate 9,200 lbs calcium arsenate 38,000 lbs ammonium sulfate

32 New Tree Planting Regulations 1947 Minimum of 50 feet between street trees. No trees within 20 feet of intersections. No trees planted unless sidewalks exists. Minimum planting space of 4 feet between curb and sidewalk.

33 Sacramento: A City of Trees While it is true that the care and maintenance of our street trees presents a real problem, it is equally true that Sacramento s street trees constitute one of our major blessings. Sacramento is known throughout the world as the City of Trees and has received wide publicity on this account. Seen from the air, Sacramento s incorporated area looks like a veritable Forest. B. Cavanaugh, City Manager 1950

34 Smaller Trees, Fewer Trees - Air Conditioning - Smaller Tree Palate (ash, zelkova, Chinese elm) Street Tree Ordinance Update - only protect residential street trees - trees planted only by request - planting not required along commercial streets

35 Plaza Park circa 1950 s Pruning the Elms

36 Sacramento: A City of Trees

37 Urban Forest Renaissance 1980 s to Present - New Partners, Leveraged Resources - Community-Based Solutions - Ecosystem Management Approach - Shared vision for stewarding a sustainable urban forest

38 Urban Forest Renaissance

39 City Declining Budgets City Pop Area Tree# Tree Budget Year (1,000s) (sq miles) (1,000s) (% of city)

40 Sacramento s Urban Forest Parking Lot Shade Tree Ordinace Community-Based Solutions -Sacramento Tree Foundation, Sacramento Shade, Save the Elms Project, 1993 Research Spurs Renewed Interest in Trees -Urban Forest Ecosystem Study / State of Trees Report

41 Sacramento s Urban Forest Cool Community Project, NASA, US EPA Greenprint Initiative, a regional approach counties, 22 cities City Best Practices Study - urban forest manager hired - plant largest tree as space allows

42 Sacramento s Urban Forest City Street Tree Inventory 5 year rotational pruning cycle Urban Forest for Clean Air -Air District, US EPA Greenprint Prescription -Public Health and Canopy Cover

43 Sacramento s Urban Forest I-Eco Regional Tree Surveys and 2012 Urban Woods Rescue

44 Thank you Learn more at sactree.com