Street Tree Seminar WTMS Summer Program Santa Monica s Long Range Urban Forest Plan Walt Warriner Community Forester City of Santa Monica, California www.santamonicatrees.com facebook.com/smtrees
Long Range Urban Forest Plans Consistent control and development of the urban forest Improved policies and procedures for its operations Increase its value Transition of successive urban forest managers Identification and development of new species Continual process to grade species performance Evaluating species for use where they will work best Replacement plan for the loss of older trees
Reasons for urban forest planning The perspective of decades & generations Useful life span of trees Strategy for renewing the forest City of Palo Alto Management Plan, 1983
Reasons for long range planning The perspective of decades & generations Useful life span of trees Strategy for renewing the forest Future threats Development New ordinances Insects & diseases
Typical Threats to the Urban Forest Root damage Development Ignorance & Apathy Weather Old age Insects & Diseases
Typical Threats to the Urban Forest Root damage: Improved standard of care Development: Development Agreements Ignorance & Apathy: Education Weather: Preparedness Old age: Long range planting plans Insects & Diseases: Species diversity
25 top species in southern California Lompoc San Diego* 1. Crape Myrtle 2. Mexican Fan Palm 3. Liquidambar 4. Canary Island Pine 5. Magnolia 6. London Plane 7. Queen Palm 8. Carrotwood 9. Jacaranda 10. Chinese Elm 11. Tristania 12. Camphor Data courtesy of West Coast Arborists 13. Sycamore 14. California Pepper 15. Holly Oak 16. Live Oak 17. Ficus 18. Brazilian Pepper 19. Bradford Pear 20. Aleppo Pine 21. Red Iron Bark 22. Eucalyptus spp. 23. Evergreen Pear 24. Lemon Scented Gum 25. Red Gum
25 top species in southern California Lompoc San Diego* 1. Crape Myrtle 2. Mexican Fan Palm 3. Liquidambar 4. Canary Island Pine 5. Magnolia 6. London Plane 7. Queen Palm 8. Carrotwood 9. Jacaranda 10. Chinese Elm 11. Tristania 12. Camphor Data courtesy of West Coast Arborists 13. Sycamore 14. California Pepper 15. Holly Oak 16. Live Oak 17. Ficus 18. Brazilian Pepper 19. Bradford Pear 20. Aleppo Pine 21. Red Iron Bark 22. Eucalyptus spp. 23. Evergreen Pear 24. Lemon Scented Gum 25. Red Gum
Reasons for long range planning Sharing information Develop a core that shares the vision Improve policies & procedures Urban Forest Public Works Planning The Public
Reasons for long range planning Sharing information Develop a core that shares the vision Improve policies & procedures Change the perspective on trees Trees have environmental value Trees as part of the infrastructure Assert proper forest management
Reasons for long range planning Define the urban forest in an Agency s hierarchy Declaration of its value
Reasons for long range planning Define the urban forest in an Agency s hierarchy Declaration of its value Quantify the environmental benefits of the forest Identify policy applications for different departments Planning Public Works & Utilities Risk Management Upper Management
Reasons for long range planning Revise and update policies and procedures Define Best Management Practices Delegate responsibility to individual departments Match policies with responsible positions Planners Architects & Engineers Street Maintenance Supervisors & Utility Managers Decision makers Community Leaders Boards & Commissions City Council
Developing a Long Range Plan Design Community Peers Urban Forester Tree Board Internal Staff Community Stakeholder
Developing the Long Range Plan Tree Inventory How many trees? How old is the forest? What is the remaining life span of the trees? What species do we have? What are the threats to those species? What are the environmental benefits of the forest? Time to analyze the data
Community outreach Citywide community workshops 30,000 door hanger questionnaires On-line survey
Community Workshops
Table Discussion Groups
What neighborhood do you live in?
What type of residence do you live in?
What is most important to you about street trees?
What type of street tree for your street do you prefer?
Profile/Combination Results 1. Broadleaved Evergreen Monoculture 2. Broadleaved Evergreen & Deciduous 3. Narrow leaved Evergreen & Deciduous 4. Deciduous Monoculture 5. Combination of narrow leaved Evergreen Species 6. Broadleaved Evergreen & Deciduous of Similar Form 7. Broadleaved Evergreen & narrow leaved Evergreen 8. Combination of multiple evergreen Species 9. Palm Monoculture (compact spacing) 10. Palm & Deciduous
Community s Top 3 Choices 1 st Choice Broad leaved Evergreen Monoculture 2 nd Choice Broad leaved Evergreen & Deciduous 3 rd Choice Narrow leaved Evergreen & Deciduous
Long Range Planning Urban Forest Design Cool Designs vs. Practical Applications Neighborhood identity History of individual & neighborhood trees
Long Range Planning Urban Forest Design Way finder tree Marker trees
Long Range Planning Urban Forest Design Cool Designs vs. Practical Applications Neighborhood identity Way finder & Marker Trees Infrastructure improvements
Future issues for urban forests Dependence on too few species Age or disease susceptibility Lack of unity in plantings Some streets are under planted or overplanted Unbalanced canopy coverage Restricted grow spaces No specific plan for undeveloped areas
Developing a Succession Plan Define street segments & refine species designations
Street Tree Designation Criteria Species Diversity Aesthetics Tree Site Criteria Canopy size Land use and traffic considerations Micro-climate and growing conditions Nursery availability Specific requirements for individual street segments
Analyzing site conditions Size of growspace in relation to street
Analyzing site conditions Size of canopy in relation to street
Analyzing site conditions Adjacent buildings & structures
Analyzing site conditions Type of traffic; heavy vehicles, pedestrians
Species selection Retain existing species Avoid using trees in the Top 15 Look for opportunities to introduce new species Fill in vacancies between palms Select species that establish after 3 years Consider the environmental value
Changing the existing conditions Proposed future infrastructure improvements Expand tiny parkways Plant trees behind monolithic curbs Create green streets Tree well cut outs Special Urban Forest Improvement Projects GHG tree planting EXPO Lite Rail
Community Response Public Outreach Notice to every mailing address in the City Over 700 e-mail responses Input vetted through the public process
The Community s Future Forest Street tree designations by type Deciduous: 23% Evergreen: 59% Evergreen/Deciduous: 10% Palm: 4% Evergreen/Palm: 2% Deciduous/Palm: 1% No designations: 1%
The Community s Future Forest $500 Top 15 Species in 2010 $450 $400 $350 $300 $250 $200 $150 $100 $50 $- Future Top 15 Species $52 $53 $191 $191 $159 $327 $72 $77 $24 $227 $191 $191 $327 $461 $462 $31 $52 $105 $314 $227 $244
Task Force Input Development of the Guiding Principles
Task Force Input Development of the Guiding Principles 1. The urban forest & its environment Biennial reporting of performance Seven year reporting on performance Public Advisory body
Task Force Input Development of the Guiding Principles 1. The urban forest & its environment 2. Understanding the urban forest Public education Outreach to residents & businesses Heritage Tree program Community tree planting Education of other Agencies
Task Force Input Development of the Guiding Principles 1. The urban forest & its environment 2. Understanding the urban forest 3. Economics of the urban forest City funding External funding
Task Force Input Development of the Guiding Principles 1. The urban forest & its environment 2. Understanding the urban forest 3. Economics of the urban forest 4. Collaborating on urban forest management Internal collaboration Coordination with private entities Community and neighborhood collaboration
Task Force Input Development of the Guiding Principles 1. The urban forest & its environment 2. Understanding the urban forest 3. Economics of the urban forest 4. Collaborating on urban forest management 5. Stewardship of the urban forest Tree Care and Tree Inventory Regular maintenance, protection of trees Risk assessment, declining trees and tree removals Landmark trees, replacements
Task Force Input Development of the Guiding Principles 1. The urban forest & its environment 2. Understanding the urban forest 3. Economics of the urban forest 4. Collaborating on urban forest management 5. Stewardship of the urban forest 6. Enhancing the urban forest Implementation of designated street tree list
Appendices of the Plan Tree Care Standards Street Tree Designation Criteria Glossary
Tree Care Standards Tree Inventory Standards Nursery Stock Pruning Treatments Root Protection & Root Pruning Parkway Landscape Guidelines Guidelines for Watering Street Trees Contractor Standards for Working on City Trees Tree Inspection & Removal Criteria
Summary Think in terms of decades & generations Seek a common vision for the forest Create a core group of advocates Public education program Assert best management practices Largest component of the infrastructure
The 3 Amigos