Environmental Board · Wednesday, November 8, 2023 · City Council Digest

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes of October 11, 2023

packet pp.3–5

Open packet at p.3 ↗

Staff report:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) 10-11-23 Environmental Board Minutes Page [1] CITY OF ISSAQUAH Environmental Board 6:30 PM Tibbetts Manor, 750 17th Ave. October 11, 2023 MINUTES NW, Issaquah

4. AGENDA ITEMS

Urban Forestry Management Plan and Program Update (I, D) [75 mins]

Dan Hintz, Urban Forest Supervisor · packet pp.7–64

Topics: Trees

▶ Watch from 3:58 Open packet at p.7 ↗

Staff report:

Parks and Community Services 130 E Sunset Way | P.O. Box 1307 Issaquah, WA 98027 issaquahwa.gov

ICAP 2024 Check In

Discussion · [20 mins] Stacy Vynne McKinstry, Sustainability Manager · packet pp.65–74

Topics: Climate

▶ Watch from 23:48 Open packet at p.65 ↗

Staff report:

Office of Sustainability 130 E Sunset Way | P.O. Box 1307 Issaquah, WA 98027 issaquahwa.gov

2023 Board Report and Self Assessment

Stacy Vynne McKinstry, Sustainability Manager · packet pp.75–82

Previously discussed: City Council Regular Meeting · Dec 31, 2021

▶ Watch from 43:38 Open packet at p.75 ↗

Staff report:

Office of Sustainability 130 E Sunset Way | P.O. Box 1307 Issaquah, WA 98027 issaquahwa.gov

5. REPORTS

2022 Greenhouse Gas Inventory Preliminary Results

packet pp.83–84

Topics: Climate

Open packet at p.83 ↗

Staff report:

Office of Sustainability 130 E Sunset Way | P.O. Box 1307 Issaquah, WA 98027 issaquahwa.gov

Environmental Board 2023 Workplan

packet pp.85–88

Open packet at p.85 ↗

Staff report:

additional offerings under the Community Energy Efficient Program grant;

3266 segments .txt ↗

0:09 ↗ recording

0:11 ↗ started all right welcome to the

0:14 ↗ November 8th meeting of the squad

0:17 ↗ environmental board I'm Jamie Finch and

0:18 ↗ I'll be your chair tonight um due to the

0:21 ↗ hybrid nature of this meeting we will

0:23 ↗ have some members attending in person

0:25 ↗ and others by computer or phone for all

0:27 ↗ meeting attendees uh that are going to

0:30 ↗ be remote please uh before you speak

0:32 ↗ state your name um and mute your

0:34 ↗ microphone when you are done speaking or

0:36 ↗ not speaking um the people that are in

0:39 ↗ person please as we always do flip your

0:42 ↗ cards on the side if you want to speak

0:44 ↗ uh those online raise your hand and

0:46 ↗ we'll get to you or if we don't just

0:49 ↗ speak up and but your way in um and then

0:54 ↗ on certain topics I don't know if that

0:55 ↗ we'll have any today probably not but

0:58 ↗ certain topics we may decide to have um

1:01 ↗ summarize our agreements at the end uh

1:04 ↗ of a topic I not if there's any disent

1:07 ↗ uh I think with that Stacey you could

1:09 ↗ take us through attendance great uh

1:12 ↗ Tommy

1:13 ↗ Anderson H Nancy Davidson is on her way

1:16 ↗ Jamie Finch here Taj Kandi here Joy

1:21 ↗ Lewis Here Ashwin Canan

1:24 ↗ here Ashman

1:27 ↗ maharan Don McWilliams

1:30 ↗ here Ann Nukem here Janet wall here

1:35 ↗ Dixie bear has an excused absence and

1:38 ↗ Alex Lee

1:39 ↗ tigner

1:42 ↗ here great thank you Stacy um next on

1:46 ↗ the agenda uh we have the minutes from

1:50 ↗ the October 11th meeting any comments on

1:53 ↗ those

1:57 ↗ minutes

1:58 ↗ Tomy you're over

2:02 ↗ here all right Tom any comments on the

2:04 ↗ October 11

2:06 ↗ minutes look good to be okay well then

2:10 ↗ the minutes are approved as presented um

2:14 ↗ next up we will have public comment uh

2:17 ↗ and I think we may have at least one

2:19 ↗ speaker so uh for everyone that is in

2:23 ↗ person um or sorry anyone that remote

2:25 ↗ please raise your virtual hand at this

2:27 ↗ point if you'd like to speak um and then

2:30 ↗ in general please uh keep com any

2:32 ↗ comments to about 5 minutes possible um

2:37 ↗ so yeah we'll open it now for public

2:42 ↗ comment he you yeah but I wanted to

2:46 ↗ request to be a comment after the tree

2:49 ↗ presentation because I haven't seen it

2:52 ↗ before is that possible yeah that's did

2:56 ↗ you unlock it yeah so we'll we'll come

2:58 ↗ back to you after the is it do you want

3:01 ↗ to go after the tree portion or there's

3:04 ↗ like

3:05 ↗ multiple

3:07 ↗ that whole tree portion

3:11 ↗ okay um and then Jonathan it looks like

3:13 ↗ you have your hand

3:16 ↗ raised yes I just wanted to make an

3:19 ↗ announcement that um on we will have our

3:21 ↗ next litter cleanup event on Saturday

3:24 ↗ December 2nd uh we will meet at the uh

3:29 ↗ post office Northwest Gilman Boulevard

3:31 ↗ at 9:00 a.m. and uh meet from there and

3:34 ↗ do a volunteer uh cleanup that's it

3:38 ↗ thank you thank you

3:40 ↗ Jonathan um do we have were there any

3:43 ↗ other comments that we should know Stacy

3:46 ↗ um just the written comments that Connie

3:48 ↗ submitted prior to the meeting today any

3:51 ↗ other comments all right well with that

3:54 ↗ we will not close public comment we will

3:56 ↗ come back to public comment um but we

3:58 ↗ will move into our agenda items the

4:00 ↗ first one being urban forestry

4:02 ↗ management plan and program program

4:08 ↗ update um well great um yes we actually

4:11 ↗ have three things on our agenda I'm

4:13 ↗ gonna hand it off to Chris and Andrea

4:15 ↗ with Planet goo here in just a minute to

4:17 ↗ introduce the city's first urban Forest

4:19 ↗ management plan um this will be coming

4:21 ↗ back to the environment board at least

4:22 ↗ once if not twice more in 2024 we are

4:26 ↗ just about and I think uh Chris will go

4:28 ↗ over the timeline here in a little bit

4:29 ↗ some of the slides we're just about two

4:31 ↗ months into this process which will be

4:32 ↗ you know 12 to 14 months is kind of what

4:34 ↗ we're looking at so really excited to

4:36 ↗ just kind of present the team with

4:38 ↗ Planet Geo um go over the scope of work

4:41 ↗ and some of the timeline and kind of

4:43 ↗ what we're hoping to see out of this

4:44 ↗ plan and then really have a discussion

4:46 ↗ any questions any suggestions you all

4:47 ↗ have you know we're still at the very

4:49 ↗ much the kind of content Gathering stage

4:51 ↗ here um there'll be a survey provided uh

4:53 ↗ for the general public but certainly

4:55 ↗ targeted towards the environmental board

4:56 ↗ as well that will likely be early in the

4:59 ↗ New Year too like I said definitely

5:00 ↗ there be more opportunities on that

5:01 ↗ topic to to weigh in as the

5:03 ↗ environmental board um we will cover the

5:06 ↗ Heritage tree program after the urban

5:08 ↗ Forest management plan um that'll be a

5:10 ↗ little bit shorter of a time frame and

5:11 ↗ ultimately going to the park board for

5:13 ↗ any uh modifications to that program and

5:16 ↗ then just have some general Urban Forest

5:17 ↗ program updates at the end so that's

5:19 ↗ kind of our plan here so uh Chris I

5:23 ↗ think I'm hand it off to you to get us

5:24 ↗ started here on our uh introduction to

5:26 ↗ our Urban Forest management

5:28 ↗ plan all right yeah sounds good thanks

5:30 ↗ Dan Chris Piper here with Planet Geo and

5:33 ↗ um we can move to the title slide for

5:35 ↗ our presentation and I just wanted to um

5:38 ↗ first start off with uh this overview of

5:41 ↗ the presentation this evening and on an

5:44 ↗ upcoming slide I'll um cover some of the

5:47 ↗ um the background and then get into our

5:51 ↗ uh General approach for the urban Forest

5:53 ↗ management plan and then what we'd like

5:55 ↗ to do is summarize by Milestone what

5:58 ↗ this project looks like over over the

5:59 ↗ next 12 to 14 months and some of those

6:02 ↗ key planning tasks that we want to

6:04 ↗ highlight and where there are

6:05 ↗ opportunities for engagement and then uh

6:08 ↗ we'll keep this really high level

6:09 ↗ because it's more important I think at

6:11 ↗ this stage to just provide the the

6:14 ↗ basics and then hear your questions and

6:17 ↗ uh feedback and uh get us moving along

6:19 ↗ as Dan said this is uh month two of the

6:22 ↗ project and so we're in the research and

6:24 ↗ Analysis phase and really looking uh at

6:27 ↗ um the next steps as part of this

6:29 ↗ planning project and so on the next

6:31 ↗ slide I'm just going to uh move forward

6:34 ↗ with uh the background so as you go to

6:38 ↗ the next slide here we'll just talk a

6:40 ↗ little bit about planet Geo and um just

6:42 ↗ going to keep this brief but before I

6:44 ↗ get into that I did want to mention that

6:46 ↗ we'll be here for the urban Forest

6:48 ↗ management plan questions but I will

6:50 ↗ need to hop off of the call so you know

6:53 ↗ after the Heritage tree program

6:55 ↗ discussion or the maintenance and

6:57 ↗ planting activities if there are

6:59 ↗ follow-up questions we'll touch base

7:01 ↗ with Dan to make sure that we address

7:03 ↗ those and get back to you so yeah um

7:06 ↗ just wanted to cover the basics again my

7:08 ↗ name is Chris Pier I'm director of urban

7:10 ↗ forestry consulting services and uh at

7:13 ↗ Planet Geo um we look to provide a full

7:15 ↗ Suite of services and software for

7:18 ↗ communities and organizations looking to

7:20 ↗ inventory assess and manage their trees

7:23 ↗ and we have the software for um making

7:26 ↗ some of those data driven decisions and

7:29 ↗ uh we provide the full Suite where we

7:31 ↗ have our Consulting Services team where

7:33 ↗ Andrea and I are a part of that section

7:37 ↗ and we develop these management and

7:38 ↗ master plans for communities and

7:41 ↗ organizations and so on the next slide

7:44 ↗ just going to talk a little bit more

7:45 ↗ about our project team from the

7:47 ↗ Consulting Services side of things and

7:50 ↗ uh for this project I'll mainly be the

7:52 ↗ project manager providing insights on

7:55 ↗ the approach to different types of

7:57 ↗ analyses uh interpreting findings from

8:00 ↗ consultations and our engagement

8:02 ↗ activities and then weighing in on the

8:04 ↗ strategies and doing final reviews of

8:07 ↗ deliverables and the final management

8:10 ↗ plan and not on this call this evening

8:12 ↗ we have Alex uh Hancock who is

8:15 ↗ overseeing our uh planning and the

8:17 ↗ development of strategies and really

8:19 ↗ looking at the strategies through uh

8:21 ↗ climate resiliency and examining

8:24 ↗ policies so that you have a strong

8:26 ↗ Foundation um to build this sustainable

8:29 ↗ Urban Forest management planning program

8:32 ↗ but then joining us this evening we have

8:34 ↗ Andrea starboard is uh an urban forestry

8:37 ↗ planner and local to the area and she's

8:40 ↗ really providing the key insights and

8:42 ↗ approaches to internal and external

8:45 ↗ engagement the research and the local

8:48 ↗ context and being available for the

8:50 ↗ in-person activities and presentations

8:54 ↗ this is a one-off case where um we

8:56 ↗ weren't able to attend in person but

8:58 ↗ glad that you have the virtual setting

9:00 ↗ for us to to present the on the um plan

9:03 ↗ this evening and then uh as you all know

9:06 ↗ Dan is the uh primary contact at the

9:08 ↗ city for directing your questions and

9:11 ↗ comments checking in on the status and

9:13 ↗ we'll be sure with our project updates

9:15 ↗ to keep Dan updated and to keep you all

9:18 ↗ informed and like I said if questions

9:20 ↗ come up after we're off of this meeting

9:22 ↗ uh we'll be circling back with Dan to

9:24 ↗ make sure we can address

9:26 ↗ those so then on the next slide we'll

9:28 ↗ get into to a bit more about the the

9:30 ↗ project itself and when I start off

9:33 ↗ conversations around an urban Forest

9:35 ↗ management plan i' like to start off

9:37 ↗ with this quote from James Clark in a

9:39 ↗ model of urban Forest

9:40 ↗ sustainability and so to paraphrase it

9:43 ↗ means that a sustainable Urban Forest

9:45 ↗ requires a shared commitment from the

9:47 ↗ city its partners and the residents and

9:51 ↗ that doing so you want to create a

9:53 ↗ shared vision and include engagement and

9:56 ↗ input and feedback from all Community me

9:58 ↗ members members during the planning

10:01 ↗ process and in developing an urban

10:04 ↗ Forest management plan we want to

10:06 ↗ recognize that trees are vital

10:08 ↗ infrastructur to the community and that

10:10 ↗ everybody has a part in the sustainable

10:12 ↗ management growth and expansion of the

10:15 ↗ urban

10:16 ↗ Forest on the next slide we talk a

10:19 ↗ little bit why it's important to

10:21 ↗ preserve and expand the urban Forest

10:24 ↗ many of you are familiar that trees

10:26 ↗ provide environmental social and

10:28 ↗ economic benefits but one of the

10:30 ↗ overarching goals of a management plan

10:33 ↗ is to maximize those uh benefits such as

10:36 ↗ the ones on the slide both sustainably

10:38 ↗ and equitably and so we look at

10:40 ↗ accomplishing them through analyzing

10:43 ↗ what you have looking at the challenges

10:45 ↗ and opportunities providing uh

10:48 ↗ strategies and best practices to

10:50 ↗ maintain these trees looking at risk

10:53 ↗ assessments and management uh the

10:55 ↗ planting strategies so that you can

10:57 ↗ sustain canopy cover over the long term

11:00 ↗ and other tasks that align with

11:02 ↗ objectives of a city's um scope of work

11:05 ↗ for a management plan

11:07 ↗ project but on the next slide we

11:09 ↗ recognize that trees not only provide

11:12 ↗ benefits but we also need to address the

11:14 ↗ current and predicted and also the

11:16 ↗ unknown challenges and risks facing

11:18 ↗ trees and communities and so we've done

11:21 ↗ uh several of these management plan

11:23 ↗ projects especially in uh the region of

11:26 ↗ Isa in the Northwest and what we identif

11:29 ↗ by is that these are common challenges

11:31 ↗ and risks facing trees and communities

11:33 ↗ but through our planning process we're

11:35 ↗ going to really hone in on those

11:37 ↗ specific ones and identify shared

11:40 ↗ concerns challenges and priorities

11:43 ↗ across internal and external

11:45 ↗ stakeholders so that we can provide and

11:47 ↗ develop those um datadriven and

11:50 ↗ actionable strategies in a management

11:52 ↗ plan to you know uh prevent to address

11:57 ↗ or to remediate uh such uh challenges

12:00 ↗ like the ones listed here on the slide

12:02 ↗ and you know we look at Pest and

12:04 ↗ diseases the effects of climate change

12:07 ↗ and how the changing climate can impact

12:09 ↗ the trees that survive and thrive we

12:12 ↗ look at uh more care that's required for

12:15 ↗ trees to survive after planting and a

12:17 ↗ number of other threats such as Wildfire

12:20 ↗ uh resourcing uh

12:22 ↗ limitations and uh conflicts for space

12:25 ↗ in you know an urbanized area you have

12:28 ↗ to to have other infrastructure and meet

12:30 ↗ other priorities and goals and we want

12:33 ↗ to look to see how we can balance these

12:35 ↗ priorities in a management

12:37 ↗ plan so on the next slide we talk about

12:40 ↗ how to do that in developing a

12:42 ↗ management plan so the city recognizes

12:46 ↗ that the purpose of a management plan is

12:48 ↗ to sustain the long-term benefits while

12:50 ↗ addressing challenges and so the RFP was

12:54 ↗ uh launched to develop isqua's first

12:56 ↗ ever Urban Forest management plan

12:59 ↗ to uh address the objectives in that RFP

13:03 ↗ we provide an approach that addresses

13:05 ↗ the fundamentals of adaptive management

13:08 ↗ so by applying the fundamentals of

13:10 ↗ adaptive management we're ensuring that

13:12 ↗ the final plan is a living and

13:14 ↗ actionable plan so our planning steps

13:17 ↗ and processes are listed on the right

13:19 ↗ there where it's an IT iterative process

13:22 ↗ each steps informs the next and IT

13:24 ↗ addresses those fundamental questions on

13:26 ↗ the left what do we have so what are

13:28 ↗ your Baseline conditions the state of

13:30 ↗ the urban Forest what do we want what

13:33 ↗ what are we hearing as shared concerns

13:35 ↗ and priorities how do we get there what

13:38 ↗ are the what's the road map what are the

13:40 ↗ costs what's the schedules priorities

13:43 ↗ who are the partners involved what what

13:45 ↗ roles do they play What policies and

13:47 ↗ best practices need to be implemented

13:50 ↗ and then how are we doing what are we

13:52 ↗ measuring and monitoring so that we're

13:54 ↗ adapting in an everchanging environment

13:57 ↗ looking at the strategies that that are

13:59 ↗ working well now but as resources and

14:01 ↗ the urban Forest changes how do you

14:03 ↗ continually Monitor and make this a

14:06 ↗ living management plan and so um on the

14:09 ↗ next slide I talk a little bit more

14:11 ↗ about the specific scope of work for

14:14 ↗ isqua's management plan and so the scope

14:17 ↗ of work was organized into these uh five

14:20 ↗ primary tasks beginning with project

14:22 ↗ management which is carried on

14:24 ↗ throughout the entire 12 to 14 months

14:27 ↗ and we end with the plan itself

14:30 ↗ presentations and final delivery

14:32 ↗ training the table on the right is not

14:35 ↗ intended to be read but it's just to

14:37 ↗ illustrate there are many steps in this

14:39 ↗ process but you know each task has its

14:42 ↗ own subtasks or steps and we look to go

14:45 ↗ through this process in a continuous

14:47 ↗ feedback loop so as we draft

14:49 ↗ deliverables sharing with the project

14:52 ↗ team having an opportunity to review

14:54 ↗ discussing with boards such as this one

14:57 ↗ revising as needed and moving on to the

14:59 ↗ next step so that way we're working

15:02 ↗ together for this end product and a

15:03 ↗ successful

15:05 ↗ plan and so that's really just a high

15:08 ↗ level overview and now I just want to

15:10 ↗ talk uh at a high level on the timeline

15:12 ↗ and

15:13 ↗ Milestones so when we look at it uh when

15:16 ↗ we simplify it into these Milestones by

15:20 ↗ quarter here in 2023 and

15:22 ↗ 20124 we see that those five tasks and

15:26 ↗ the series of subtasks or steps are

15:28 ↗ detailed um by these milestones and

15:31 ↗ they're also listed in this living work

15:33 ↗ plan that we're drafting as a project

15:35 ↗ management

15:37 ↗ tool so uh in the bottom left we have a

15:40 ↗ key for what these Milestones entail

15:42 ↗ what type of Milestone they are and so

15:45 ↗ the yellow or the first one in the in

15:47 ↗ the key at the bottom is project

15:49 ↗ management followed by assessments

15:52 ↗ engagement whether it be internal or

15:54 ↗ external and then planning tasks where

15:57 ↗ we're applying those other items into

16:00 ↗ developing strategies and the plan

16:03 ↗ itself so when we uh look at 2023 for

16:06 ↗ the remainder here we'll be completing

16:08 ↗ our analyses of tree data internal

16:11 ↗ stakeholder surveys and

16:13 ↗ consultations uh the external public

16:15 ↗ engagement plan and then presentations

16:18 ↗ such as the one we're holding this

16:20 ↗ evening and then we'll be uh beginning

16:22 ↗ to apply our findings to draft uh

16:25 ↗ strategies because you know really

16:27 ↗ that's the heart of the plan is how

16:29 ↗ we're going to accomplish the vision and

16:31 ↗ goals and so we want to draft these

16:33 ↗ early with input and with data that we

16:36 ↗ um gather and then share this for review

16:39 ↗ and refinement as we work through the

16:41 ↗ plan itself so then when we get into

16:44 ↗ 2024 you know just at a high level we'll

16:46 ↗ begin our benchmarking of existing

16:49 ↗ conditions we'll be completing the rest

16:51 ↗ of our tree analyses looking at the

16:54 ↗ bottom up uh with inventory related data

16:56 ↗ that's available and then the the top-

16:58 ↗ down approach looking at tree canopy

17:00 ↗ cover across the city and identifying

17:03 ↗ Trends opportunities and going back to

17:06 ↗ those risks or challenges facing the

17:08 ↗ urban Forest so then we'll also continue

17:11 ↗ with our external engagement again those

17:14 ↗ are the milestones in the green color

17:16 ↗ and then uh in the first quarter of 2024

17:20 ↗ we'll have an outline of the draft for

17:22 ↗ input and review and also the first

17:24 ↗ draft of the plan now of course there's

17:27 ↗ more engagement that will be done in

17:29 ↗ quarter two of 2024 so that's where we

17:32 ↗ look to refine our strategies have uh

17:35 ↗ stakeholders weigh in on the goals um

17:38 ↗ the drafts that we're putting together

17:40 ↗ and then uh finalize it through a

17:42 ↗ strategy workshop and a second draft

17:44 ↗ with a public comment period so that

17:47 ↗ will take us to quarter three and we'll

17:49 ↗ be looking at you know the July August

17:52 ↗ time frame where we'll be doing

17:54 ↗ additional commission and board meetings

17:56 ↗ about the drafts and what we're hearing

17:59 ↗ from stakeholders and then finalizing

18:02 ↗ with input our key performance

18:04 ↗ indicators or our our kpis which will

18:06 ↗ lead to the final Urban Forest

18:08 ↗ management plan so when you uh

18:11 ↗ categorize it into those Milestones it

18:14 ↗ it simplifies the process but it's going

18:16 ↗ to be an extensive period of research

18:18 ↗ and Analysis examining tree data Trends

18:22 ↗ Gathering input and feedback from

18:25 ↗ internal stakeholders and from the

18:27 ↗ community and then applying that to our

18:30 ↗ benchmarking and our comprehensive Urban

18:32 ↗ Forest auditing exercises which then

18:35 ↗ lead to the kpis and in the draft plan

18:38 ↗ so we just wanted to uh summarize at a

18:41 ↗ high level um our milestones and then

18:44 ↗ going back earlier in the presentation

18:47 ↗ covering a bit on the uh purpose the

18:50 ↗ approach you know applying the

18:51 ↗ fundamentals of adaptive management and

18:54 ↗ then keeping in mind maximizing the

18:56 ↗ benefits of trees sustainably

18:58 ↗ while addressing the known and unknown

19:01 ↗ challenges and threats facing trees in

19:03 ↗ isqua and so that concludes the

19:06 ↗ presentation if you go to the next slide

19:08 ↗ uh like I said we wanted to keep it high

19:10 ↗ level and be available for any questions

19:12 ↗ or comments you have around the project

19:15 ↗ isqu because Urban forest or just our

19:17 ↗ approach in general and just want to

19:19 ↗ thank you all for your time and looking

19:21 ↗ forward to your questions and comments

19:23 ↗ thank

19:26 ↗ you thank you Chris

19:28 ↗ um any questions from board members on

19:33 ↗ go ahead is your Ur forestry management

19:35 ↗ plan include your street

19:37 ↗ trees yes okay so it's two in one

19:41 ↗ yes I have a related question is is the

19:44 ↗ scope every tree like do we consider

19:46 ↗ every tree in isaa urban forest or is

19:49 ↗ there certain bounds to that is that is

19:52 ↗ this going to be about like the full 12

19:55 ↗ square miles of this claw trees is that

19:57 ↗ right

20:00 ↗ yes I mean the it's going to be another

20:01 ↗ tree canopy assessment we're actually

20:03 ↗ including a riparian assessment this

20:05 ↗ time too so I mean that's looking

20:06 ↗ comprehensively I mean a lot of the

20:08 ↗ strategies will be and and Chris and

20:10 ↗ Andrea jump in here if you have more to

20:12 ↗ add a lot of strategies obviously will

20:13 ↗ be where we have you know the actual um

20:17 ↗ you know kind of management

20:18 ↗ responsibilities which will be more

20:20 ↗ targeted to our you know street treeses

20:21 ↗ right aways buil environments and um uh

20:25 ↗ natural areas but obviously the kind of

20:27 ↗ policy review the kind of implementation

20:29 ↗ of that has big impacts on what goes on

20:31 ↗ in private property too so that is part

20:33 ↗ of it but you know those are things we

20:35 ↗ can kind of recommend on but you know

20:37 ↗ can't maybe as directly impact right

20:39 ↗ away at least um yeah Chris or Andrew

20:42 ↗ anything you want to add there yeah well

20:45 ↗ said um this is focused on public trees

20:48 ↗ those that the city has authority over

20:50 ↗ and you know ways in which you can

20:52 ↗ maintain and expand tree canopy cover

20:55 ↗ but also we're looking at the entire

20:57 ↗ Urban Forest and when we talk Urban

20:59 ↗ Forest it does include you know the

21:00 ↗ trees in rural areas or critical and uh

21:04 ↗ you know vital areas such as wetlands

21:06 ↗ and um wood lots and and like um Dan

21:10 ↗ said repairing areas we're doing a

21:12 ↗ canopy assessment but uh also like Dan

21:15 ↗ said um when it relates to trees on

21:18 ↗ private property oftentimes with these

21:21 ↗ types of plans those are addressed

21:23 ↗ through um existing um policies and

21:25 ↗ regulations around development and red

21:28 ↗ development um and we look at maybe

21:30 ↗ making recommendations for where there

21:33 ↗ might be inconsistencies or gaps or

21:36 ↗ things are unclear or Antiquated

21:38 ↗ language but then really a strong piece

21:40 ↗ of this is the Community Education and

21:42 ↗ engagement part of it really having um

21:45 ↗ the right messaging and uh the right uh

21:48 ↗ opportunities for folks to um see how

21:52 ↗ you know coming into the community not

21:54 ↗ just saying trees benefit you but

21:56 ↗ hearing from the Community First and

21:58 ↗ then saying well this is how trees fit

22:00 ↗ into this puzzle or how trees can

22:02 ↗ address these challenges and then you

22:04 ↗ know building that shared commitment

22:06 ↗ because what we often find that a lot of

22:08 ↗ the canopy cover this Urban Forest is on

22:11 ↗ private property so education and policy

22:14 ↗ and regulation come in hand with the

22:17 ↗ private

22:18 ↗ trees thank you NY go

22:21 ↗ ahead so I have several questions if I

22:23 ↗ have that opportunity um first off so

22:27 ↗ I've never seen what of these plans

22:28 ↗ before so do you assess the age of the

22:30 ↗ trees and potential lifespans of them so

22:33 ↗ that we're also looking at replacement

22:35 ↗ of them because they will over time not

22:37 ↗ continue to thrive and function like

22:40 ↗ they

22:41 ↗ should yeah so that's one of the things

22:43 ↗ looking at sustaining canopy cover

22:46 ↗ possibly you know looking at with these

22:48 ↗ types of plans there's an overarching

22:50 ↗ canopy goal and sometimes it's split up

22:53 ↗ by a canopy goal for public areas canopy

22:56 ↗ goals for private areas and what are

22:58 ↗ those strategies to sustain or expand

23:01 ↗ canopy cover oftentimes it's like what

23:03 ↗ you're describing there is there a

23:05 ↗ replacement strategy or a planting

23:07 ↗ strategy in place and to make informed

23:09 ↗ decisions around that we do want to look

23:12 ↗ at you know what's the composition what

23:14 ↗ types of trees what trees are doing well

23:16 ↗ with changing climates or you know maybe

23:19 ↗ lack of water or maybe the maintenance

23:22 ↗ and post-planting Care is limited and

23:24 ↗ then um What's the timing for plantings

23:27 ↗ do you have an aging canopy where let's

23:29 ↗ say a lot of trees will be you know

23:31 ↗ reaching their end of their lifespan

23:34 ↗ what is in place to recoup those loss of

23:36 ↗ benefits so that all goes into place uh

23:39 ↗ the more data that we have the better we

23:42 ↗ can make recommendations but there are a

23:44 ↗ lot of best practices Regional studies

23:47 ↗ you know the the canopy assessment data

23:50 ↗ will go a long way and looking at what's

23:52 ↗ the planting and replacement schedules

23:55 ↗ priorities and approaches for for those

23:58 ↗ uh benefits and the associated canopy

24:00 ↗ with that so I'm going to keep asking

24:04 ↗ questions if that's okay can I add one

24:06 ↗ thing to that just move on to your next

24:09 ↗ question I mean one of the things we

24:10 ↗ don't have at a city and will be

24:12 ↗ definitely laid out as a strategy this

24:13 ↗ plan is a tree inventory so we don't

24:17 ↗ really have that as other cities do I

24:18 ↗ mean city of samam just completed there

24:20 ↗ a couple years ago they have 20,000

24:21 ↗ trees in their inventory so I mean that

24:23 ↗ is something that I see as kind of the

24:24 ↗ next big step after this Forest

24:26 ↗ management plan to hopefully glean some

24:28 ↗ more information and kind of the type of

24:29 ↗ stuff you're asking and that's not in

24:31 ↗ their scope not currently no okay in

24:33 ↗ terms of kind of recommendations kind of

24:34 ↗ how we want to go you know I mean and

24:36 ↗ Planet Zu has software that you we could

24:38 ↗ consider using in the future for

24:40 ↗ managing tree inventories too so that's

24:42 ↗ definitely something that will be

24:43 ↗ recommended but not in the scope right

24:47 ↗ so you're not then looking at areas like

24:50 ↗ the highlands was built in roughly a

24:52 ↗ similar time frame s Mountain at least

24:54 ↗ the upper Parts there's a few places

24:56 ↗ added was build about the same time

24:58 ↗ frame Talis is an area with similar

25:00 ↗ range trees at least in its Street tree

25:03 ↗ inventory downtown is a mess but you

25:07 ↗ know but you know so you you have areas

25:10 ↗ where you can kind of identify that the

25:12 ↗ street trees were built or installed at

25:16 ↗ the same time um so can you use that to

25:19 ↗ your benefit in this plan to help

25:21 ↗ identify and many of them are similar in

25:25 ↗ type um similar in age

25:28 ↗ probably similar in watering

25:30 ↗ constraints um so it should make it a

25:32 ↗ little easier shouldn't it just ask

25:34 ↗ throwing that out there because of the

25:36 ↗ way the city has developed in many of

25:39 ↗ its neighborhoods I I think so yes and

25:42 ↗ you know I I have spent a lot of time in

25:45 ↗ in Talis and the highlands recently and

25:48 ↗ um I talk to Don about this a little bit

25:50 ↗ right after I started with the city I

25:51 ↗ mean there's a lot

25:53 ↗ of inadequate infrastructure that went

25:56 ↗ in for trees in the first place so it's

25:57 ↗ not necessarily the age of those trees I

25:59 ↗ mean a lot of those trees you're

26:00 ↗ speaking of our 20 to 30 years old and

26:02 ↗ hopefully would live for twice as long

26:04 ↗ if not more than that so we're not

26:05 ↗ necessarily at replacement stage for

26:07 ↗ those but then we are dealing with

26:09 ↗ issues where we have trees you know

26:10 ↗ planted in six to eight inches of top

26:12 ↗ soil and then glacial till and they're

26:15 ↗ now outgrowing three to five foot

26:17 ↗ planting strips and so that's kind of

26:18 ↗ getting into how we can best balance

26:21 ↗ that how we can best you know maybe

26:22 ↗ justify putting in more Investments to

26:24 ↗ improve some of those areas instead of

26:26 ↗ just having shorter tree replacement

26:28 ↗ intervals I think because of the

26:29 ↗ inadequate you know essentially

26:31 ↗ infrastructure we have in a lot of those

26:32 ↗ um kind of more forested hillsides so

26:36 ↗ but yeah I think that's a really good

26:37 ↗ point though is we do know the age of

26:39 ↗ those trees are pretty consistent with

26:40 ↗ when the development went in and you

26:42 ↗ know it's blocks of the same species and

26:44 ↗ um we're seeing the ones that are

26:45 ↗ causing the issues ones that are having

26:47 ↗ some Decline and ones that are kind of

26:49 ↗ thriving too so I think that's something

26:51 ↗ we can hopefully incorporate but I'll be

26:53 ↗ curious Chris or Andrew you have

26:55 ↗ thoughts on

26:56 ↗ that sure yeah and I like the idea um

26:59 ↗ and and we have applied that approach

27:01 ↗ before with parcel level data looking at

27:04 ↗ um the age of a home looking at um the

27:07 ↗ subdivision or the intended land use so

27:09 ↗ that we can get an estimate of like you

27:12 ↗ said the relative age of the trees

27:14 ↗ because when those um properties were

27:16 ↗ put in place there were likely tree

27:18 ↗ plantings um and part of my role with

27:20 ↗ this project is looking at you know yes

27:23 ↗ there is a missing piece with not having

27:25 ↗ a public tree inventory but we're going

27:27 ↗ to outline our approach to how we can

27:30 ↗ make um General um assessments or

27:34 ↗ analyses with the information we do have

27:37 ↗ at hand and so that's like likely an

27:39 ↗ input that we can use and one thing I um

27:42 ↗ you know I heard about like maybe

27:43 ↗ improving a site putting investments

27:46 ↗ into you know the soil and the available

27:48 ↗ space for the trees to grow I think

27:50 ↗ that's key because often times you hear

27:52 ↗ folks say about planting trees but less

27:54 ↗ on growing trees and so that's something

27:56 ↗ that we want to to really emphasize with

27:58 ↗ this plan um and then also um you know

28:02 ↗ keeping in mind that this is the first

28:04 ↗ management plan and we'll be building in

28:06 ↗ a framework where you review Monitor and

28:09 ↗ revise and then take the next step maybe

28:11 ↗ for the next five years and so yeah you

28:14 ↗ may not have an inventory for the

28:16 ↗ starting point but this can get things

28:18 ↗ off the ground looking at uh funding

28:20 ↗ mechanisms so that you can do

28:23 ↗ inventories and then that can feed into

28:25 ↗ the Adaptive management approach so so

28:27 ↗ yeah um lots lots to uh determine in in

28:31 ↗ terms of our approach but like I said

28:33 ↗ we're getting into the um research and

28:35 ↗ Analysis phase so uh those types of

28:38 ↗ decisions will be happening soon so I'm

28:40 ↗ glad to hear the the input there on

28:42 ↗ looking at like age of the property or

28:44 ↗ or um types of

28:47 ↗ neighborhoods I just have one last

28:49 ↗ comment many of the trees in the city

28:51 ↗ have created trip hazards which create a

28:53 ↗ liability to the city and so uh the root

28:56 ↗ zon and looking at those are um

28:59 ↗ something that I'm hoping is one of the

29:01 ↗ criteria or something to be considered

29:04 ↗ because tearing up sidewalks or tearing

29:06 ↗ up streets to deal with roots is not

29:08 ↗ necessarily fun and a huge cost to the

29:11 ↗ public works side of it and then it also

29:13 ↗ damages the trees so we need to be

29:16 ↗ thinking about you know trip hazards

29:18 ↗ that are created by roots and making

29:20 ↗ sure we're um addressing those that's

29:23 ↗ all my comments for now thank you thank

29:25 ↗ you Nancy we'll go to Tom and then

29:29 ↗ okay thank you uh so I know this plan is

29:32 ↗ a very applied plan to applied to the

29:34 ↗ Trees of this claw but I'm wondering

29:37 ↗ whether the city is contemplating you

29:39 ↗ know further advancement of the science

29:42 ↗ and participating in research programs

29:45 ↗ like the Western red seedar dieback

29:47 ↗ program does does the city see that as

29:50 ↗ part of um their mission uh at all or is

29:54 ↗ that is that something that would be

29:57 ↗ included in the budget of your

29:59 ↗ department D or is that something that's

30:02 ↗ to a field for a field I I think

30:05 ↗ absolutely and that's something that I

30:07 ↗ mean thanks to Ann I've been connected

30:08 ↗ with Joey and um Forest Health watch on

30:10 ↗ some of the Cedar dieback and maybe I'll

30:12 ↗ hand it to Andrea here in a second who's

30:14 ↗ definitely familiar with that program as

30:15 ↗ well so um very much and kind of Chris

30:18 ↗ talked about thinking about the you know

30:21 ↗ kind of changing conditions we have you

30:23 ↗ know from our changing climate and kind

30:25 ↗ of what that means for best practices

30:26 ↗ and you know trying to learn why we're

30:28 ↗ seeing these declines of certain species

30:30 ↗ like red cedar um you know I'm also part

30:33 ↗ of a forest adaptation Network where

30:34 ↗ they're really looking at kind of the

30:36 ↗ assisted migration approaches or the

30:38 ↗ assisted genetic migration and that's

30:39 ↗ something that Andrea can touch on to

30:41 ↗ and we'll be kind of considering this

30:42 ↗ plan so yeah certainly trying to stay up

30:46 ↗ you know with the with the Curve there

30:47 ↗ in terms of what those kind of new

30:49 ↗ developing approaches are for for

30:51 ↗ managing trees and what is kind of a

30:53 ↗ moving Target climate wise um Andre you

30:57 ↗ want yeah um I apologize my voice is a

31:00 ↗ little froggy right now

31:03 ↗ um I'm getting over being sick um so

31:07 ↗ while participating heavily in terms of

31:10 ↗ necessarily providing data for research

31:12 ↗ programs that are going on like Western

31:13 ↗ red cedar dieback or like the monitoring

31:16 ↗ programs um a plan like this isn't

31:19 ↗ necessarily providing data to support

31:21 ↗ those but we are definitely keeping very

31:23 ↗ close tabs on any data that is being

31:25 ↗ released with those any kind of changes

31:27 ↗ in approach or um theories or processes

31:31 ↗ that are are happening to monitor that

31:33 ↗ dieback and anything that would be

31:36 ↗ useful and applicable to the trees and

31:38 ↗ isqua you know may be included in our

31:41 ↗ plan and overall strategy as a

31:43 ↗ recommendation part of our

31:45 ↗ recommendations also include ongoing

31:47 ↗ Community engagement you know as chis

31:49 ↗ kind of pointed out at the beginning of

31:50 ↗ our presentation um having the community

31:53 ↗ Buy in in managing and sustaining our

31:56 ↗ Urban Forest is really important so

31:58 ↗ identifying ways that we can continue

32:01 ↗ kind of working together on these

32:02 ↗ projects and those research projects are

32:04 ↗ a really important piece um is a big

32:07 ↗ part of of ongoing sustainable Urban

32:09 ↗ Forest management and like Dan mentioned

32:13 ↗ uh one piece that we discussed fairly

32:15 ↗ recently is when we're making

32:17 ↗ recommendations for tree species that

32:19 ↗ are that might be more suitable given

32:21 ↗ what we expect the climate to look like

32:23 ↗ in 5 10 15 30 60 years uh one of the

32:27 ↗ things we've been exploring and

32:28 ↗ following pretty closely is assisted

32:30 ↗ migration so when we're looking at you

32:32 ↗ know we are experiencing that Western

32:34 ↗ red seedar die off is it an effective

32:36 ↗ strategy to use seed banks from further

32:40 ↗ south in drier uh hotter parts of the

32:44 ↗ natural Western red seedar range and

32:47 ↗ kind of assisting moving that up instead

32:49 ↗ of recommending species that are

32:51 ↗ completely either foreign or maybe

32:54 ↗ haven't thrived here before um

32:56 ↗ supporting kind of of the natural and

32:58 ↗ cultural recognition of the trees that

33:00 ↗ are already here um and how we can kind

33:02 ↗ of sustain those moving

33:04 ↗ forward okay thank

33:07 ↗ you over to Joy thank you I was hoping

33:10 ↗ to get um a little more information of a

33:13 ↗ brief summary of kind of uh about the

33:15 ↗ tree plotter Tech that you guys use um

33:16 ↗ I'm assuming you use lar um and kind of

33:19 ↗ curious to get a little background on

33:20 ↗ how we're getting the data that we're

33:21 ↗ going to be basing everything on and

33:23 ↗ kind of how we're do verification on the

33:25 ↗ ground

33:28 ↗ sure yeah so um we have a um a follow-up

33:32 ↗ that we can do on some of the specifics

33:35 ↗ around um processes but with our last

33:37 ↗ presentation one of the questions that

33:39 ↗ came up was you know um what is

33:41 ↗ considered a tree in terms of height and

33:43 ↗ so one thing I wanted to cover is that

33:45 ↗ um it's anything 12 feet and above I

33:47 ↗ believe is what we gathered from our GIS

33:50 ↗ team on what is classified as a tree so

33:53 ↗ starting with that but then the overall

33:55 ↗ process is that um we utilize a

33:58 ↗ partnership with a company called Earth

34:00 ↗ Define that has um Nationwide canopy

34:04 ↗ data um I'm not going to define the

34:07 ↗ accuracy but I know it's 95% or greater

34:10 ↗ and it's high resolution and what they

34:12 ↗ utilize is nape imagery National

34:15 ↗ agriculture imagery program imagery that

34:18 ↗ has four band so it has a color infrared

34:20 ↗ band to look at uh classifying different

34:23 ↗ land cover classes with an emphasis on

34:26 ↗ trees so we look at tree canopy cover

34:29 ↗ tree canopy cover over perious and

34:31 ↗ impervious and then other land cover

34:33 ↗ classes like um bare soil grass and then

34:38 ↗ I'd have to check back on the scope of

34:41 ↗ um canopy assessments but sometimes

34:43 ↗ impervious is split out into different

34:45 ↗ paved or hard surfaces like your

34:47 ↗ roadways parking lots and buildings now

34:51 ↗ this is for this project we're focused

34:53 ↗ on the reparan areas so that's looking

34:56 ↗ at those different land cover types but

34:59 ↗ we'll likely look at buffer width so

35:01 ↗ that you know what is the land cover

35:03 ↗ with certain widths away from the center

35:06 ↗ line of a water body like a stream or or

35:09 ↗ a river and then um to really uh improve

35:13 ↗ the accuracy and to speed up the process

35:16 ↗ and make it more efficient and cost

35:18 ↗ effective um and this is outside of my

35:21 ↗ expertise but we use uh artificial

35:23 ↗ intelligence for the QA QC process so

35:26 ↗ back when I joined Planet Geo in 2014 we

35:30 ↗ had to get um you know uh junior staff

35:33 ↗ to just comb through the data and to

35:36 ↗ determine the accuracy of a um

35:39 ↗ randomized point that was classified and

35:41 ↗ now we have ai to do this much more

35:43 ↗ quickly and to keep um that accuracy so

35:47 ↗ then that data you had mentioned tree

35:50 ↗ plotter tree platter is an online GIS so

35:53 ↗ you can view the canopy you can view

35:55 ↗ other land cover classes we often do

35:58 ↗ what's called possible planting area so

36:00 ↗ that's typically your grass area and we

36:03 ↗ remove unsuitable areas so you're not

36:05 ↗ going to plant trees you know in a

36:07 ↗ baseball field or uh an airport strip so

36:11 ↗ we exclude unsuitable then you have this

36:13 ↗ possible planting area and that's

36:16 ↗ another way that in the tree plotter app

36:18 ↗ you can look at where are those

36:20 ↗ opportunities you know where your canopy

36:22 ↗ cover is where are those other

36:24 ↗ opportunities to um expand canopy and

36:28 ↗ then there's a plan tool in tree plotter

36:31 ↗ where you can look at a variety of

36:32 ↗ themes maybe you're looking to address

36:35 ↗ storm water or water quality or areas

36:38 ↗ that could uh reduce Urban heat and

36:40 ↗ urban heat Islands um maybe addressing

36:43 ↗ underserved populations using Census

36:45 ↗ Bureau data so that's another step you

36:48 ↗ know taking the assessment and starting

36:50 ↗ to put it into action and like I said uh

36:53 ↗ it's a little bit outside of my

36:54 ↗ expertise to talk on the tech for canopy

36:57 ↗ assessments but just in my involvement

37:00 ↗ that's my understanding and we can get

37:02 ↗ you more details on on the gis process

37:04 ↗ but um it will be a deliverables that if

37:07 ↗ the city has uh GIS capabilities you can

37:12 ↗ work with manipulate view that data

37:14 ↗ overlay it with other planning

37:16 ↗ boundaries to make other decisions

37:19 ↗ around trees and and infrastructure so

37:22 ↗ that'll be part of the the project is

37:23 ↗ that that GIS package of data too

37:27 ↗ that's great information Chris I'm

37:28 ↗ curious as somebody who's um been in

37:30 ↗ very detailed conversations about what

37:32 ↗ is a tree when creating our tree policy

37:35 ↗ I'm curious if you guys then are able to

37:36 ↗ take that uh data and a part of that

37:38 ↗ process is then actually reviewing um

37:40 ↗ kind of our our current policies in

37:42 ↗ place and being able to um maybe shed a

37:45 ↗ light on what needs tweaking or where we

37:48 ↗ kind of need to be able to be um

37:49 ↗ creating a more robust policy to protect

37:52 ↗ trees yeah um so maybe not not within

37:57 ↗ this scope but uh we worked with Tacoma

37:59 ↗ where it was a unique project where we

38:01 ↗ used the liar I forgot to mention that

38:03 ↗ is an input when I talked nape and uh AI

38:07 ↗ lidar is more of elevation data shooting

38:10 ↗ lasers down to get the Contours and um

38:13 ↗ you can find trees in the shadows or in

38:15 ↗ angles of building so you find all the

38:18 ↗ canopy that you can with lar but um with

38:21 ↗ Tacoma it was a cool example where we

38:23 ↗ used the highest points in the point

38:26 ↗ class data of the liar to say that this

38:29 ↗ is a canopy point it may be one of your

38:32 ↗ tallest trees in the city so we use that

38:34 ↗ data defeat into their Heritage tree

38:36 ↗ program because they were looking to

38:38 ↗ expand it um so that that's one example

38:41 ↗ um there's also opportunities now with

38:44 ↗ the technology getting better where we

38:46 ↗ can identify individual stem counts

38:49 ↗ before we just knew uh polygons now

38:52 ↗ we're able to pinpoint the location of

38:56 ↗ individual stems so we're not at the

38:59 ↗ point yet where we can say that stem is

39:01 ↗ a western red seedar or you know big

39:03 ↗ leaf maple or uh Oregon white oak or

39:06 ↗ anything like that there is

39:08 ↗ hyperspectral imagery but it's really

39:10 ↗ costly um but to know the number of

39:13 ↗ trees is a really good starting point um

39:17 ↗ so I think that's about as yeah that

39:20 ↗ that's all I can think of right now as

39:22 ↗ far as um like how you can use that data

39:25 ↗ for improve or examining your tree

39:28 ↗ policies but maybe Andrea has some

39:29 ↗ thoughts and not to put you on the spot

39:31 ↗ but those are the things that came to

39:33 ↗ mind uh datawise no I think that's okay

39:36 ↗ I think you covered um everything in

39:38 ↗ terms of taking that canopy data that

39:40 ↗ we're able to get and then applying that

39:41 ↗ to policies but to kind of just expand a

39:44 ↗ little bit on you know what type of

39:46 ↗ policy recommendations we might be

39:47 ↗ making we are looking really closely at

39:50 ↗ the existing policies whether that's

39:52 ↗ tree retention during development or

39:55 ↗ what the risk threshold must be to

39:57 ↗ remove trees on private property what is

39:59 ↗ considered a significant tree based on

40:01 ↗ you know size um what the tree

40:04 ↗ preservation practices are tree credits

40:06 ↗ and then um our role isn't necessarily

40:09 ↗ to say okay go change these codes but

40:11 ↗ it's to make recommendations on what is

40:14 ↗ most effective what might help programs

40:17 ↗ or goals be more effective and then that

40:19 ↗ is something that you know Dan's

40:21 ↗ department and maybe this board or other

40:23 ↗ boards would then take to to Council and

40:26 ↗ look for for codee changes if there are

40:30 ↗ you know holes or things that might be

40:31 ↗ improved or better incentives that could

40:33 ↗ be um established to help retain canopy

40:36 ↗ or or promote better stewardship of

40:39 ↗ it great

40:41 ↗ information I I did just remember and uh

40:44 ↗ if Alex was on the call she could speak

40:46 ↗ to the um yeah the the canopy planning

40:50 ↗ aspect that we did working with uh Dan

40:53 ↗ Mar Martinez with isqua um using canopy

40:57 ↗ data and using um the uh tree regulation

41:03 ↗ procedures to come up with uh the canopy

41:07 ↗ forms around preservation mitigation

41:11 ↗ retention replanting and so I'll just

41:14 ↗ stop there because I wasn't as involved

41:16 ↗ with the project but it was a really

41:17 ↗ cool one that um we worked with isqua on

41:20 ↗ so I'd like to see how that um gets

41:24 ↗ examined in this management planning

41:26 ↗ process and like Andrea said maybe we

41:28 ↗ examine it further to make

41:30 ↗ recommendations that you all can

41:32 ↗ consider you know in future

41:36 ↗ steps right next we over to

41:40 ↗ crage um yeah I just have a couple of

41:43 ↗ questions and I know the plan um it's

41:46 ↗ primarily focused on management and

41:49 ↗ growth of existing trees and Forest

41:52 ↗ canopy uh but I wanted to check if any

41:55 ↗ uh plant hunting trees is also a part of

41:58 ↗ the

41:59 ↗ plan and the second question is is there

42:02 ↗ a consideration given in this plan about

42:05 ↗ Native versus non-native trees you know

42:08 ↗ existing non-native trees if there is an

42:10 ↗ issue with that um as well as if you're

42:13 ↗ planting new trees are you considering

42:16 ↗ just native or is there any

42:17 ↗ consideration component to

42:23 ↗ that yeah I can start off okay go for it

42:27 ↗ Chris I'll say um yeah those are things

42:29 ↗ that we we look at um the the management

42:32 ↗ of trees but also um sustaining and

42:35 ↗ maximizing benefits and looking at the

42:38 ↗ planting strategies for replacing trees

42:40 ↗ that need to be removed and um for

42:43 ↗ finding new places or creating new

42:45 ↗ planting sites for expanding tree canopy

42:48 ↗ cover and when we talk uh going back to

42:51 ↗ that James Clark quote a sustainable

42:53 ↗ Urban Forest so we're looking at the

42:55 ↗ what What's led by City what What's led

42:58 ↗ by development projects and what can

43:00 ↗ residents do to plant and maintain and

43:02 ↗ grow those trees and you know part of

43:05 ↗ the sustainable strategy is just looking

43:07 ↗ at what trees are resilient which trees

43:10 ↗ will Thrive with changing conditions um

43:13 ↗ keeping in mind species diversity but

43:15 ↗ also the importance of native trees and

43:18 ↗ you know the biodiversity that they

43:20 ↗ support you know and the pollinator and

43:22 ↗ the habitat and Wildlife support that

43:24 ↗ native trees in the region provide and

43:27 ↗ so that that factors into our planting

43:31 ↗ strategies um so do you have any you

43:33 ↗ know list of native trees or any

43:36 ↗ guidance for residents as part of the

43:38 ↗ Outreach you know because some people

43:40 ↗ might be interested in actually planting

43:42 ↗ planting native trees or they have any

43:45 ↗ backyard restoration projects they would

43:47 ↗ be interested in I definitely was and I

43:49 ↗ couldn't find the information at least

43:51 ↗ at that time when I was working on it um

43:54 ↗ so that would be a great way to you know

43:56 ↗ community outreach if you have these

43:58 ↗ lists

44:00 ↗ published so I I can just kind of say

44:02 ↗ real quick the city does have a

44:03 ↗ preferred tree list and it's it's a mix

44:05 ↗ of native species and introduced species

44:08 ↗ we very clearly try to make sure there's

44:11 ↗ not invasive species or you know listed

44:13 ↗ naous Weeds on that list and in past

44:15 ↗ versions there have been a few that

44:18 ↗ we've we've uh removed here

44:20 ↗ recently um I don't think within the

44:23 ↗ city we have a specific document that's

44:25 ↗ you know kind of geared towards you know

44:26 ↗ kind of native plant selection um King

44:29 ↗ County does there's some really good

44:30 ↗ resources through King County through

44:32 ↗ washingt Native Plant Society so there's

44:34 ↗ some really good places that maybe we

44:35 ↗ could do a better job building out kind

44:37 ↗ of an urban urban Forest Hub you know

44:39 ↗ through our city websites and linking to

44:40 ↗ some of those things I don't think we'

44:42 ↗ be kind of inventing our own because

44:43 ↗ like I said a lot of those resources do

44:44 ↗ exist but I I think there's definitely

44:46 ↗ room for improvement for us to be making

44:48 ↗ that easier to find through some of our

44:50 ↗ city um channels so yeah good question

44:52 ↗ though and I would say a little bit too

44:54 ↗ I mean yeah the native non-native our

44:56 ↗ you know kind of natural areas more

44:58 ↗ contiguous Forest areas right perian

45:00 ↗ areas we are really prioritizing native

45:02 ↗ species and that's where Andre is

45:04 ↗ talking about some of those native

45:05 ↗ species are declining with some of the

45:07 ↗ climate change we're having but then

45:08 ↗ maybe even looking at you know the

45:09 ↗ genetics of those species that vary you

45:11 ↗ know dougas spur has a giant range from

45:13 ↗ Canada to the mountains of Mexico and

45:15 ↗ the genetics adapt quite specifically to

45:17 ↗ its local climate so it's a you know

45:20 ↗ kind of interesting game to kind of try

45:22 ↗ to pick you know what we expect trees

45:24 ↗ conditions to have in 50 years versus

45:26 ↗ what it is right now but there's a lot

45:27 ↗ of that going on versus you know the

45:29 ↗ other kind of more aggressive you know

45:31 ↗ species migration would be you know the

45:33 ↗ moving up of redwoods or moving up of

45:35 ↗ species that are well out of their

45:36 ↗ native range and that's something that

45:38 ↗ is certainly being thought about but

45:39 ↗ definitely there's a lot more hesitation

45:41 ↗ and kind of risk with an approach like

45:43 ↗ that

45:44 ↗ so thank you and go ahead thanks

45:49 ↗ Jamie um so I know with green isqua you

45:53 ↗ think about the end story and as well as

45:56 ↗ the trees and so I imagine this is

45:58 ↗ something that will be documented and

46:00 ↗ looked at as well in this program I and

46:02 ↗ I I noticed you mentioned soils which is

46:05 ↗ really great that you'll be looking at

46:07 ↗ improving soils as well

46:10 ↗ yes yeah um around best

46:13 ↗ practices and I think maybe Andrew is

46:15 ↗ going to say a little bit more on that

46:18 ↗ yeah I can add to that um so as part of

46:21 ↗ our recommendations and kind of just

46:22 ↗ overall sustainable Forest management

46:24 ↗ like Chris mentioned the the best

46:26 ↗ practices so what we know are most

46:28 ↗ effective practices and approaches for

46:30 ↗ successfully growing trees past that

46:32 ↗ point of just planting um and then the

46:35 ↗ understory question so the green isqua

46:38 ↗ with the implementation plan or the

46:40 ↗ 20-year plan that was recently uh

46:42 ↗ published part of our plan is going

46:45 ↗ through or part of our process is going

46:47 ↗ through those existing plans that you

46:49 ↗ know play really well with an urban

46:51 ↗ Forest management plan and making sure

46:52 ↗ that we are aligning goals strategies so

46:55 ↗ why while our assessment isn't

46:58 ↗ necessarily focused on under story

47:00 ↗ because we are talking that does apply a

47:03 ↗ little bit more in the in the Parks

47:05 ↗ specifically and our planning is a

47:08 ↗ little bit more zoomed out than that you

47:09 ↗ know we're talking about well we might

47:11 ↗ make recommendations specifically for

47:13 ↗ Parks we're also talking about Street

47:14 ↗ trees might be talking about trees on

47:16 ↗ private property might be talking about

47:18 ↗ Green spaces um but the restoration and

47:21 ↗ reforestation planning that something

47:23 ↗ like green isaa is doing they are

47:26 ↗ focused on that that really specific

47:28 ↗ aspect of it so we want to make sure

47:29 ↗ that our plan is supporting other plans

47:32 ↗ and initiatives that are working to

47:33 ↗ improve certain areas of forest like

47:35 ↗ that um but we won't be necessarily

47:38 ↗ making like understory uh

47:41 ↗ recommendations or um like management

47:44 ↗ planning

47:47 ↗ decisions

47:49 ↗ thanks I had a some comments uh so first

47:54 ↗ of all um a plot is going down to path

47:56 ↗ this tree canopy has been something that

47:59 ↗ I felt like we've had goals and not

48:01 ↗ strategies or policies that were really

48:02 ↗ going to get us there that's something

48:03 ↗ I've probably heard me say too many

48:05 ↗ times at this point through the title 18

48:07 ↗ te process so I I look forward to going

48:09 ↗ through this process I do think we

48:11 ↗ should be really clear about the

48:12 ↗ overarching goals because I think

48:14 ↗ there's difference between trying to

48:16 ↗ increase overall canopy versus

48:18 ↗ increasing Street trees I'm curious what

48:21 ↗ we come up with is like those guiding

48:23 ↗ lights of those North stars that we're

48:24 ↗ going to be looking for

48:26 ↗ um I think this group probably we've

48:28 ↗ thought a lot about IAP which has the 51

48:31 ↗ to 55% so like that that's the one I'll

48:34 ↗ focus on with some of my comments but

48:35 ↗ like I know that there's other things

48:37 ↗ that we should be focusing on that I'm

48:38 ↗ less educated or less clear what those

48:41 ↗ will be so definitely interested to see

48:42 ↗ how kind of a framework for

48:44 ↗ prioritization comes into play um

48:48 ↗ focusing in on that 55% goal um this was

48:51 ↗ something I'm glad an did last time

48:53 ↗ although I think the number actually is

48:54 ↗ higher than what they and calculated

48:56 ↗ lower then we did it it's lower it's

48:59 ↗ higher it's it's basically if you

49:01 ↗ convert like 11.4 square miles into

49:04 ↗ acres and you do 4% of that it's like

49:06 ↗ 290 roughly acres and so I think one of

49:10 ↗ the things that I would really love to

49:11 ↗ see is as part of this plan us

49:13 ↗ quantifying what we're doing relative to

49:16 ↗ that as our at least one of our North

49:18 ↗ Stars and how are we actually going to

49:20 ↗ make move the needle relative to that

49:23 ↗ goal so I would love to see in kind of

49:26 ↗ off of what um what Joy was saying like

49:28 ↗ I would love to see us start getting

49:30 ↗ more data driven with our decisions on

49:32 ↗ okay things like Daniel Martinez and

49:34 ↗ everything we did on Title 18 modeling

49:36 ↗ different percentage canopy in

49:38 ↗ neighborhoods we know turnover

49:40 ↗ development how often that happens we

49:42 ↗ know what we're at today we know how

49:44 ↗ much that will change based on the the

49:47 ↗ kind of the plots that we'll have

49:48 ↗ Redevelopment on them we can start to

49:50 ↗ understand where do we actually think

49:51 ↗ we're going to be in 2035 I think is the

49:54 ↗ time frame I would love for us to start

49:56 ↗ using whatever we end up output of this

49:59 ↗ in our policy decisions and and

50:01 ↗ everything we can do to kind of look at

50:04 ↗ at least with that 55% canopy goal is

50:06 ↗ this going to get us there and like what

50:09 ↗ is this act what is the progress we need

50:10 ↗ to make I I have a feeling what we're

50:12 ↗ going to find out of that is that if we

50:15 ↗ look at like where there's those

50:17 ↗ planable areas that Chris was talk you

50:18 ↗ had use I can't remember the term you

50:19 ↗ use but like that number is probably not

50:22 ↗ available within City properties and so

50:26 ↗ how are we then looking at the other

50:28 ↗ properties that we need to have change

50:31 ↗ over happen and then look like that that

50:33 ↗ should be a part of the conversation I

50:35 ↗ think one way to help us organize and

50:38 ↗ kind of prioritize our policies um

50:40 ↗ because I I just don't know how we get

50:42 ↗ to 200 that 290 acre is a really big

50:44 ↗ area and I love that we have lofty goals

50:47 ↗ but I think that is probably going to

50:49 ↗ mean we're going to need to have a lot

50:50 ↗ of movement on properties that the city

50:52 ↗ doesn't know so that's just one thing

50:54 ↗ that I yeah yeah just seems really

50:56 ↗ important as we go through this

50:59 ↗ process I I'll add one or two thoughts

51:01 ↗ on that so yeah P PPA is possible

51:03 ↗ planting area and you know we we do have

51:05 ↗ that data from the 2019 Urban Tree

51:08 ↗ canopy assessment which is 2017 data

51:11 ↗ we'll be having I believe Chris our

51:13 ↗ updated tree canopy assessments be 2021

51:15 ↗ data I believe we'll have well a

51:17 ↗ fouryear update there and you know the

51:19 ↗ 2011 was our original kind of

51:21 ↗ benchmarker Baseline so it went up 3%

51:23 ↗ between 2011 and 2007 17 data sets um

51:28 ↗ yes you know the thing that Andre and I

51:29 ↗ have just had very brief emails back and

51:31 ↗ forth and this is more in my court than

51:33 ↗ I think yours at this point is kind of

51:35 ↗ making up a term here but like planting

51:37 ↗ in progress areas with that kind of 12

51:39 ↗ foot uh minimum in terms of registering

51:42 ↗ in our tree canopy or registering as

51:44 ↗ tree canopy um we certainly don't have

51:46 ↗ 290 Acres but it's not insignificant the

51:49 ↗ amount of Acres we have that are not

51:51 ↗ current canopy um sorry I'm looking at

51:53 ↗ an just like you we are planting trees

51:55 ↗ for green is a qu day this past weekend

51:56 ↗ is about an acre of unforested uh you

51:59 ↗ know hopefully future canopy in the next

52:01 ↗ five or 10 years but it takes at least

52:02 ↗ five or 10 years to get to that 12 foot

52:04 ↗ height i' would say closer to 10 for a

52:05 ↗ lot of our conifers so I am trying to

52:08 ↗ kind of rack my brain around a little

52:09 ↗ bit how we could you know come up with

52:11 ↗ some good estimates there to see where

52:12 ↗ we're on track and then you know

52:14 ↗ essentially do what you're doing what is

52:15 ↗ the analysis to get us to that next you

52:17 ↗ know kind

52:18 ↗ of higher the lne goal of 290 or

52:21 ↗ whatever the acres is to get to 55% so

52:25 ↗ uh that that is kind of my thoughts on

52:26 ↗ that and then a couple other things that

52:27 ↗ are coinciding with this and I'm

52:29 ↗ actually working on with with with Stacy

52:31 ↗ a little bit and David re is kind of

52:32 ↗ taking lead on this with

52:33 ↗ sustainability uh we just got awarded a

52:36 ↗ Evan School through University of

52:38 ↗ Washington cohort that'll be working

52:39 ↗ with us for kind of six months starting

52:41 ↗ in January so people are familiar that's

52:42 ↗ their um public policy uh graduate

52:45 ↗ program and they're going to be making

52:47 ↗ some recommendations specifically on uh

52:50 ↗ you know kind of tree giveaway tree

52:52 ↗ incentive you know mainly planting I

52:54 ↗ think there could be way we could spin

52:55 ↗ it around maintenance too but really

52:57 ↗ trying to figure out how we can

52:58 ↗ incentivize and I want put you on the

53:00 ↗ spot but I think there's some talk about

53:01 ↗ having some funding through

53:02 ↗ sustainability to um you know maybe

53:04 ↗ Implement a program like that in the

53:05 ↗ next budget cycle of 25 26 so that might

53:09 ↗ still be a small thing but you know is

53:11 ↗ still working towards that kind of

53:12 ↗ private property goals there um and then

53:15 ↗ another one that maybe doesn't relate as

53:16 ↗ much to the uh you know question you had

53:18 ↗ there comments Jamie is um working with

53:20 ↗ a group called thriving Earth exchange

53:22 ↗ that kind of puts together uh scientists

53:25 ↗ some kind of specialist and and really

53:27 ↗ looking at um kind of getting into some

53:28 ↗ more of the tree selection kind of ideas

53:30 ↗ and how that relates to climate

53:32 ↗ adaptability storm water you know some

53:34 ↗ of these different factors that we know

53:35 ↗ really play a big part of our benefits

53:38 ↗ our Urban canopy provide so we have a

53:40 ↗ couple of these coinciding efforts that

53:41 ↗ hopefully will complement the time

53:42 ↗ frames will work well with our Urban

53:44 ↗ Forest management plan with Planet Geo

53:46 ↗ um but yeah the the private property one

53:48 ↗ were trying to you know jump start that

53:51 ↗ and kind of figure out that the best way

53:52 ↗ to go sorry I'm putting dime on the spot

53:55 ↗ again again but I kind of picked his

53:56 ↗ brain about that with some programs in

53:57 ↗ the past and bell viw and kind of pros

53:59 ↗ and cons of how those have run and yeah

54:01 ↗ but I think that's something we

54:01 ↗ definitely want to look at piloting here

54:03 ↗ in the next uh year year and a half

54:06 ↗ thank you yeah two just two other

54:08 ↗ related thoughts um one I'm curious what

54:11 ↗ our output because I know we have the

54:13 ↗ tree bank that was like included in

54:15 ↗ Title 18 I hope that we figure out the

54:19 ↗ best use for those funds and that seems

54:22 ↗ like a really logical this plan seems

54:24 ↗ like a really logical place to have that

54:26 ↗ and then on the title 18 note I do think

54:29 ↗ it would be interesting to look at the

54:30 ↗ policies that are in there and run them

54:33 ↗ against whatever however we're going to

54:34 ↗ analyze our tree canopy and and what we

54:37 ↗ think our goal should be to figure out

54:40 ↗ like where are there gaps and it sounds

54:42 ↗ like you guys are probably doing this

54:43 ↗ but I think that's a really key output

54:45 ↗ is like are there places we need to be

54:47 ↗ updating Title 18 to help with this um

54:50 ↗ and what is what within Title 18 today

54:53 ↗ what do we think is going to be moving

54:55 ↗ the needle verses maybe isn't

54:57 ↗ or something that needs to be

55:02 ↗ changed yeah if I could just add one

55:05 ↗ comment um looking at our milestones and

55:08 ↗ our timeline um the first three months

55:11 ↗ of the new year um we're looking at

55:13 ↗ drafting the planting strategies and

55:15 ↗ canopy goals and it sounds like with the

55:18 ↗ um input and the ideas that you all are

55:20 ↗ sharing here it would be great if we

55:22 ↗ could outline our approach um and then

55:25 ↗ and some of the inputs and

55:27 ↗ considerations and then have uh members

55:29 ↗ of the board if possible review you know

55:32 ↗ after we sit down with Dan and others to

55:34 ↗ go through and refine and then get input

55:37 ↗ and feedback because there's a lot to

55:39 ↗ consider here I think it's um really

55:41 ↗ important to have these effective goals

55:42 ↗ and strategies to with with your input

55:45 ↗ so just wanted to mention that in terms

55:46 ↗ of the

55:49 ↗ timeline thank you any other comments on

55:53 ↗ this section

55:59 ↗ I think on

56:01 ↗ this CHR Andrea thank you so much for

56:03 ↗ joining us Chris is out east a little

56:05 ↗ bit so it's late for him so thank you

56:06 ↗ for uh sticking with us and we'll chat

56:10 ↗ with you both here soon happy to be here

56:12 ↗ great discussion it really shows that

56:13 ↗ there is interest and concern and uh

56:16 ↗ knowledge around the urban Forest so

56:18 ↗ appreciate all of your time and we have

56:20 ↗ a ton of notes here and a lot to work to

56:22 ↗ be done but this goes a long way meeting

56:24 ↗ with you so thanks for the

56:26 ↗ opportunity thank you very much everyone

56:28 ↗ have a great

56:30 ↗ night thank you

56:35 ↗ you talk to

56:38 ↗ Don he's heard

56:42 ↗ it well kind anything I can I can get

56:44 ↗ back to them and get if you want there

56:48 ↗ and I know we talked recently but if you

56:49 ↗ want our consultant sort of kind of

56:51 ↗ point of view on anything I can

56:53 ↗ certainly certainly make sure

56:57 ↗ you Wantage yes yes I

57:02 ↗ think hopefully can be a fairly short

57:04 ↗ presentation and then similar kind of

57:06 ↗ discussion this this you know a few

57:07 ↗ specific questions for you all in this

57:09 ↗ one too but um yeah I guess I didn't

57:12 ↗ introduce myself I mean I know I know a

57:13 ↗ lot of you served on this board for a

57:16 ↗ few years after it started but I'm Dan

57:18 ↗ hin the urban Forest supervisor there's

57:20 ↗ a few people I don't think i' I've met

57:22 ↗ one or two people before tonight so good

57:24 ↗ to see you all thanks for keeping up the

57:26 ↗ good work on this on this board um this

57:28 ↗ was a new position with the city started

57:30 ↗ about seven months ago um and uh

57:33 ↗ obviously the urban Forest management

57:34 ↗ plans a kind of big push we're going to

57:36 ↗ talk briefly after heritance tree

57:37 ↗ program about green is aqua I supervise

57:39 ↗ our park ranger and kind of what we

57:40 ↗ refer to as our Urban forest team within

57:42 ↗ Parks operations we'll have a few

57:44 ↗ updates there uh really just kind of

57:46 ↗ programmatic updates at the end uh but

57:48 ↗ did want to focus on our heritage tree

57:50 ↗ program here um this is something I

57:53 ↗ presented to the park board in their

57:54 ↗ October oober meeting a couple weeks ago

57:57 ↗ um hopefully people are familiar we have

57:59 ↗ a Heritage tree program um this is

58:01 ↗ something that was started in 2005 and

58:03 ↗ actually Stacy if you want to jump to

58:05 ↗ the next slide thank you um we'll kind

58:07 ↗ of cover that perfect um you know what

58:11 ↗ is a Heritage tree program and what does

58:12 ↗ that look like in isqua so um we'll do a

58:15 ↗ kind of quick recap of a couple of our

58:16 ↗ current Heritage trees but those were

58:18 ↗ the slides at the end of the

58:19 ↗ presentation if you're actually

58:20 ↗ interested I mentioned I think they

58:22 ↗ might still be on here leani and Mina

58:24 ↗ from G Sak have been uh Urban Forest

58:26 ↗ interns with us this year and it's been

58:28 ↗ great having them on board helping with

58:29 ↗ some of our green Isa events and they've

58:31 ↗ been out doing a lot of uh data

58:33 ↗ collection uh photographs you know kind

58:35 ↗ of putting together some you know kind

58:37 ↗ of fun facts on our uh existing Heritage

58:40 ↗ trees so we'll have a little bit of that

58:42 ↗ um but like I said that's at the end of

58:43 ↗ the slide deck if people want to kind of

58:45 ↗ see more visually what our trees are

58:47 ↗ look look like our heritage trees versus

58:49 ↗ the bolded list we have on our website

58:51 ↗ which is a little uh Bland but uh the

58:54 ↗ kind of talk about the process how

58:55 ↗ Heritage trees are nominated and

58:57 ↗ selected currently and that'll

58:59 ↗ definitely be kind of the what I hope to

59:01 ↗ be the main part of the discussion uh is

59:03 ↗ you know how we can kind of update and

59:04 ↗ modify that you know and kind of reframe

59:07 ↗ some of the goals of the program and you

59:08 ↗ know potential modifications so really

59:10 ↗ looking for feedback from the

59:12 ↗ environmental board ultimately we would

59:13 ↗ be proposing recommendations to to you

59:16 ↗ know change or modify this program and

59:18 ↗ the Park Board in our city code uh you

59:20 ↗ know would essentially uh vote on to

59:22 ↗ approve those uh you know or or amend

59:24 ↗ those recommendations so I'm hoping to

59:27 ↗ have that back to the park board within

59:28 ↗ the first couple months of the new year

59:30 ↗ and if this is something the

59:30 ↗ environmental board will be would want

59:32 ↗ to be consulted on again before then

59:33 ↗ that's great and I know right now I

59:35 ↗ don't think we have that on the calendar

59:36 ↗ for sure but that's something we can

59:38 ↗ definitely uh consider too so um next

59:42 ↗ slide

59:43 ↗ please so uh hopefully if you're

59:45 ↗ familiar like I said we've had a

59:46 ↗ Heritage tree program and is AA since

59:48 ↗ 205 started by the park board um we

59:51 ↗ haven't actually uh well I I should

59:53 ↗ probably changed that last bullet point

59:55 ↗ we haven't actually awarded a Heritage

59:57 ↗ tree since 2012 I think technically some

59:59 ↗ have been nominated uh but anyway in

1:00:02 ↗ many cities around the nation you know

1:00:03 ↗ trees are recognized for their

1:00:04 ↗ significance in the community um you

1:00:06 ↗ know really intended to you know

1:00:08 ↗ recognize celebrate and educate and I

1:00:10 ↗ think you know that last one is probably

1:00:12 ↗ the the easiest thing we could be doing

1:00:13 ↗ a lot better job is you know using this

1:00:15 ↗ program to you know better awareness

1:00:17 ↗ around some of the unique tree tree

1:00:19 ↗ species uh um or individual specimens we

1:00:22 ↗ have um but then you know really kind of

1:00:25 ↗ getting into the nuts and bolts of how

1:00:26 ↗ how that's selected what that means in

1:00:28 ↗ terms of tree protection um you know I

1:00:30 ↗ think the education the celebration are

1:00:32 ↗ the things we we want to be doing a

1:00:33 ↗ better job back but just want to make

1:00:34 ↗ sure this program is kind of up and

1:00:37 ↗ running how we uh um you know in kind of

1:00:40 ↗ the most efficient way here and also um

1:00:44 ↗ yeah we'll get into some of the details

1:00:46 ↗ in terms of our current criteria on the

1:00:48 ↗ next slide here um or sorry a couple

1:00:50 ↗ slides for now so we currently have

1:00:52 ↗ 24 uh recorded Heritage trees a few of

1:00:54 ↗ them have come down uh since they were

1:00:57 ↗ nominated in the last couple decades so

1:00:59 ↗ essentially all these were nominated and

1:01:01 ↗ selected between 2005 in

1:01:03 ↗ 2012 um we have collected more recent

1:01:05 ↗ information on um you know the the

1:01:08 ↗ diameter of breast height try to get

1:01:09 ↗ photos I believe this is the sey at

1:01:12 ↗ Gilman Village right here kind of

1:01:14 ↗ looking up in the canopy so the next two

1:01:15 ↗ slides are just kind of quick examples

1:01:17 ↗ of the type of trees we have I think

1:01:20 ↗ maybe most of you are familiar with the

1:01:21 ↗ genko tree we have uh on Front Street

1:01:24 ↗ next to uh near coffee Sutra um kind of

1:01:27 ↗ the dollar store a few of those things I

1:01:30 ↗ I just learned that this was you know

1:01:32 ↗ originally planted by doc Gibson the

1:01:33 ↗ first mayor of isqua so this tree goes

1:01:35 ↗ back 130 years or so um three and a half

1:01:40 ↗ feet plus diameter it's a female

1:01:42 ↗ specimen which if folks don't know about

1:01:44 ↗ Geno trees they have male and female

1:01:47 ↗ um some trees have both sexual organs

1:01:51 ↗ these are separate inos have either male

1:01:53 ↗ or female the female the the fruit is

1:01:55 ↗ not always the best odor so they're not

1:01:57 ↗ planted as much but I'm not sure we knew

1:01:59 ↗ that back when this tree was planted but

1:02:01 ↗ um yeah it's a really really beautiful

1:02:03 ↗ tree and this was actually the first uh

1:02:05 ↗ Heritage tree nominated and selected in

1:02:06 ↗ 2005 and then the next one I think most

1:02:09 ↗ of you will be aware of to is our big

1:02:11 ↗ tree uh Ruth Key's big tree on tradition

1:02:13 ↗ Plateau thought to be the biggest tree

1:02:15 ↗ in isqua or at least in you know within

1:02:17 ↗ City Limits um that sign which is a

1:02:20 ↗ little outdated too I think measures the

1:02:22 ↗ diameter at you know 7.8 feet so that's

1:02:24 ↗ definitely grown since that sign's gone

1:02:25 ↗ up it's CL 8 and half ft now um you know

1:02:28 ↗ estimated to be over 500 years old um

1:02:31 ↗ and you know named after uh local

1:02:33 ↗ environmentalist Ruth Keys uh in the

1:02:34 ↗ early 2000s so like I said we have a

1:02:37 ↗ bunch more slides like this at the end

1:02:38 ↗ of the presentation if you're interested

1:02:39 ↗ to see but just kind of giving you a

1:02:41 ↗ little snapshot of of you know a couple

1:02:43 ↗ of our heritage trees uh within the city

1:02:46 ↗ um as as currently in our

1:02:49 ↗ program so I shared this in the agenda

1:02:52 ↗ packet you know essentially there's a

1:02:54 ↗ little two-page PDF that was created at

1:02:57 ↗ the start of this program that I I don't

1:02:58 ↗ think's really been updated and it has

1:03:00 ↗ you know the name of the property owner

1:03:02 ↗ um person nominating is different from

1:03:04 ↗ the property owner we do require a

1:03:07 ↗ signature from that property owner I

1:03:09 ↗ think one of the big questions is you

1:03:10 ↗ know my understanding in the past and

1:03:12 ↗ some of you that have been around the

1:03:13 ↗ city a little bit longer Alan Haywood

1:03:15 ↗ was a City Arborist for quite some time

1:03:17 ↗ and I think he nominated the bulk of

1:03:19 ↗ these trees um the park board

1:03:21 ↗ essentially recommends them for approval

1:03:23 ↗ and then they get um you know officially

1:03:25 ↗ included in the program by a um

1:03:27 ↗ Proclamation by the mayor uh

1:03:30 ↗ so I think there are some questions who

1:03:34 ↗ that responsibility should fall on for

1:03:35 ↗ for public uh public lands and then you

1:03:38 ↗ know some questions about what that

1:03:39 ↗ means for tree protection and some of

1:03:41 ↗ the limitations on private land um you

1:03:43 ↗ know whether we're incentivizing or

1:03:45 ↗ maybe de incentivizing people from

1:03:46 ↗ wanting to participate in this program

1:03:48 ↗ with some of kind of the added

1:03:50 ↗ protections that Heritage trees bring

1:03:51 ↗ and I'll talk about that here in just a

1:03:53 ↗ second so you can kind of see the steps

1:03:55 ↗ uh fills out the sheet kind of the left

1:03:57 ↗ we we've had this on a fixed schedule of

1:03:58 ↗ September 1st I've heard feedback from

1:04:00 ↗ the park board that they would prefer to

1:04:02 ↗ have this more rolling and definitely

1:04:03 ↗ more lead time it sounds like in the

1:04:04 ↗ past often the trees were presented

1:04:07 ↗ maybe weeks before and really didn't you

1:04:08 ↗ know may have enough time or kind of

1:04:10 ↗ information on those trees and was kind

1:04:12 ↗ of just pushed through a little quickly

1:04:14 ↗ um but then it is reviewed and acted

1:04:16 ↗ upon by the city park board and then

1:04:17 ↗ it's approved um property owner will be

1:04:20 ↗ acknowledged and a mayoral Proclamation

1:04:22 ↗ at a city council meeting the next slide

1:04:25 ↗ gets into um this is kind of the back

1:04:27 ↗ page of that two-page pamphlet um the

1:04:31 ↗ categories we have uh our size or age

1:04:33 ↗ which is pretty standard in Heritage

1:04:35 ↗ tree programs uh you know that the

1:04:37 ↗ Douglas fur would be a good example of

1:04:39 ↗ that we have what we think is the

1:04:40 ↗ biggest sick of spruce in the valley uh

1:04:42 ↗ in our heritage tree program which is

1:04:44 ↗ kind of over by Sycamore neighborhood uh

1:04:46 ↗ we have historic significance and we'll

1:04:48 ↗ talk about this in a couple slides uh I

1:04:50 ↗ think a glaring emission here and you

1:04:52 ↗ know once again this is in hindsight but

1:04:54 ↗ um you know this was put together 20

1:04:55 ↗ years ago is no really acknowledgement

1:04:58 ↗ of tribal Traditions or culture in in

1:05:01 ↗ historic we think that would be

1:05:03 ↗ something we would add here instead of

1:05:04 ↗ creating another category but that's

1:05:06 ↗ something that if people have opinions

1:05:07 ↗ on we' be curious to hear but you know

1:05:09 ↗ this is really looking at notable

1:05:11 ↗ because of association with early

1:05:12 ↗ settlers or historic event uh so we'll

1:05:15 ↗ talk a little bit about culturally

1:05:16 ↗ modified trees uh in a couple slides and

1:05:18 ↗ then ecological value I mean I have a

1:05:20 ↗ little harder time pinpointing any of

1:05:22 ↗ our existing trees that fit this

1:05:24 ↗ category but looking at you know notable

1:05:26 ↗ trees provide special ecological benefit

1:05:28 ↗ not commonly seen in the area um so we

1:05:31 ↗ kind of talk about how you can nominate

1:05:33 ↗ it this is another thing we have a limit

1:05:35 ↗ of you can nominate as many as you want

1:05:37 ↗ a year but only three can be selected um

1:05:40 ↗ other cities have Groves or collections

1:05:42 ↗ of trees so that's something I think to

1:05:43 ↗ kind of weigh and consider if we want to

1:05:46 ↗ acknowledge you know may not be an

1:05:47 ↗ individual but as a collection um they

1:05:50 ↗ might have you know some either

1:05:51 ↗ historical significance or just kind of

1:05:53 ↗ you know certain Aesthetics or

1:05:55 ↗ ecological function you know one that

1:05:57 ↗ certainly comes to my mind is the uh

1:05:59 ↗ clone redwoods that we planted at

1:06:01 ↗ parkpoint if people are familiar with

1:06:02 ↗ that we have about 10 clones of some of

1:06:04 ↗ the larger coastal redwoods um that was

1:06:07 ↗ part of a I forget the name of the

1:06:08 ↗ nonprofit that that project seven or

1:06:10 ↗ eight years ago um but you know to me

1:06:12 ↗ that would be a really great addition

1:06:14 ↗ but we would have to do that over three

1:06:16 ↗ years with our current um Protocols of

1:06:18 ↗ only selecting up to three a year a

1:06:21 ↗ little bit talk about the deadline I

1:06:22 ↗ mean this is a mailin form so a really

1:06:24 ↗ simple thing is we need to make this a

1:06:26 ↗ online form and something that's a

1:06:27 ↗ little bit more accessible hopefully a

1:06:29 ↗ little bit more engaging with the

1:06:30 ↗ current information we have um then it

1:06:32 ↗ kind of talks about you know being

1:06:34 ↗ identified in a registry which we pretty

1:06:36 ↗ much have a website we would like to be

1:06:37 ↗ this mapped public facing we'd like to

1:06:39 ↗ create some guided or you know

1:06:41 ↗ self-guided tours our interns are really

1:06:43 ↗ excited about doing maybe some video

1:06:45 ↗ especially in the spring as some of

1:06:46 ↗ these trees are kind of leafing out or

1:06:48 ↗ flowering um so like I said that the

1:06:49 ↗ education part is something that for

1:06:51 ↗ sure we want to improve on this uh I

1:06:53 ↗ think we're really kind of wanting to

1:06:54 ↗ hear feedback on that but certainly on

1:06:56 ↗ on process too um next slide Stacy

1:07:00 ↗ please so this is kind of getting into

1:07:02 ↗ the categories I guess we kind of

1:07:03 ↗ touched on this already so we don't

1:07:05 ↗ think we need to get into too much here

1:07:07 ↗ but these are our current categories um

1:07:09 ↗ that would be an update to our city code

1:07:11 ↗ to add a new category so I think the

1:07:13 ↗ easiest thing would be amending these

1:07:15 ↗ existing categories for instance I kind

1:07:16 ↗ of talked about historic looking at you

1:07:18 ↗ know maybe culturally modified trees or

1:07:20 ↗ other um you know tribal significant

1:07:22 ↗ trees and then that's kind another

1:07:24 ↗ conversation we'll have here in a slide

1:07:26 ↗ or two um so I think kind of some of the

1:07:30 ↗ goals is we'd like to add new trees I

1:07:32 ↗ mean I I you know I think there's some

1:07:33 ↗ really um easy wins out there to

1:07:36 ↗ continue to look at you know some

1:07:37 ↗ different species some different

1:07:39 ↗ locations some smaller Groves of trees

1:07:42 ↗ uh so I mean that's a pretty obvious but

1:07:43 ↗ uh you know um clear goal that we have

1:07:47 ↗ um process of nomination we've kind of

1:07:48 ↗ talked about a little bit already um who

1:07:50 ↗ who is essentially signing that off on

1:07:52 ↗ on public land um

1:07:54 ↗ do we want to keep a limit do we want to

1:07:56 ↗ you know think about Groves or

1:07:57 ↗ collections of trees walking tours that

1:07:59 ↗ would probably be that could be kind of

1:08:00 ↗ frame more as the education side I've

1:08:02 ↗ been talking about uh but the last one I

1:08:04 ↗ want to focus on this slide mainly is is

1:08:06 ↗ tree protection so uh in the update of

1:08:09 ↗ Title 18 if folks remember I'll admit I

1:08:11 ↗ had to talk to Dan Martinez about this

1:08:13 ↗ because I don't for sure remember this

1:08:14 ↗ coming to the environmental board as we

1:08:16 ↗ were reviewing this maybe some of you do

1:08:17 ↗ better than I do but um you know

1:08:20 ↗ essentially we have two ways trees can

1:08:22 ↗ be removed through you know a tree

1:08:23 ↗ permit removal meaning there's no

1:08:25 ↗ development nothing else going on um so

1:08:28 ↗ in our code it is prohibited to remove

1:08:30 ↗ Heritage trees but you can obtain a tree

1:08:33 ↗ removal permit if it's deemed a nuisance

1:08:35 ↗ tree or a hazard tree and there's a

1:08:37 ↗ couple other exceptions I think around

1:08:38 ↗ solar installations and and thinning

1:08:41 ↗ which that's an interesting one to me

1:08:42 ↗ because I don't know you know why you'd

1:08:43 ↗ be thinning out a historic tree other

1:08:45 ↗ trees but there's about four exceptions

1:08:47 ↗ and I did provide the link for that in

1:08:50 ↗ the agenda packet if you want to

1:08:51 ↗ specifically read Our Heritage tree code

1:08:53 ↗ so essentially that's no different than

1:08:55 ↗ our existing trees in terms of the tree

1:08:56 ↗ removal permit in terms of removing them

1:08:59 ↗ that protection is is about the same as

1:09:01 ↗ our kind of added protections we put

1:09:03 ↗ into the updated title 18 the really big

1:09:05 ↗ difference is this doesn't allow these

1:09:07 ↗ trees to be removed as part of

1:09:08 ↗ development or Redevelopment projects

1:09:10 ↗ either so that is something that I know

1:09:13 ↗ has come up a little bit even in some of

1:09:14 ↗ our park properties and you know as I

1:09:16 ↗ mentioned does that de incentivize

1:09:18 ↗ people from wanting to sign up this

1:09:19 ↗ program on their own private property

1:09:21 ↗ too right now I think we only have

1:09:24 ↗ three Heritage trees that are on single

1:09:26 ↗ family home private property and there a

1:09:29 ↗ collection of three Baro trees in the

1:09:31 ↗ siore neighborhood and then we have a

1:09:32 ↗ couple that are technically on private

1:09:34 ↗ property but commercial private property

1:09:36 ↗ um so that's that's a big question we

1:09:38 ↗ have too is you know if this is a

1:09:41 ↗ program just meant to celebrate

1:09:42 ↗ recognize you know do we want to kind of

1:09:45 ↗ have that kind of added protection there

1:09:47 ↗ um this was something that like I said

1:09:49 ↗ was I think there was feedback you know

1:09:51 ↗ from the community that they they wanted

1:09:52 ↗ to see a little bit more of this

1:09:54 ↗ protection for Heritage trees but um I

1:09:56 ↗ Adit the park board didn't seem as

1:09:59 ↗ confident wanting to be the ones

1:10:01 ↗ ultimately making those decisions or

1:10:02 ↗ recommendations and I think that's where

1:10:04 ↗ it maybe needs to to some extent filter

1:10:06 ↗ through me our Park planning manager

1:10:08 ↗ possibly our Park director so I mean I

1:10:10 ↗ think those are the things we're

1:10:11 ↗ figuring out but are certainly open to

1:10:13 ↗ you know kind of feedback or thoughts

1:10:15 ↗ there um so just just to make it really

1:10:17 ↗ clear yes it it is the biggest

1:10:19 ↗ difference on on development projects um

1:10:21 ↗ you can remove significant trees

1:10:23 ↗ Landmark trees and that's where we were

1:10:24 ↗ kind of talking about some of our tree

1:10:26 ↗ canopy retention or replacement goals

1:10:28 ↗ that we need to meet but uh that would

1:10:30 ↗ not apply for for Heritage trees uh

1:10:33 ↗ something that came up and I I didn't

1:10:34 ↗ have this answer for sure with the park

1:10:35 ↗ board so I need to get back to them but

1:10:37 ↗ that is not deeded into a property

1:10:39 ↗ there's nothing in our code that allows

1:10:41 ↗ that so if someone moves or sells that

1:10:43 ↗ property that's kind of something too is

1:10:45 ↗ that still a Heritage tree but then

1:10:47 ↗ doesn't have that develop you know

1:10:48 ↗ that's something we need to sort out too

1:10:49 ↗ but there's nothing that you know

1:10:51 ↗ essentially makes that in the deed when

1:10:53 ↗ you would sell your home that has a

1:10:54 ↗ Heritage tree essentially would probably

1:10:56 ↗ be needing to ask that new property

1:10:57 ↗ owner to sign off on uh that you know

1:11:01 ↗ continuing on on their property so uh we

1:11:04 ↗ have none where that's the case so far

1:11:06 ↗ like I said those three bar o trees is

1:11:07 ↗ still the same family that's been living

1:11:09 ↗ there since I think 2010 when they were

1:11:11 ↗ nominated uh and then same with the

1:11:13 ↗ commercial properties Gilman Village and

1:11:15 ↗ um Front Street where the Geno tree is

1:11:18 ↗ so uh I think the last slide we have is

1:11:21 ↗ kind of culturally modified trees I'm

1:11:22 ↗ sure there'll be questions or comments

1:11:23 ↗ on that last one okay so sorry a couple

1:11:26 ↗ Grove nomination you know should we

1:11:28 ↗ should we be considering Groves or

1:11:29 ↗ collections of trees uh the middle one I

1:11:31 ↗ think is pretty obvious but we need to

1:11:32 ↗ do some website updates we need to make

1:11:34 ↗ this more engaging pictures fun facts

1:11:37 ↗ you know maps of Heritage trees that are

1:11:39 ↗ publicly available uh possibly little

1:11:41 ↗ signs or plaques that people could then

1:11:43 ↗ you know whether it's a QR code connect

1:11:45 ↗ back to our website uh so like I said I

1:11:47 ↗ think those are the the the kind of easy

1:11:49 ↗ easy pickings um and it's really kind of

1:11:51 ↗ the nomination and S process that we

1:11:53 ↗ need to

1:11:54 ↗ make sure we feel good about uh before

1:11:56 ↗ we jump start this program again uh and

1:11:58 ↗ then cmts for for people I've been

1:12:00 ↗ mentioning the term culturally modified

1:12:01 ↗ trees some people might have followed in

1:12:03 ↗ North Seattle with one of the cedar

1:12:05 ↗ trees that was you know slated to be

1:12:07 ↗ developed and removed and they think

1:12:09 ↗ that was maybe a wayfinding tree for

1:12:11 ↗ indigenous people in the area Luma Luma

1:12:14 ↗ yes yes thank you um so we don't know

1:12:17 ↗ for sure if we have culturally modified

1:12:18 ↗ trees in city limits um I think there's

1:12:21 ↗ a broader question I I think there's

1:12:22 ↗ certainly an interest for this to be

1:12:24 ↗ included um I've been on a couple

1:12:25 ↗ meetings with um the snowy tribe staff

1:12:29 ↗ on uh they actually have a grant to

1:12:31 ↗ train Municipal Foresters like myself on

1:12:34 ↗ the identification of or at least

1:12:36 ↗ learning how to you know figure out what

1:12:38 ↗ might possibly be a culturally modified

1:12:40 ↗ tree and then work with the tribes to

1:12:41 ↗ kind of confirm and document that I

1:12:43 ↗ think that's a tricky one because I

1:12:44 ↗ think I'm just assuming there'll be kind

1:12:46 ↗ of consensus that we want to add

1:12:47 ↗ something like that to our program but

1:12:49 ↗ then what does that mean in terms of

1:12:51 ↗ publicizing it what does that mean in

1:12:52 ↗ terms of documenting that to the public

1:12:54 ↗ because that might be something we

1:12:55 ↗ really just want to follow the tribes uh

1:12:57 ↗ lead on what sort of information they

1:12:58 ↗ want out there on these trees that's

1:13:01 ↗ that's a tricky one too because if it's

1:13:02 ↗ a program that's meant to celebrate

1:13:03 ↗ recognize you know does this fit you

1:13:06 ↗ know are we doing this to have that you

1:13:07 ↗ know maybe added layer of protection uh

1:13:10 ↗ you know just exactly how that fits in

1:13:11 ↗ the puzzle here but that's something

1:13:12 ↗ that there's been a lot of interest uh

1:13:14 ↗ in and um speaking with with um tribal

1:13:18 ↗ staff that they uh you know would love

1:13:20 ↗ to see this be more uh included in in

1:13:23 ↗ programs like this in the region so um

1:13:26 ↗ think we have one last specific slide un

1:13:28 ↗ culturally modified trees if people want

1:13:29 ↗ more context I sent a link that has like

1:13:31 ↗ a little bit of a primer you can see a

1:13:33 ↗ cedar bark stripping uh in the middle

1:13:35 ↗ tree there a common practice um yeah

1:13:38 ↗ trees are modified by indigenous people

1:13:40 ↗ as part of their Traditions they are

1:13:41 ↗ often viewed as sacred memorials living

1:13:44 ↗ archaeology um and you know kind of the

1:13:46 ↗ suggestion that that cmts could be added

1:13:48 ↗ Under the Umbrella of Heritage trees

1:13:50 ↗ with um the historical category so

1:13:53 ↗ potential improvements to our current

1:13:55 ↗ program so um yeah that's where I'll

1:13:58 ↗ leave it off with this presentation and

1:13:59 ↗ and see if there's questions or comments

1:14:02 ↗ um that's one of the willow trees at

1:14:04 ↗ Pickering Barn weaving willow trees

1:14:06 ↗ that's on our heritage tree

1:14:09 ↗ list two questions for can you go back

1:14:11 ↗ two

1:14:17 ↗ slides nomination categories yeah I

1:14:20 ↗ think your questions were around should

1:14:21 ↗ you include Groves of trees

1:14:24 ↗ cly Groves or collections yes colle one

1:14:26 ↗ of the oldest Groves of trees is I

1:14:28 ↗ believe out Utah it's quaking ASP

1:14:32 ↗ ,000

1:14:33 ↗ growing the other one was a culturally

1:14:35 ↗ modified yeah if you can find them that

1:14:38 ↗ would be great and another just a

1:14:40 ↗ general comment you mentioned it earlier

1:14:42 ↗ it's it's difficult to do a Heritage

1:14:44 ↗ tree program on private property because

1:14:46 ↗ people get scared that market Heritage

1:14:48 ↗ tree it's going to be hard to develop

1:14:49 ↗ that property going forward just

1:14:51 ↗ consider that As you move into this

1:14:54 ↗ other cities have weighed pros and cons

1:14:56 ↗ so yeah do you have any I don't have

1:14:59 ↗ thoughts or opinions personally I've

1:15:01 ↗ never done okay okay so that sounds like

1:15:04 ↗ that that was added in our recent Title

1:15:06 ↗ 18 update and obviously you know that'd

1:15:10 ↗ be a pretty quick retraction of it if

1:15:12 ↗ that's what we decide to do but at the

1:15:13 ↗ same time we should you know make sure

1:15:14 ↗ we feel good about a program like this

1:15:16 ↗ and whether that's the right fit for

1:15:18 ↗ treat protection got on public property

1:15:21 ↗ I tag them yeah

1:15:31 ↗ yeah one of the things that I struggle

1:15:33 ↗ with a little bit is understand like do

1:15:35 ↗ we have a a mission statement for the

1:15:38 ↗ Heritage tree program like why does the

1:15:39 ↗ Heritage tree program exist and I think

1:15:41 ↗ we kind of have since that three what is

1:15:43 ↗ it

1:15:45 ↗ the

1:15:47 ↗ recognize

1:15:48 ↗ educate is that yeah so I put that in

1:15:50 ↗ there yeah recognize celebrate educate

1:15:52 ↗ yeah I think if you look at our website

1:15:54 ↗ that that the mission statement is

1:15:56 ↗ essentially to celebrate the unique

1:15:58 ↗ trees uh significant or unique no not

1:16:01 ↗ significant I think you know there's

1:16:02 ↗ something on there that's you know

1:16:03 ↗ something about you essentially

1:16:04 ↗ celebrating the unique trees in our

1:16:06 ↗ community um so very

1:16:09 ↗ simple um I guess I'm just trying

1:16:12 ↗ like are we trying to save the biggest

1:16:17 ↗ trees are we trying to like I'm just

1:16:20 ↗ trying to understand what like what what

1:16:23 ↗ we hope comes out of this process I I I

1:16:26 ↗ I think my takeaway from and and our our

1:16:30 ↗ interns have been looking at a lot of

1:16:31 ↗ neighbor cities too is is it's really a

1:16:34 ↗ educational kind of celebratory program

1:16:36 ↗ it's meant to get people more excited

1:16:38 ↗ about trees and and and and learn you

1:16:40 ↗ know some of the history around

1:16:42 ↗ individual specimens and stuff like that

1:16:44 ↗ so I think that's at the base of it but

1:16:46 ↗ if we are setting these categories that

1:16:48 ↗ are you know meant to filter out 99

1:16:50 ↗ Point whatever percent of our other

1:16:52 ↗ trees you know and really kind of Select

1:16:54 ↗ this kind of unique uh

1:16:56 ↗ collection I think it's fair to think

1:16:58 ↗ about what that means for tree

1:16:59 ↗ protection too so um but that can

1:17:02 ↗ quickly maybe halt the progress of of a

1:17:04 ↗ of a program like this growing I say

1:17:06 ↗ even on on public land areas where you

1:17:08 ↗ know we may not have a master plan or

1:17:11 ↗ there maybe thought you know that there

1:17:12 ↗ might be reservations on on that too I

1:17:14 ↗ can't I'm not speaking for anything

1:17:15 ↗ specific but I I do know I get a sense

1:17:17 ↗ of that from from Parks or from um

1:17:21 ↗ public land managers here in the city

1:17:24 ↗ yeah because I mean that that's helpful

1:17:26 ↗ because that that does beg the question

1:17:28 ↗ of like do we like is the do we want to

1:17:31 ↗ reduce the barrier to getting trees into

1:17:33 ↗ the program if it's more about like

1:17:35 ↗ getting the public excited about

1:17:37 ↗ trees we have 24 now we probably need

1:17:40 ↗ more obviously the education side is

1:17:42 ↗ important like making it easier to find

1:17:44 ↗ them but

1:17:47 ↗ like yeah it seems like finding ways to

1:17:51 ↗ and there's like tradeoffs of that

1:17:53 ↗ obviously we don't want all every

1:17:54 ↗ Heritage tree to be cut down either but

1:17:56 ↗ that um I don't know that that that's a

1:17:59 ↗ a tricky one I don't I don't have a good

1:18:01 ↗ answer but it does seem like if the goal

1:18:03 ↗ is getting people excited about trees

1:18:05 ↗ help helping people see the amazing

1:18:07 ↗ trees that might be kind of right around

1:18:10 ↗ the corner they' never seen before

1:18:12 ↗ thought to look at then I think there's

1:18:14 ↗ plenty we can add that that's not a

1:18:15 ↗ conflict just to be clear too I don't

1:18:17 ↗ think this but it it has and will come

1:18:19 ↗ up

1:18:21 ↗ um

1:18:26 ↗ organiz a tree tour oh go

1:18:30 ↗ ahead goad so I had a question

1:18:33 ↗ Associated kind of with what jie was

1:18:36 ↗ asking so I'm curious to know and I can

1:18:39 ↗ see private property owner will have

1:18:42 ↗ hesitation you know uh nominating a

1:18:46 ↗ Heritage on their property primarily

1:18:49 ↗ because and I'm unaware of this so I

1:18:51 ↗ wanted to know what will be the

1:18:53 ↗ responsibilities you know put on the

1:18:54 ↗ owner if they have a Heritage Tree on

1:18:57 ↗ their property besides just not cutting

1:18:59 ↗ it down are there any other

1:19:01 ↗ responsibilities they have where they

1:19:03 ↗ have to maintain and make sure you know

1:19:06 ↗ the tree is safe and thriving and

1:19:10 ↗ because I mean I think that puts a

1:19:12 ↗ little bit of responsibility in the

1:19:13 ↗ property owners and that's where I can

1:19:15 ↗ see the hesitation will come in yeah

1:19:18 ↗ there there's no real clear

1:19:20 ↗ responsibilities I mean that came up in

1:19:22 ↗ a conversation with the artboard is

1:19:23 ↗ certainly trees that are being nominated

1:19:25 ↗ having some sort of a assessment because

1:19:28 ↗ we don't want to nominate a tree that

1:19:29 ↗ looks like it might fail in five or 10

1:19:31 ↗ years and we have to go through a tricky

1:19:32 ↗ removal process or something like that

1:19:34 ↗ so I think there could be an argument

1:19:36 ↗ made for our existing trees you know

1:19:38 ↗ essentially having some assessments you

1:19:40 ↗ know to see if there are kind of

1:19:42 ↗ Maintenance approaches to extend the

1:19:43 ↗ longevity or health of those trees um

1:19:45 ↗ but but right now no there's really no

1:19:47 ↗ added requirements to um be be doing any

1:19:51 ↗ sort of maintenance um activities just

1:19:54 ↗ like I said it's really just the removal

1:19:56 ↗ considerations and you can still REM

1:19:58 ↗ remove one on a private property but you

1:20:00 ↗ would have to have a Isa certified or

1:20:02 ↗ certified Arborist to you know you know

1:20:05 ↗ declare that that's a hazard tree it's

1:20:07 ↗ posing an imminent threat to you know

1:20:09 ↗ people or property or a nuisance tree

1:20:11 ↗ it's just grown so big that's just

1:20:12 ↗ entirely busting up utilities or

1:20:14 ↗ something like that so I mean those

1:20:16 ↗ those do exist um but if you wanted to

1:20:20 ↗ just you know build a sport court or

1:20:23 ↗ something your backyard and that tree is

1:20:24 ↗ there you couldn't do that um so then I

1:20:28 ↗ just heard one more comment I think this

1:20:29 ↗ is a great program I I kind of knew

1:20:32 ↗ about it but I didn't know so many

1:20:33 ↗ details about it um personally I think

1:20:36 ↗ this is a great program and I can see

1:20:40 ↗ certain ways you know you can

1:20:41 ↗ incorporate more community outreach on

1:20:44 ↗ this like um I know we have City tools

1:20:47 ↗ or things like that where you know you

1:20:48 ↗ can inform or include the Heritage team

1:20:52 ↗ programs

1:20:53 ↗ um I know the city does some school

1:20:56 ↗ camps like summer camps and all that for

1:20:59 ↗ kids so you know this could be one of

1:21:01 ↗ the things included I have seen more and

1:21:04 ↗ more environmental friendly summer camps

1:21:07 ↗ or School camps coming up this would be

1:21:10 ↗ a great way to introduce and you know

1:21:11 ↗ kids would love these kinds of field

1:21:13 ↗ trips so I think this is a great idea

1:21:17 ↗ thank

1:21:19 ↗ you go ahead thank you um I'm gonna

1:21:22 ↗ start by saying that in previous

1:21:24 ↗ discussions about the Heritage program

1:21:26 ↗ um when I was with the planning policy

1:21:28 ↗ commission you're on the right track as

1:21:30 ↗ far as what questions we were asking um

1:21:32 ↗ I was a little disappointed that I

1:21:34 ↗ didn't have more answers for this

1:21:35 ↗ presentation and so it's easy for me to

1:21:37 ↗ say yeah I'd love to see this again

1:21:38 ↗ because these are the questions that

1:21:40 ↗ we've asked for years and been told put

1:21:43 ↗ a pin in that we're not quite ready to

1:21:44 ↗ deal with this and so especially um when

1:21:47 ↗ getting into the nitty-gritty of

1:21:48 ↗ protections there was out um there was

1:21:52 ↗ overwhelming uh response from the

1:21:54 ↗ community that they wanted this program

1:21:55 ↗ to not be hey look at our trees they

1:21:58 ↗ wanted it to have some type of impact

1:22:00 ↗ and we ask the city to say hey what does

1:22:03 ↗ this then mean right and so being able

1:22:05 ↗ to create code that said if you are

1:22:09 ↗ wanting to put let's say an Adu where

1:22:11 ↗ there is a Heritage tree being able to

1:22:13 ↗ say where can we then modify the code to

1:22:15 ↗ be able to work with individual owners

1:22:17 ↗ in a way that can be onerous right and

1:22:20 ↗ to be able to say how do we actually

1:22:22 ↗ create protections right how do we have

1:22:24 ↗ um leeway and how do we have kind of a

1:22:27 ↗ benefit for being a part of it maybe

1:22:28 ↗ that means that the city is regularly um

1:22:30 ↗ helping to survey your soil and as our

1:22:32 ↗ worse is coming in helping to maintain

1:22:34 ↗ your tree and kind of trying to

1:22:35 ↗ incentivize um homeowners and having

1:22:38 ↗ more private trees being a part of the

1:22:40 ↗ process so um it would be great to be

1:22:43 ↗ able to hear more especially I'm very

1:22:45 ↗ appreciative of you guys addressing the

1:22:46 ↗ problematic language right now and

1:22:48 ↗ having the tribe be able um to comment

1:22:50 ↗ on that and so I would love to have an

1:22:52 ↗ up dat on what um they come back with

1:22:54 ↗ and things like that so you guys are

1:22:55 ↗ really on the right track I'm excited to

1:22:57 ↗ see this program get back up and running

1:22:59 ↗ um couple comments things like um

1:23:02 ↗ because we've kind of been on a pause

1:23:03 ↗ being able if we want to stick to the

1:23:04 ↗ three a year to me that says we have

1:23:06 ↗ about a 45 Tree Bank that we could

1:23:08 ↗ create effectively right um and still

1:23:11 ↗ keeping those parameters if for some

1:23:12 ↗ reason those parameters still exist um

1:23:14 ↗ to be able to jump start it um and I

1:23:16 ↗ think that your discussion um too about

1:23:19 ↗ you know um on um public Lane and where

1:23:23 ↗ can a Heritage tree um be a factor so

1:23:25 ↗ right now I think it's on page nine it

1:23:26 ↗ talks about the selling of public lands

1:23:29 ↗ uh and so well then does that mean that

1:23:31 ↗ we can actually create protections for

1:23:34 ↗ our public lands to say no the city

1:23:36 ↗ isn't able to deem this as a resource

1:23:39 ↗ that can be sold and it needs to stay

1:23:40 ↗ within um the public trust because it's

1:23:42 ↗ been you know kind of talking about what

1:23:44 ↗ is that weight that it's given to the

1:23:45 ↗ Heritage Tre program um and again there

1:23:48 ↗ was really strong um recommendations at

1:23:51 ↗ that time that we give weight to the

1:23:53 ↗ program as much as we legally can um and

1:23:56 ↗ being able to kind of create ways for

1:23:58 ↗ the program to mean something more um in

1:24:01 ↗ our conversations about how is this tree

1:24:03 ↗ different than the tree next to it in a

1:24:06 ↗ sense right uh and so um I would also

1:24:08 ↗ say too in your discussion about Groves

1:24:11 ↗ you know it's an interesting question um

1:24:12 ↗ when you link them to culturally

1:24:14 ↗ modified trees because uh generally um

1:24:17 ↗ in the history of how we've seen

1:24:19 ↗ culturally modified trees be treated

1:24:21 ↗ Canada and Sweden are great examples um

1:24:24 ↗ of how um they've been exploring how to

1:24:26 ↗ be able to protect um their cult tree

1:24:28 ↗ modified trees and Groves actually tend

1:24:30 ↗ to be a way to protect culturally

1:24:31 ↗ modified trees from storms and when um

1:24:34 ↗ everything is clearcut around it you end

1:24:36 ↗ up then endangering the health of the

1:24:37 ↗ culturally modified tree and Canada

1:24:39 ↗ actually does a minimum of a 100 feet um

1:24:42 ↗ Zone around their culturally modified

1:24:44 ↗ trees and so that's something else to

1:24:45 ↗ think about is that what that means when

1:24:47 ↗ we find these Treasures how do we then

1:24:49 ↗ protect them and that means actually

1:24:51 ↗ creating a space for them to thrive um

1:24:54 ↗ so um I would also say that if you guys

1:24:57 ↗ are planning on showing these next

1:24:59 ↗ slides and things like that in other um

1:25:01 ↗ boards or commissions or in the public I

1:25:03 ↗ think there's a great space to be able

1:25:05 ↗ to um give more history about these um

1:25:08 ↗ and be able to kind of um cue the public

1:25:10 ↗ into what are culturally modified trees

1:25:12 ↗ why are they so important um because so

1:25:14 ↗ many have been lost um for longing over

1:25:16 ↗ the years and it's simply because of my

1:25:18 ↗ background and having a history degree

1:25:20 ↗ that I know about them and so being able

1:25:22 ↗ to make the public more aware of them I

1:25:24 ↗ think um is incredibly important um and

1:25:27 ↗ um rather than waiting for something

1:25:28 ↗ like Luma where we have to have such a

1:25:30 ↗ huge public um outpouring to be able to

1:25:33 ↗ protect something um from developers who

1:25:36 ↗ want to be able to do what's um most

1:25:39 ↗ advantageous to them rather than what is

1:25:41 ↗ able to be done because L is a great

1:25:42 ↗ example of something where we were able

1:25:44 ↗ to have both we can have the culturally

1:25:46 ↗ modified tree and weend housing it

1:25:48 ↗ wasn't it didn't need to be um what it

1:25:50 ↗ kind of exploded into and so how do we

1:25:52 ↗ actually get ahead of that in our own

1:25:54 ↗ Community I think is a really good um

1:25:56 ↗ example of how we could do better um I

1:25:59 ↗ think it's also um interesting to talk

1:26:01 ↗ about um with our culturally modified

1:26:03 ↗ trees um um kind of expanding too on

1:26:07 ↗ that about

1:26:08 ↗ um uh sorry um so I have a lot of notes

1:26:12 ↗ on it so I'm trying to condense it too

1:26:15 ↗ um of being able to kind of talk about

1:26:17 ↗ um this important this H being able to

1:26:19 ↗ honor this and kind of create wayfinding

1:26:21 ↗ and and within the parks department I

1:26:23 ↗ think it's a good way to acknowledge how

1:26:25 ↗ we kind of have um Trails um how we have

1:26:28 ↗ um important locations included in the

1:26:30 ↗ way that we talk about how we honor the

1:26:32 ↗ land um that we've been entrusted to to

1:26:34 ↗ help take care of and so I think it's an

1:26:36 ↗ fabulous opportunity for us to do better

1:26:38 ↗ than we have

1:26:40 ↗ before thank you Jo that was yeah yeah

1:26:43 ↗ and I really appreciate the context I

1:26:44 ↗ heard that a little bit through Dan

1:26:45 ↗ Martinez but I'll admit yeah like said I

1:26:47 ↗ I did not hear as much of that so that's

1:26:50 ↗ on some of the PPC kind of background

1:26:52 ↗ with with Heritage tree protection so

1:26:54 ↗ that's great it was definitely a lot of

1:26:55 ↗ put opin it we're not quite ready and so

1:26:57 ↗ it's awesome that we're ready and having

1:26:58 ↗ these conversations but I think we're

1:27:00 ↗ saying well how do we explore making

1:27:02 ↗ these choices and let's um kind of we

1:27:04 ↗ need to make a choice and see so it

1:27:05 ↗ definitely sounds like this is something

1:27:07 ↗ I think we'd want to bring back again to

1:27:09 ↗ this group early ideally early in the

1:27:10 ↗ new year with some actual

1:27:12 ↗ recommendations and hearing how how the

1:27:14 ↗ tribe feels

1:27:16 ↗ about when they're ready to yeah I don't

1:27:18 ↗ think they're quite there yeah the CNT

1:27:20 ↗ stuff specifically but

1:27:26 ↗ any other comments from the

1:27:29 ↗ board you have any questions for us Dan

1:27:32 ↗ I I think this is this is super helpful

1:27:34 ↗ like I said I mean I do think that makes

1:27:36 ↗ a lot of sense to to to bring this back

1:27:38 ↗ with some kind of tangible

1:27:39 ↗ recommendations of how we're going to

1:27:42 ↗ modify this program um I think I kind of

1:27:45 ↗ need to chat with this with some of my

1:27:46 ↗ Parks colleagues but um yeah I think

1:27:48 ↗ that's something we we want to get

1:27:49 ↗ moving on so I mean hopefully that's

1:27:51 ↗ something we can maybe come back back in

1:27:52 ↗ January or February um and get some

1:27:55 ↗ feedback there before taking it to the

1:27:57 ↗ parkboard for any sort of official

1:28:00 ↗ adoption say nice

1:28:03 ↗ work in the short time you've been in

1:28:05 ↗ that position you taken this a long way

1:28:08 ↗ well thanks thanks and then big thanks I

1:28:10 ↗ think they're still hanging in with us

1:28:11 ↗ but our our interns me and leani put

1:28:13 ↗ most of that last presentation together

1:28:14 ↗ so they they really have been awesome to

1:28:16 ↗ to work with here the last couple months

1:28:18 ↗ so um uh I I can make this one I know I

1:28:21 ↗ know we're a little behind schedule and

1:28:23 ↗ um so I I could make this one pretty

1:28:24 ↗ quick obviously if there's questions or

1:28:27 ↗ or feedback but this is really meant to

1:28:29 ↗ just be kind of a informational the next

1:28:31 ↗ handful of slides on um our Urban forest

1:28:33 ↗ team here within uh the city of isqua um

1:28:37 ↗ so I want to kind of cover our green

1:28:38 ↗ isal program which we've talked briefly

1:28:40 ↗ about through some of our other

1:28:41 ↗ conversations tonight uh some of the

1:28:43 ↗ Environmental Education work we're doing

1:28:45 ↗ our park ranger program and then just

1:28:48 ↗ some kind of General updates on what I'm

1:28:49 ↗ kind of broadly calling tree work

1:28:51 ↗ planting removal Runing um so yeah uh

1:28:54 ↗ that last slide if you don't know Alex

1:28:55 ↗ Anderson on the right is our park ranger

1:28:58 ↗ um Taylor Nichols is our green is a CO

1:29:00 ↗ volunteer coordinator uh it's halftime

1:29:02 ↗ position but that was also new uh

1:29:04 ↗ shortly after my position was created

1:29:06 ↗ earlier this year and then on the left

1:29:08 ↗ there is H Vera who was a seasonal park

1:29:10 ↗ ranger her term has ended with us but

1:29:12 ↗ she was on with us for about four or

1:29:13 ↗ five months over the over the summer so

1:29:16 ↗ out after an event at Confluence Park so

1:29:18 ↗ I'm going to start with green isqua and

1:29:20 ↗ I think most of you are familiar with

1:29:21 ↗ this program uh you know kind of started

1:29:23 ↗ with the the green cities model uh we

1:29:25 ↗ have a lot of green cities in our region

1:29:26 ↗ that was a program for Tera started the

1:29:28 ↗ city worked with for Tera to launch this

1:29:30 ↗ program um Fortera has really stepped

1:29:33 ↗ back from a lot of their on the ground

1:29:34 ↗ stewardship where green cities included

1:29:36 ↗ and that was one reason I believe you

1:29:39 ↗ know that we really looked at kind of

1:29:40 ↗ building out some of this stuff

1:29:42 ↗ internally um obviously talking about

1:29:43 ↗ Forest uh management planning and some

1:29:46 ↗ other stuff tonight uh but this this is

1:29:48 ↗ definitely you know a big part of what

1:29:49 ↗ myself and and Taylor are working on day

1:29:51 ↗ to today uh and really looking at

1:29:53 ↗ improving our Urban forest and Natural

1:29:55 ↗ Area Health uh really through

1:29:57 ↗ galvanizing uh you know informed and

1:29:59 ↗ involved a community uh stewardship

1:30:01 ↗ effort uh and you know ensuring that

1:30:03 ↗ long-term sustainability of forest and

1:30:04 ↗ parks and natural areas which we have

1:30:06 ↗ over, 1500 Acres of within City Limits

1:30:09 ↗ which is you know pushing 20% of our uh

1:30:11 ↗ land cover U so it's an REI group we had

1:30:14 ↗ out at confence Park early this year

1:30:16 ↗ doing some IV

1:30:18 ↗ removal so these are just kind of some

1:30:20 ↗ stats of where we're at

1:30:22 ↗ uh as of um almost the end of the

1:30:25 ↗ calendar year here um we've worked with

1:30:28 ↗ over 1100 volunteers uh we actually just

1:30:31 ↗ with Breen ISU which we still held this

1:30:33 ↗ past Saturday even with the weather we

1:30:35 ↗ had in the morning um we just rolled

1:30:36 ↗ over 3,000 volunteer hours again I'm

1:30:39 ↗ calling out an big thanks for his well

1:30:41 ↗ Trails Club being there and braving that

1:30:42 ↗ and canopy flipping over and everything

1:30:44 ↗ but um uh we're working with a lot of

1:30:47 ↗ businesses I mean REI of course steps up

1:30:49 ↗ huge they are regularly sending

1:30:50 ↗ employees out for work parties we've

1:30:52 ↗ made some progress working with Costco

1:30:53 ↗ which has really been excited they've

1:30:55 ↗ had three events along the Pickering

1:30:56 ↗ reach and looking to try to do quarterly

1:30:58 ↗ events with some of their staff um some

1:31:00 ↗ smaller businesses that aren't

1:31:01 ↗ necessarily based in isqua to but those

1:31:03 ↗ have been the big two that we've worked

1:31:05 ↗ with uh and then hosting public events

1:31:07 ↗ uh so those are led by Community

1:31:08 ↗ Partners like is welps Trails Club Mount

1:31:10 ↗ sound Greenway trust we're hoping to

1:31:11 ↗ work more with uh Alex and trout limited

1:31:14 ↗ and the lakes Mish Urban Wildlife Refuge

1:31:16 ↗ partnership next year on on a site on

1:31:18 ↗ tibits Creek uh and then our forest

1:31:20 ↗ stewards too hopefully people are

1:31:22 ↗ familiar with that but these are

1:31:23 ↗ dedicated recurring volunteer roles that

1:31:25 ↗ we train up uh volunteers to um you know

1:31:28 ↗ adopt an area within a park and and you

1:31:30 ↗ know kind of perform the uh stewardship

1:31:33 ↗ activities whether invas the species

1:31:34 ↗ removal planting um and they can you

1:31:36 ↗ know lead their own events or you know

1:31:38 ↗ work independently or kind of a mix of

1:31:40 ↗ both uh there's Leilani on the left me

1:31:42 ↗ on the right and that bottom right

1:31:44 ↗ picture there uh are two Gibs act

1:31:46 ↗ interns to that we uh uh first interns

1:31:48 ↗ with that school that we've sponsored

1:31:49 ↗ within the parks department and uh me

1:31:51 ↗ actually worked with Stacy last year I

1:31:53 ↗ believe so um so we talked a lot about

1:31:56 ↗ like the Hands-On kind of restoration

1:31:57 ↗ stewardship work but we're trying to

1:31:59 ↗ look at this more broadly as an

1:32:00 ↗ educational program too so Taylor's made

1:32:02 ↗ a great connection with Eastside aabon

1:32:04 ↗ we've uh started to host some bird walks

1:32:05 ↗ at Confluence Park uh we hosted our

1:32:08 ↗ first inperson Forest Steward training

1:32:10 ↗ back in uh August so you know our goal

1:32:12 ↗ in the 20-year plan was to get to 10

1:32:14 ↗ stewards by this year and we're actually

1:32:15 ↗ right there which is great uh we're

1:32:17 ↗ above our volunteer hour goal too for

1:32:19 ↗ for

1:32:20 ↗ 2023 um and said expanding educational

1:32:22 ↗ opportunities for Forest stewards we

1:32:24 ↗ just had a tree planting uh kind of 101

1:32:27 ↗ that um couple people in this room Jamie

1:32:29 ↗ and an were both at that one too so uh

1:32:32 ↗ and that's I guess a little out of date

1:32:33 ↗ we just had our Green oqua Day this past

1:32:36 ↗ Saturday um just just if people want to

1:32:39 ↗ get a quick this is you know from the

1:32:40 ↗ 20-year plan this is essentially

1:32:41 ↗ distribution of of parks uh managed uh

1:32:44 ↗ city city land throughout the city you

1:32:46 ↗ can kind of see a lot through the lower

1:32:48 ↗ Corridor along as Z creek and a lot of

1:32:50 ↗ the nrca or GPA e uh Native growth

1:32:54 ↗ protection areas kind of in the

1:32:55 ↗ Foothills um so that this is kind of how

1:32:57 ↗ our 15 1500 acres is distributed across

1:33:01 ↗ the city

1:33:02 ↗ limits the next slide please this one's

1:33:05 ↗ really hard to read I'm sorry but I

1:33:06 ↗ really like that Taylor kind of put this

1:33:08 ↗ together to see how those 3,000 hours

1:33:10 ↗ were kind of split up across Parks so um

1:33:13 ↗ a lot of that we've been doing a lot of

1:33:14 ↗ work at Confluence Park it's you know

1:33:16 ↗ working with volunteers sometimes it's

1:33:17 ↗ just easiest to have parking bathrooms

1:33:20 ↗ accessibility and really great story at

1:33:22 ↗ Confluence Park uh you know I I at least

1:33:24 ↗ I think so in terms of conservation and

1:33:27 ↗ restoration um you know the reneer trail

1:33:29 ↗ we've worked on a lot this year um Park

1:33:32 ↗ point is uh kind of that beigy brown

1:33:35 ↗ color on the left side there so um and

1:33:38 ↗ then some smaller Park areas like the

1:33:39 ↗ little Dogwood bridge on ISO Creek on

1:33:41 ↗ Dogwood Street there's a little maybe

1:33:43 ↗ Halfacre spot we have a forest Steward

1:33:45 ↗ working at so some smaller hours but

1:33:47 ↗ still really good impact too um the

1:33:49 ↗ naming conventions certainly get tricky

1:33:51 ↗ in the city but we try to follow as best

1:33:53 ↗ we can what we have in the 20-year

1:33:57 ↗ plan um so kind of pivoting to our park

1:34:00 ↗ ranger program um showed Alex Anderson

1:34:02 ↗ who's been with the city for about a

1:34:04 ↗ year now but this positions actually

1:34:05 ↗ goes back a couple years Peter Walters

1:34:07 ↗ was the ranger before Alex um and really

1:34:10 ↗ responsible for routine Patrol of uh

1:34:13 ↗ Parks properties trails and Open Spaces

1:34:15 ↗ you know addresses uh any sort of Park

1:34:17 ↗ use issues through uh you know being

1:34:19 ↗ present and and you know having those

1:34:21 ↗ interaction with the public uh he is

1:34:23 ↗ unarmed no law enforcement Authority

1:34:25 ↗ we're really talking about kind of those

1:34:27 ↗ roles in the bottom there enforcement

1:34:28 ↗ through education um so those might be

1:34:31 ↗ things like you know offley dogs um you

1:34:34 ↗ know you know especially in critical

1:34:35 ↗ areas we're trying to educate more about

1:34:37 ↗ during during salmon season um fire pits

1:34:40 ↗ gosh my goodness just how often we've

1:34:42 ↗ had little fires in Parks is really kind

1:34:43 ↗ of alarming and you know really trying

1:34:45 ↗ to work with public on that you know a

1:34:46 ↗ lot of this does tie to working with our

1:34:48 ↗ unhoused populations in isqua and uh you

1:34:51 ↗ know is really on the front line working

1:34:52 ↗ with our Human Services team uh on you

1:34:55 ↗ know providing services and uh you know

1:34:58 ↗ really really trying to work with people

1:35:00 ↗ that we do have you know temporarily

1:35:02 ↗ living in our Park systems um some Park

1:35:04 ↗ and trail maintenance and interpretation

1:35:06 ↗ outdoor education those are really kind

1:35:08 ↗ of the main roles for our our park

1:35:11 ↗ ranger this was his he does these great

1:35:13 ↗ quarterly reports we track all these

1:35:15 ↗ different contacts on our internal GIS

1:35:18 ↗ system uh so this was for essentially

1:35:21 ↗ kind of the summer quarter July through

1:35:22 ↗ September this year and you can see

1:35:24 ↗ contacts around illegal dumping offleash

1:35:26 ↗ dogs Vandal and graffiti comes up a fair

1:35:28 ↗ amount unfortunately uh homeless

1:35:30 ↗ Outreach a gosh it's amazing the amount

1:35:33 ↗ of trash and litter that we are pulling

1:35:34 ↗ out of our Parks uh you know estimated

1:35:36 ↗ over 2,000 pounds in that three months

1:35:38 ↗ right there that doesn't count a lot

1:35:40 ↗ that we've been helping coordinating

1:35:41 ↗ pulling out of the bellue forest uh

1:35:43 ↗ Bellevue College Forest property up in

1:35:45 ↗ the highlands um couple education

1:35:47 ↗ initiatives he's launched is leave no

1:35:49 ↗ Trace awareness hopefully maybe you see

1:35:50 ↗ more of that some of our Trail heads um

1:35:53 ↗ uh we're really trying to to do more

1:35:55 ↗ work with L&T uh bark Ranger program

1:35:58 ↗ which uh is trying to you know voluntary

1:36:00 ↗ compliance or at lease in scoop laws I

1:36:01 ↗ think it's bag your waste always know

1:36:05 ↗ where you're going uh respect Wildlife

1:36:08 ↗ oh I'm sorry I'm messing up the acronym

1:36:10 ↗ but it's it's a program national parks

1:36:12 ↗ established that we are trying to uh

1:36:14 ↗ adopt here even have little dog tags

1:36:16 ↗ that are bark Rangers that will hand out

1:36:18 ↗ to well behaved uh dog owners but um and

1:36:21 ↗ then a junior Ranger program too so

1:36:23 ↗ really trying to work with um summer

1:36:25 ↗ camps and and education stuff like that

1:36:27 ↗ too this this past uh

1:36:30 ↗ summer and then this one might have been

1:36:32 ↗ better looped right after the green Isa

1:36:33 ↗ slide I think this is kind of the last

1:36:35 ↗ one I wanted to touch on you know we

1:36:36 ↗ have our handson stewardship you know

1:36:38 ↗ doing the maintenance the Restoration in

1:36:40 ↗ our Parks but really trying to dive into

1:36:43 ↗ uh topics related to forestry or maybe

1:36:45 ↗ broadly natural resources so we've

1:36:48 ↗ between myself Taylor and Alex or people

1:36:50 ↗ we've helped lead some of these events

1:36:52 ↗ so you know kind of help coordinate

1:36:53 ↗ other people to come out and Lead events

1:36:54 ↗ we've had 28 what I consider

1:36:56 ↗ Environmental Education events so far

1:36:57 ↗ this year uh those are kind of some of

1:36:59 ↗ the topics there from Forest Health to

1:37:01 ↗ plant ID Salamon ecology carbon credits

1:37:04 ↗ uh you know kind of Park Rangers and

1:37:06 ↗ being good users of our Park system and

1:37:08 ↗ you know it's been almost 400 people

1:37:10 ↗ we've had involved in these programs and

1:37:12 ↗ kind of breakdown between uh Youth and

1:37:14 ↗ adults there in the bottom

1:37:16 ↗ so think that's oh okay sorry last last

1:37:20 ↗ section this an important one um tree

1:37:22 ↗ planting or kind of tree work the last

1:37:24 ↗ couple slides here so this is for 2023

1:37:26 ↗ keep in mind um I want to be very clear

1:37:29 ↗ it it's not meant to be misleading I

1:37:31 ↗ still think it's a really great staff

1:37:32 ↗ but you know we have planted over 22,000

1:37:34 ↗ trees this year in Parks but you know 90

1:37:37 ↗ plus percent of that was part of the

1:37:38 ↗ city's lower zuker Creek uh stream

1:37:40 ↗ restoration project across from CostCo

1:37:42 ↗ and Pickering Barn there and a lot of

1:37:44 ↗ those are smaller willow trees um so you

1:37:47 ↗ know they're not expected to have 100%

1:37:48 ↗ survival rate but you know still going

1:37:50 ↗ to provide some really good low canopy

1:37:52 ↗ cover right on the edges of viso Creek

1:37:54 ↗ with some larger trees and stuff a

1:37:56 ↗ little bit further out in the buffer um

1:37:58 ↗ that's you know another 17,000 native uh

1:38:00 ↗ shrubs and trees so yeah through green

1:38:03 ↗ as a through volunteers themselves we're

1:38:04 ↗ probably closer to about 2,000 uh native

1:38:06 ↗ plants this year and then you know this

1:38:08 ↗ doesn't include the three or 400 we just

1:38:10 ↗ put in in Green isqua Day and a couple

1:38:12 ↗ other events we have planned through the

1:38:13 ↗ end of November so hoping to get it up

1:38:15 ↗ upwards of another thousand uh native

1:38:17 ↗ plants installed before the end of this

1:38:18 ↗ year and and more in the new year as

1:38:20 ↗ well uh a shout out to Jamie and an for

1:38:23 ↗ attending our forest Steward kind of

1:38:25 ↗ planting training a couple weeks ago at

1:38:27 ↗ Confluence Park so you can critique your

1:38:30 ↗ colleagues planting uh techniques in

1:38:32 ↗ those photos um so tree removal and

1:38:34 ↗ pruning I think is the last slide here

1:38:36 ↗ and this is something too we we we are

1:38:39 ↗ required to track this as part of our

1:38:41 ↗ tree City USA uh um certification which

1:38:44 ↗ I think most of you know we've been part

1:38:45 ↗ of that program for over 30 years now I

1:38:47 ↗ think this was our 31st year um our

1:38:51 ↗ tracking sheet is something that I

1:38:52 ↗ really want to kind of update and modify

1:38:54 ↗ and have more subtleties to it as it

1:38:56 ↗ relates to um you know how we're kind of

1:38:58 ↗ managing trees here right now we have 65

1:39:00 ↗ trees removed but I do want to kind of

1:39:02 ↗ call out that you know almost half of

1:39:04 ↗ those 28 are trees like this and I don't

1:39:06 ↗ think even constitute tree removal

1:39:08 ↗ essentially it's tree maintenance where

1:39:09 ↗ we're trying to keep our Trail corridors

1:39:11 ↗ open and you know leave any of the rest

1:39:13 ↗ of the tree material on site a lot of

1:39:15 ↗ those trees are dead trees a lot of

1:39:16 ↗ those trees are recently planted trees

1:39:18 ↗ that you know just one way reason or

1:39:20 ↗ another didn't fit the site irrigation

1:39:22 ↗ maybe malfunction you know so this goes

1:39:24 ↗ really into the urban Forest management

1:39:25 ↗ plan where we need to be a little bit

1:39:26 ↗ more strategic about our plant

1:39:28 ↗ establishment or or growing trees as uh

1:39:30 ↗ Andrew and Chris were referring to um

1:39:33 ↗ but this is where I started collecting

1:39:35 ↗ this information and we'll intend to

1:39:36 ↗ going for but I don't have this for the

1:39:38 ↗ first few months of the year is you know

1:39:40 ↗ what were the size of these trees are we

1:39:41 ↗ talking about trees under six or eight

1:39:43 ↗ inches where it wouldn't require a tree

1:39:44 ↗ removal perit are we talking about

1:39:45 ↗ larger trees that have um died for for

1:39:48 ↗ other reasons um you know Western red

1:39:51 ↗ cedar or or Douglas fur uh there have

1:39:53 ↗ been a few larger trees so really of

1:39:55 ↗ those 65 there have been four living

1:39:57 ↗ trees that we've had assessments that

1:39:58 ↗ have been deemed either nuisance or

1:40:00 ↗ Hazard trees that we've removed within

1:40:02 ↗ park space uh this year um and then we

1:40:05 ↗ we are pruning a lot of trees some of

1:40:07 ↗ that is through sepad the crime

1:40:09 ↗ prevention through environmental design

1:40:10 ↗ so you know liming up trees for better

1:40:12 ↗ visibility in some of our Open Spaces uh

1:40:14 ↗ some of that is you know conflicts with

1:40:17 ↗ utilities or um power lines and things

1:40:20 ↗ like that keeping right ways open

1:40:21 ↗ sidewalks roads uh so tree Health

1:40:23 ↗ visibility Trail corridors is where we

1:40:25 ↗ do a lot of our tree pruning and U

1:40:27 ↗ myself and uh one of our Parks

1:40:29 ↗ operations staff was able to coordinate

1:40:31 ↗ a uh tree pruning training for our whole

1:40:33 ↗ Parks operations team and a few of the

1:40:35 ↗ staff with Public Work streets uh Team

1:40:38 ↗ uh in October with plant amnesty which

1:40:40 ↗ was great to just try to get into some

1:40:41 ↗ better habits around um our printing

1:40:44 ↗ techniques um so yeah something that we

1:40:46 ↗ really want to try to kind of improve

1:40:48 ↗ upon uh moving forward to so I think

1:40:51 ↗ that might be it

1:40:52 ↗ um yeah so any questions I love to put

1:40:54 ↗ this one together I've been leading a

1:40:56 ↗ couple tours the Restoration History of

1:40:58 ↗ Pickering Reef so that's the barn in

1:41:00 ↗ about the year 2000 right when we

1:41:02 ↗ started doing some restoration along

1:41:03 ↗ there in the upper corner you can see

1:41:05 ↗ that's actually one of our big leaf

1:41:07 ↗ maple Heritage trees and it's not

1:41:09 ↗ perfectly lined up but you can still see

1:41:11 ↗ that same kind of horizontal arm in the

1:41:13 ↗ top right of the picture I took back in

1:41:15 ↗ March or April of this year where you

1:41:16 ↗ can't even see the barn now with some of

1:41:18 ↗ the uh uh trees that you know have

1:41:21 ↗ planted and you know maintained through

1:41:22 ↗ that site and that's just you know kind

1:41:23 ↗ of a snippet of a larger area along

1:41:25 ↗ Pickering reach there so just kind of

1:41:28 ↗ close with a little before and after

1:41:30 ↗ there so yeah if there's any questions

1:41:32 ↗ um like I said this was really just kind

1:41:33 ↗ of update some of the stuff that we're

1:41:34 ↗ working on as a team but um happy to

1:41:38 ↗ answer questions or if there's any kind

1:41:39 ↗ of comments or

1:41:42 ↗ feedback uh I think we were on the board

1:41:45 ↗ at one point Dan um we talked a little

1:41:47 ↗ bit about other agencies that like to

1:41:49 ↗ prune trees in the city

1:41:51 ↗ CL around power lines and things like

1:41:54 ↗ that and I'm hoping that perhaps you

1:41:56 ↗ might be able to start conversations

1:41:58 ↗ about some of the effects and their

1:42:00 ↗ pruning

1:42:01 ↗ techniques um on the health of the trees

1:42:04 ↗ and what might be done

1:42:08 ↗ better absolutely that's a great great

1:42:10 ↗ comment

1:42:13 ↗ Nancy uh yeah I'm wondering on on

1:42:16 ↗ removal of trees to fall over trails are

1:42:18 ↗ you still using C click fix you like the

1:42:22 ↗ public to use SE fix absolutely yeah

1:42:25 ↗ please y or is there some preferred

1:42:28 ↗ methods or is that it C click fix is

1:42:31 ↗ great just so we kind of have records

1:42:32 ↗ and holding ourselves to you know some

1:42:34 ↗ of the time frames we have as part of

1:42:36 ↗ the service level could you explain uh

1:42:39 ↗ so so click fix is a uh software program

1:42:43 ↗ that a lot of cities use and essentially

1:42:45 ↗ it's a way for the public to report what

1:42:47 ↗ are meant to be kind of smaller needs or

1:42:50 ↗ incidents you know it's not like we need

1:42:52 ↗ a capital project here it's it's it's

1:42:54 ↗ meant you know yeah tree down sidewalk

1:42:56 ↗ issues litter graffiti we get those

1:42:58 ↗ things a lot Wildlife interactions yeah

1:43:02 ↗ so um you can go online you can submit

1:43:04 ↗ it anonymously you can submit it with

1:43:06 ↗ your contact information and it tracks

1:43:08 ↗ any comments that the city staff reports

1:43:10 ↗ back and essentially it's a tracking

1:43:12 ↗ system of being submitted being

1:43:13 ↗ acknowledged being in progress and then

1:43:15 ↗ being closed out and there's kind of

1:43:17 ↗ comments in each step of the way there

1:43:19 ↗ so it's just see trees down Trails you

1:43:21 ↗ can you can do that yes know where

1:43:23 ↗ you're at um well you can let if you're

1:43:25 ↗ doing it on your phone you can let it

1:43:27 ↗ you know track your location if not you

1:43:29 ↗ can take a photo and describe it as best

1:43:31 ↗ you can I mean I'll say operationally a

1:43:33 ↗ lot of the ones I deal with are I really

1:43:35 ↗ want to measure this someday but we have

1:43:37 ↗ many miles of forested parks that you

1:43:39 ↗ know are adjacent to private property

1:43:41 ↗ and you all know that and you know so

1:43:43 ↗ very regularly it's it's you know

1:43:44 ↗ questions or concerns about trees in a

1:43:47 ↗ city open space behind a home so um and

1:43:50 ↗ a lot of times it is determining whether

1:43:51 ↗ that's actually on city property or if

1:43:53 ↗ that's privately owned or a different

1:43:54 ↗ agency but um that comes through a lot

1:43:57 ↗ so yes I mean you all can email me

1:43:59 ↗ directly I think you have my contact or

1:44:01 ↗ no know where I'm at but um that's a

1:44:02 ↗ really great way to make sure we're kind

1:44:05 ↗ of accountable for following through

1:44:06 ↗ with those requests they don't just kind

1:44:09 ↗ of slip off in an email or something

1:44:10 ↗ like

1:44:11 ↗ that awesome I think it looks like we're

1:44:14 ↗ done here but Connie I believe this

1:44:17 ↗ would be a good time for

1:44:19 ↗ you

1:44:24 ↗ so I sent you all my uh

1:44:29 ↗ 2008 thing that finally is happening in

1:44:32 ↗ an urban Forest

1:44:34 ↗ plan uh so brilliant it only took a

1:44:39 ↗ little

1:44:40 ↗ while uh

1:44:42 ↗ the

1:44:44 ↗ barriers are being sort of

1:44:48 ↗ under spoken with this Urban Forest plan

1:44:52 ↗ so I'm going to I'm going to bring up

1:44:54 ↗ the barriers which are the city itself

1:44:58 ↗ that doesn't

1:45:00 ↗ necessarily want

1:45:01 ↗ to um there's no particular person in

1:45:07 ↗ charge whose responsibility it is to be

1:45:11 ↗ able to take care of the urban Force who

1:45:15 ↗ also has the

1:45:16 ↗ authority over all of the departments in

1:45:20 ↗ the city because Public Works has a

1:45:22 ↗ whole different feeling about trees and

1:45:25 ↗ the parks department part of it thinks

1:45:28 ↗ trees are great the other part doesn't

1:45:30 ↗ think trees are so great um and then you

1:45:33 ↗ have the

1:45:34 ↗ complications of protected private land

1:45:37 ↗ but it's supposed to be maintained in

1:45:40 ↗ open space in perpetuity so it's sort of

1:45:43 ↗ technically private land but it is

1:45:47 ↗ supposed to be have its forested

1:45:52 ↗ component and that is supposed to be

1:45:55 ↗ part of your Urban Forest you have your

1:45:59 ↗ homeowners association Open Spaces are a

1:46:02 ↗ great example of that right you say

1:46:05 ↗ Urban forest forest management plan you

1:46:08 ↗ are not saying it's a tree plant yet it

1:46:11 ↗ is being treated as a tree plant and a

1:46:13 ↗ forest is very different than trees a

1:46:17 ↗ forest has functions

1:46:21 ↗ that uh are

1:46:23 ↗ habitat oriented right and they create

1:46:26 ↗ systems within a city and so I was a

1:46:29 ↗ little Disturbed to have the concept of

1:46:32 ↗ a forest system be light because that is

1:46:35 ↗ the under story that is the animals that

1:46:40 ↗ spread and create the habitat not just

1:46:42 ↗ raran areas because you have your Upland

1:46:45 ↗ it all contributes together to create

1:46:47 ↗ your Forest system and so I was sort of

1:46:50 ↗ anticip ipating that sort of a

1:46:52 ↗ perspective rather than the same old

1:46:54 ↗ canopy perspective that we've been

1:46:57 ↗ talking about all this time and so then

1:46:59 ↗ what we do is we got and plant more

1:47:01 ↗ trees and then we plant more trees and

1:47:03 ↗ then we plant more trees and then we

1:47:04 ↗ plant more trees yet we never really

1:47:06 ↗ track our trees to make sure that the

1:47:08 ↗ trees that we plant or even the under

1:47:10 ↗ underst story that we plant survives and

1:47:13 ↗ we don't

1:47:14 ↗ maintain it because we get overwhelmed

1:47:17 ↗ so now I've droned on so I'm going to

1:47:19 ↗ backtrack and base myself in Chris

1:47:22 ↗ berato who planted those plants on that

1:47:25 ↗ last

1:47:26 ↗ screen and she planted and planted and

1:47:29 ↗ planted and planted and quickly became

1:47:33 ↗ overwhelmed with the maintenance of all

1:47:35 ↗ of those plantings and pretty soon it

1:47:38 ↗ was blackberries and

1:47:40 ↗ trees and the deer and the Blackberry

1:47:43 ↗ and the trees and so there's a huge

1:47:46 ↗ caution in how you are going to be able

1:47:49 ↗ to create a functioning system it is not

1:47:52 ↗ like green is it was something new we've

1:47:54 ↗ been planting trees and doing this for a

1:47:57 ↗ very long time in isqua way ahead of the

1:47:59 ↗ curb and so uh these are some of the the

1:48:04 ↗ problems that that I see you have a

1:48:07 ↗ state

1:48:09 ↗ park

1:48:11 ↗ and you get the picture now let's go to

1:48:15 ↗ Heritage trees I tried to get some

1:48:18 ↗ public trees to gain Heritage status as

1:48:22 ↗ a test last year in the parks department

1:48:24 ↗ and I tried to get that lovely set of

1:48:27 ↗ trees in front of tibit Valley Park you

1:48:29 ↗ know that set of trees where you're walk

1:48:31 ↗ driving down Newport Way and there's

1:48:32 ↗ tiit Valley Park and there's all those

1:48:34 ↗ London Plane

1:48:35 ↗ trees and some of them are in the park a

1:48:40 ↗ some of them are in the street right

1:48:42 ↗ away and the city's plans for that

1:48:45 ↗ street is to take down all the

1:48:47 ↗ trees because that's the right RightWay

1:48:50 ↗ plant that is the set and so I'm going

1:48:53 ↗ that's crazy they want to take down the

1:48:56 ↗ trees so they can plant trees in the

1:48:59 ↗ planter

1:49:00 ↗ strip that's

1:49:03 ↗ crazy and I got

1:49:05 ↗ nowhere because it was more than three

1:49:09 ↗ trees the city has to give

1:49:12 ↗ approval who was I as a community member

1:49:15 ↗ saying wow City these are really great

1:49:17 ↗ trees and this is a really great amenity

1:49:19 ↗ and it's right by a storm water thing

1:49:21 ↗ it's got all the things that you need

1:49:23 ↗ that we need to keep and it was like

1:49:25 ↗ yeah now we just have to change the

1:49:27 ↗ whole program it's like okay well fine

1:49:30 ↗ so now we have a plan where those trees

1:49:33 ↗ are supposed to come down in order to

1:49:35 ↗ widen CL and that is the structure of

1:49:38 ↗ that you guys saw it you were mainly

1:49:40 ↗ here so how is it that we are going to

1:49:45 ↗ get our tree canopy kept in place if we

1:49:50 ↗ cannot get protections for these trees

1:49:54 ↗ that help create the the sense of our

1:49:57 ↗ trees the sense of arrival on streets

1:49:59 ↗ and make us this burdent green community

1:50:03 ↗ that everybody loves and I don't see it

1:50:05 ↗ happening unless we get

1:50:08 ↗ Authority that

1:50:10 ↗ supervises the uh the concept of having

1:50:14 ↗ an urban forest and is able to get it in

1:50:18 ↗ place and track

1:50:20 ↗ longterm and not just for our wonderful

1:50:24 ↗ fan here who I think is just totally

1:50:26 ↗ awesome which is rare that I say that

1:50:29 ↗ out loud to any staff member um but he

1:50:32 ↗ will not always be here so he needs to

1:50:35 ↗ be able to this needs to create a space

1:50:39 ↗ for anybody who can take that position

1:50:43 ↗ and I don't see that that currently is

1:50:47 ↗ it it didn't say duplicable up there it

1:50:49 ↗ didn't say talk much about how you're

1:50:52 ↗ going to actually get things done okay

1:50:54 ↗ very thank

1:50:56 ↗ you thank

1:50:59 ↗ you with that we may be done with you

1:51:03 ↗ Dan apprciate oh oh Tom was that left

1:51:06 ↗ over from earlier or was that a new

1:51:08 ↗ question I think it's left over

1:51:13 ↗ okay yeah I will see

1:51:16 ↗ click thank you so much Dan for for

1:51:18 ↗ coming out tonight appreciate yeah good

1:51:20 ↗ good to see you all and it sounds like

1:51:22 ↗ it'll be meeting with you again in the

1:51:23 ↗ new year so thank you yeah and please

1:51:25 ↗ feel free any time to reach out I love

1:51:27 ↗ to chat about all these things with you

1:51:29 ↗ all

1:51:31 ↗ so we are at about

1:51:34 ↗ 8:30 um I know Stacy has a couple of

1:51:38 ↗ topics

1:51:40 ↗ um what do we want to do

1:51:44 ↗ um I think we could punt the midpoint

1:51:49 ↗ review so the two topics were um the IAP

1:51:53 ↗ next year is required uh staff are

1:51:55 ↗ required to do a midpoint check-in with

1:51:58 ↗ Council um we are planning to make that

1:52:01 ↗ process broader that would involve a lot

1:52:04 ↗ of Education Outreach around IAP

1:52:07 ↗ implementation as well as making some

1:52:09 ↗ minor updates to the IAP based on

1:52:12 ↗ changes happening through the comp plan

1:52:14 ↗ as well as just some corrections we've

1:52:16 ↗ identified so we're looking for feedback

1:52:19 ↗ on on those two objectives for the

1:52:22 ↗ midpoint checkin as well as um plans

1:52:26 ↗ around Community engagement we can um

1:52:29 ↗ take that feedback over email

1:52:31 ↗ incorporate it and bring this back for

1:52:32 ↗ discussion to the board in December or

1:52:36 ↗ January depending on how those agendas

1:52:38 ↗ shape up so I'm fine to pump that one

1:52:40 ↗ it's time critical but not so time

1:52:44 ↗ critical we can't discuss it at a future

1:52:46 ↗ meeting um the other one is our annual

1:52:49 ↗ report report and Survey uh so for those

1:52:52 ↗ that are new to the board um we are

1:52:55 ↗ required by the end of the year to

1:52:56 ↗ submit a annual report to council um

1:52:59 ↗ that summarizes the work we've completed

1:53:01 ↗ over the year as well as provides a self

1:53:03 ↗ assessment of our work um so I provided

1:53:06 ↗ a draft in the packet seeking feedback

1:53:10 ↗ on that draft so I can bring you a final

1:53:12 ↗ uh draft report in December happy to

1:53:16 ↗ take that feedback over email um the one

1:53:19 ↗ thing is the survey we were hoping to

1:53:21 ↗ get that out tomorrow to give you all a

1:53:23 ↗ couple weeks to complete it so we can

1:53:25 ↗ then uh process the results and put them

1:53:27 ↗ into that final draft report so if there

1:53:30 ↗ are suggestions for changes to the

1:53:33 ↗ questions I would appreciate any of that

1:53:36 ↗ feedback tonight if we have a couple

1:53:38 ↗ minutes or tomorrow they're basically

1:53:40 ↗ the same questions as last year we're

1:53:43 ↗ doing a little bit of cleanup and and

1:53:45 ↗ words nothing but capturing the same uh

1:53:48 ↗ Concepts as we did last year to the

1:53:52 ↗ questions so happy to punt the first

1:53:55 ↗ item just would love feedback on that

1:53:57 ↗ IAP midpoint um checkin and our approach

1:54:01 ↗ and engagement there um for the annual

1:54:04 ↗ report I would say please send me

1:54:05 ↗ feedback as soon as possible over email

1:54:08 ↗ on whether we've captured things

1:54:09 ↗ accurately if you have proposed

1:54:12 ↗ revisions and then would love any

1:54:14 ↗ feedback now on the self assessment

1:54:16 ↗ questions or you could provide to me

1:54:18 ↗ tomorrow morning

1:54:20 ↗ does that

1:54:23 ↗ work we can talk about this check but do

1:54:27 ↗ think we should make sure we time

1:54:30 ↗ [Music]

1:54:39 ↗ yes but on the IAT checkin I know that a

1:54:43 ↗ report was provided to all of us from um

1:54:47 ↗ an Fletcher about the what was provided

1:54:50 ↗ to council yes I sent that to the board

1:54:52 ↗ as well yeah is there any way we can see

1:54:56 ↗ that before Council does or is that

1:54:58 ↗ typically how it's going I did send it

1:55:00 ↗ out you all actually did receive it um

1:55:03 ↗ prior to council it was in the October

1:55:05 ↗ packet uh can't remember the date of our

1:55:08 ↗ meeting October

1:55:10 ↗ 11th in that packet um we didn't discuss

1:55:14 ↗ it we just highlighted it and then it

1:55:15 ↗ went I think Council was on the 23rd so

1:55:19 ↗ that's my goal is to send it but we

1:55:20 ↗ didn't really have time at that meeting

1:55:22 ↗ for feedback but we could make time

1:55:24 ↗ going forward for those kinds of

1:55:31 ↗ reports any feedback on the survey

1:55:34 ↗ [Music]

1:55:36 ↗ questions hey um I kind of have a

1:55:38 ↗ different perspective on this because I

1:55:40 ↗ was one of the voices who advocated for

1:55:42 ↗ creating the assessment um the idea was

1:55:45 ↗ to give the board an opportunity to

1:55:46 ↗ guide priorities in a way that other

1:55:48 ↗ boards and commissions don't don't

1:55:49 ↗ usually get a chance for um it would be

1:55:52 ↗ interesting to have the board be more

1:55:53 ↗ involved in adding things to the agenda

1:55:55 ↗ for the year ahead and conversations

1:55:57 ↗ about how to push topics that are

1:55:58 ↗ outside of staff's um agendas the you

1:56:02 ↗ know the history of this board really um

1:56:04 ↗ was a kind of a a warning of how rivers

1:56:06 ↗ and streams became defunct and trying to

1:56:09 ↗ make sure that the environmental board

1:56:11 ↗ was able to be active in a way that

1:56:13 ↗ brought in um new voices in a way that

1:56:16 ↗ other boards and commissions do not um

1:56:18 ↗ and I think it's something that's

1:56:20 ↗ missing right now from that element is

1:56:21 ↗ talking about how um this board can use

1:56:25 ↗ its power to be able to be guiding the

1:56:27 ↗ discussion in a more aggressive way um

1:56:30 ↗ given the state of the world as it is in

1:56:32 ↗ a way that again is very different than

1:56:34 ↗ the way that we have other volunteer

1:56:36 ↗ boards and commissions in our city and I

1:56:38 ↗ didn't see that reflected necessarily of

1:56:40 ↗ being able to empower you guys to um say

1:56:44 ↗ these priorities need to get pushed in a

1:56:46 ↗ different way we need to be able to use

1:56:48 ↗ this board as a as a as a voice of

1:56:51 ↗ advocacy to council to the

1:56:53 ↗ administration um that I'm hoping that

1:56:55 ↗ we can add into the metrics of being

1:56:57 ↗ able to say these are the things that we

1:56:59 ↗ do that's been recommended and this is

1:57:01 ↗ kind of the extra credit version um of

1:57:04 ↗ what we're needing to do and hoping to

1:57:05 ↗ see that and again that's from that

1:57:06 ↗ perspective of somebody who helped to

1:57:08 ↗ create this because no other board

1:57:11 ↗ commission does this kind of assessment

1:57:13 ↗ um that's actually required um in the

1:57:15 ↗ bylaws um and it was for a purpose and

1:57:17 ↗ so I'd love to see us kind of fulfill

1:57:19 ↗ that

1:57:20 ↗ in a way um and then I also had one

1:57:22 ↗ question or suggestion is being able to

1:57:24 ↗ put it into um I don't know if you're

1:57:25 ↗ going to do it as it's displayed in our

1:57:28 ↗ packet or if you're going to be putting

1:57:29 ↗ it into a survey in a similar way that

1:57:31 ↗ we've done before feedback for when we

1:57:33 ↗ have joy commissions or whatever yes

1:57:34 ↗ it'll be I think last year we used a

1:57:36 ↗ Google form I think the year before that

1:57:38 ↗ people submitted their comments and a

1:57:40 ↗ Word document so we'll use some kind of

1:57:42 ↗ survey yeah I would make yeah we we've

1:57:44 ↗ used a metric before of kind of a of a

1:57:46 ↗ survey tool that's very easy to be able

1:57:48 ↗ to to move through

1:57:49 ↗ yes yeah I think we used Google sheet y

1:57:52 ↗ last year um did you have a to your um

1:57:56 ↗ first point is there a specific question

1:57:58 ↗ you'd want to see in the self assessment

1:58:00 ↗ we will be bringing a draft work plan

1:58:02 ↗ 2024 work plan to the board at our

1:58:04 ↗ December meeting for discussion and

1:58:06 ↗ input is I'm trying to think of a a

1:58:10 ↗ specific question we would ask in the

1:58:11 ↗ self assessment I think it's interesting

1:58:13 ↗ to get a feedback from board members as

1:58:16 ↗ to um for instance there's often

1:58:18 ↗ questions that staff asks and maybe

1:58:21 ↗ there isn't such a Defined answer that's

1:58:23 ↗ given by the board there's some

1:58:25 ↗ inference and so as you take away how

1:58:28 ↗ the last year has gone um for yourselves

1:58:31 ↗ was there something you were like I

1:58:33 ↗ really wish you would have had more of a

1:58:34 ↗ focus on this as from coming with the

1:58:36 ↗ experience that you guys bring to the

1:58:38 ↗ board of saying I wish we would have

1:58:40 ↗ spent more time on this I wish we would

1:58:42 ↗ have had more discussion about this

1:58:44 ↗ particular topic and as you reflect on

1:58:46 ↗ this being able to say I feel like we

1:58:48 ↗ kind of miss this we hit what we were

1:58:50 ↗ supposed to do but we didn't really have

1:58:53 ↗ the opportunity to push and say actually

1:58:55 ↗ we need to get more technical knowledge

1:58:57 ↗ on this we need to be prioritizing this

1:58:59 ↗ more and being able to advise Council as

1:59:02 ↗ do we need more budget to be able to go

1:59:03 ↗ further on this right and so kind of

1:59:05 ↗ reflecting on you being able to say um

1:59:08 ↗ how you know what maybe not necessarily

1:59:11 ↗ was I what was I dissatisfied about but

1:59:12 ↗ what do I wish that we would have been

1:59:14 ↗ able to spend more resources on an

1:59:17 ↗ advocate um to C

1:59:20 ↗ that's great

1:59:24 ↗ yeah any other feedback on this alha

1:59:31 ↗ assessment I just and going feeding off

1:59:33 ↗ of what Joy just said you know one

1:59:36 ↗ question you could ask were there any

1:59:38 ↗ initiatives or programs that you would

1:59:41 ↗ like us to consider for for the next

1:59:43 ↗ year or two you know it would be hard I

1:59:46 ↗ know there's one that I pushed at one of

1:59:48 ↗ the meetings that I would like to see

1:59:50 ↗ the city explore and um and that

1:59:54 ↗ feedback would come back stronger not in

1:59:56 ↗ these questions but if something like

1:59:58 ↗ that was add great

2:00:03 ↗ okay all right well as you head home

2:00:05 ↗ tonight if you have other thoughts let

2:00:07 ↗ us know we're going to try and get this

2:00:09 ↗ out tomorrow um afternoon or Monday at

2:00:12 ↗ the latest um so folks have a couple

2:00:14 ↗ weeks to fill out um great and then

2:00:17 ↗ we'll bring the results of that as S as

2:00:19 ↗ assessment with the final draft report

2:00:22 ↗ um to our next meeting um and we'll try

2:00:24 ↗ and make room for that midpoint uh

2:00:26 ↗ discussion as well then but at the

2:00:28 ↗ latest in

2:00:30 ↗ January and if you do have feedback on

2:00:33 ↗ the draft board report it was in your

2:00:34 ↗ packet um please do send that to me so

2:00:36 ↗ we can make Corrections ahead of the

2:00:38 ↗ December

2:00:41 ↗ meeting

2:00:43 ↗ great then let we into our report so you

2:00:47 ↗ was that reports sort of

2:00:49 ↗ those were the regular agenda I can do a

2:00:52 ↗ very very quick um just quick highlights

2:00:55 ↗ because I'm trying to do Council updates

2:00:57 ↗ um Metroflex program launched there were

2:01:00 ↗ actually a few few Flyers out here when

2:01:01 ↗ I came in so grab one um that's the the

2:01:05 ↗ shuttle service essentially um there

2:01:08 ↗ discussions coming up with Council about

2:01:10 ↗ a transportation sales tax

2:01:12 ↗ Transportation benefit District Jamie

2:01:14 ↗ might have more knowledge about this

2:01:15 ↗ from his time on the finance committee

2:01:19 ↗ years ago um tonight the um policy

2:01:24 ↗ development uh sorry Planning

2:01:25 ↗ Development environment Council

2:01:27 ↗ committee actually looked at the

2:01:28 ↗ environment element that's where uh

2:01:30 ↗ David was tonight with Stephen um so

2:01:33 ↗ we'll share their feedback um that we

2:01:36 ↗ receive from them uh maybe over email

2:01:39 ↗ before our next

2:01:40 ↗ meeting um and then on the 20th they'll

2:01:43 ↗ be looking at the mid banian budget

2:01:45 ↗ adjustments one thing to flag there is

2:01:48 ↗ there is a proposal for a to bring back

2:01:51 ↗ a full-time Solid Waste position that

2:01:53 ↗ work has been split across about six

2:01:55 ↗ staff and multiple Consultants um so

2:01:59 ↗ we're uh looking forward to hopefully

2:02:00 ↗ having someone back in that role in the

2:02:02 ↗ new

2:02:03 ↗ year um in your packet uh David provided

2:02:07 ↗ a introductory report on our City's

2:02:10 ↗ greenhouse gas inventory this is a 2022

2:02:13 ↗ Community green greenhouse gas inventory

2:02:16 ↗ and then our first Municipal operations

2:02:19 ↗ inventory he'll provide a much deeper

2:02:21 ↗ dive uh at our next meeting into the

2:02:24 ↗ results of that

2:02:27 ↗ inventory um and then just uh one flag

2:02:31 ↗ for um IAP implementation is next week

2:02:34 ↗ we're going to be launching a big

2:02:36 ↗ marketing campaign for our fuel

2:02:38 ↗ switching incentive for the um heat pump

2:02:41 ↗ campaign this is for moderate income

2:02:43 ↗ households switching from um a gas

2:02:46 ↗ furnace to a heat pump uh that's going

2:02:48 ↗ to be be a five City uh campaign that

2:02:51 ↗ we'll be

2:02:52 ↗ launching um and we have a very full

2:02:55 ↗ December meeting um we'll be looking at

2:02:57 ↗ the greenhouse gas inventory um

2:03:00 ↗ Christian will be back to talk about the

2:03:02 ↗ natural environment checklist he's been

2:03:03 ↗ working with his staff to do a bit of a

2:03:07 ↗ backcast isn't the right word but look

2:03:08 ↗ at some previous projects and run them

2:03:11 ↗ through the spreadsheet he also made

2:03:12 ↗ some improvements to the spreadsheet um

2:03:15 ↗ we'll be looking at our board report and

2:03:18 ↗ survey results and then our 2024 work

2:03:21 ↗ plan so might be uh maybe planned for a

2:03:24 ↗ little extra time at our last meeting we

2:03:27 ↗ just have a lot um a lot of projects we

2:03:29 ↗ want to get reported out on before the

2:03:31 ↗ end of the year and then just some

2:03:32 ↗ housekeeping and administrative items um

2:03:35 ↗ and that meeting is

2:03:38 ↗ December

2:03:43 ↗ 13th we going to bring sustance I I will

2:03:47 ↗ bring something pumpkin bread or

2:03:50 ↗ something yes we can all bring cookies

2:03:52 ↗ yes cider and

2:03:54 ↗ cookies yeah C that sounds good um is

2:03:57 ↗ there any other business from the board

2:03:59 ↗ or from

2:04:01 ↗ Stacy right we

2:04:09 ↗ areour so

Approved minutes

Extracted from the next meeting's packet, where this meeting's minutes were approved as a consent-calendar attachment.

Open PDF

Attendance

Council / Members (11)

Jamie Finch

Don McQuilliams

Nancy Davidson

Anne Newcomb

Prajakta Ghatpande

Tom Anderson

Alix Lee-Tigner

Ashwin Kannan

Janet Wall

Joy Lewis

Ashwin Manoharan* (unexcused absence)

Staff (6)

Stacy Vynne McKinstry, Sustainability Manager

Dan Hintz, Urban Forest Supervisor

Mina Jun, City Intern

Leilani Mathieu-Deciga, City Intern

Chris Peiffer, PlanITGeo consultant

Andrea Starbird, PlanITGeo consultant

Excused

Dixie Bair

Recommendations & actions (6)

Sentences extracted from the narrative containing words like recommended, requested, directed, moved, or approved. Best-effort — verify against the full minutes for context.

The minutes were approved as presented by unanimous consent.
Board Member DAVIDSON provided feedback on street tree concerns and requested more information about how they are considered in the plan.
Board Member LEWIS requested more information on technology that is used for assessing tree canopy.
Board Member GHATPANDE asked for clarification for how natives and nonnatives are considered as part of the plan and requested that the City provide more information on native species for residents.
He recommended that staff review Title 18 for gaps around trees.
The Board requested that HINTZ return in early 2024 for further discussion on the program and incorporation of recommendations from the Board.