TITLE
Recommendation to adopt resolution related to the City’s receipt and use of Urban Forestry Inventory Grant funds of approximately $162,500 under the California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood, Parks, and Coastal Protection Act of 2002, and the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
One of the stated goals of the City's Urban Forest Master Plan is to "protect and maintain the City's existing urban forest." To accomplish this goal, several actions have been recommended including the following:
· Conduct an assessment of the structure, environmental effects and value of the
City's urban forest, using the USDA Forest Service Urban Forest Effects (UFORE)
model.
· Update the Citywide tree inventory.
· Develop a cost-benefit analysis of the City's street and median trees using the
updated inventory and computer modeling tools.
The existing street tree inventory was professionally conducted over eight years ago. Since that time, the International Society of Arborists has published a Best Management Practices Manual for inventories, which was not available at that time. In addition the City has lost many trees to age, disease, and weather, and has also planted many new trees, which are not reflected in the inventory. By updating the street tree inventory, the City will have a thorough understanding of the distribution of the urban forest, its population and overall health. The benefit-assessment analysis will be used to support the solicitation for additional funding revenues, guide the City and its non-profit partners to increase the size and assess the air quality benefits generated by our urban forest.
The estimated cost for the updated inventory is $325,000. The City submitted a grant application and has been notified that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) selected the City's application for funding unde...
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