HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 4b. Community Forest Plan Introduction
TREE COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT
SUBJECT: COMMUNITY FOREST PLAN INTRODUCTION
FROM: Walter Gault, City Arborist
Phone Number: (805) 783-7883
Email: wgault@slocity.org
1.0 RECOMMENDATION
Review the City of San Luis Obispo Community Forest Plan and identify discussion
item(s) to be placed on a future agenda.
2.0 BACKGROUND
The City of San Luis Obispo adopted the Community Forest Plan1 on April 4, 2023. The
Community Forest Plan’s vision is for the City to implement cost-effective enhancement
and maintenance of the urban forest, increases public awareness of the value of our
community forest, and maximizes its social, economic, and environmental benefits for
current residents and future generations.
The mission of the plan is to achieve this vision by working with and empowering city
residents and partners to establish innovative, science-grounded goals and strategies to
protect, expand, and nurture the City’s public tree cover and the associated benefits over
the coming decades and collaborating between and within City departments that are
involved in urban forest management, as well as between the City and other local
stakeholders (e.g., community groups, nonprofit organizations, businesses, utilities, other
cities, Cal Poly, other State agencies).
2.1 Existing Programs, Policies and Goals
The Community Forest Plan highlights programs, policies and goals that are contained in
other City documents regarding the urban forest (referenced and summarized below):
The General Plan Land Use Element (2014), contains Sustainability policies that
call on the City to develop a long-term tree planting program and recommendations
to renew and maintain the urban forest.
The Parks and Recreation Element Update (2021), also known as the Parks +
Recreation Blueprint for the Future: 2021-2041, calls for shading of play areas in
part through the use of trees, and devotes a section to the selection of appropriate
park trees.
1 The Community Forest Plan is published and available on the City’s website at the following link:
https:/www.slocity.org/home/showdocument?id=34110
Meeting Date: 12/2/2024
Item Number: 4b
Time Estimate: 30 minutes
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Item 4b
The City’s 2020 Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery (2020 CAP) called
for rejuvenation and expansion of the City’s urban forest through the planting of
10,000 new trees by 2035. Subsequently, the City Council incorporated this
proposal into the City’s 2021-2023 Major City Goal for Climate Action, Open Space
& Sustainable Transportation
2.2 Financial Planning
In previous Financial Plans, the has City committed to engaging in projects and initiatives
that favored accrual of the many benefits provided by trees, including shading and
cooling, beautification, habitat, stormwater retention, and carbon sequestration. The
Community Forest Plan identifies that the City should continue to focus efforts on
completing urban forest-related tasks, as staff and budget allow, that will contribute to the
adoption of an integrated, holistic, and equitable approach to urban forestry.
3.0 IMPLEMENTATION
The Community Forest Plan has four main goals:
1. Maintain and expand the urban forest,
2. Promote sustainability and climate resilience,
3. Pursue collaboration, and
4. Emphasize equity.
The plan involves multiple City departments and external partners, with a team -based
approach for implementation that includes public outreach, equity considerations, and
collaboration with local stakeholders and volunteers.
The Community Forest Plan Implementation section outlines the goals, objectives, and
actions for San Luis Obispo's urban forest. A full list of objectives can be found on Table
5, the Community Forest Plan Implementation Matrix, on pages 36-47. Below are some
general themes from the matrix.
The City actively encourages participation in tree planting and stewardship, tree
preservation and protection and increased public awareness of the value of our
community forest in order to maximize its social, economic and environmental
benefits for current residents and future generations.
The City of San Luis Obispo aims to plant 10,000 new trees by 2035 as part of the
10 Tall Initiative.
Objectives include accruing and analyzing data, strengthening maintenance
practices, increasing new plantings, re-examining tree removal policies, and
focusing on sustainability.
Metrics such as average tree diameter, height, condition, and percent canopy
cover will be used to track progress.
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Item 4b
The City will use adaptive management to remain flexible and adjust strategies as
needed over time.
4.0 NEXT STEPS
Review the Community Forest Plan and identify discussion item(s) to be added to a future
agenda.
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