Doubling Baltimore’s tree canopy one tree at a time

1. Doubling Baltimore’s tree canopy one tree at a time

2. TreeBaltimore A program of Baltimore City to double the tree canopy of Baltimore by developing a Sustainable urban forest Through the efforts of the entire civic community.

3. Background • 1983 Chesapeake Bay Agreement • 2003 Chesapeake Bay Directive • Urban tree canopy extends the function of riparian forest buffers in developed areas • By 2010, CBP will work with communities in each State to Promote tree canopy goals.

4. Baltimore Leads the Way Leakin Park The first city in Maryland to set an Urban Tree Canopy Goal Spring, 2006

5. Tree Canopy Goal • To double the Tree Canopy in Baltimore within 30 years. Cylburn Arboretum www.photo.net/photos/sbeelman Shawn Beelman

6. The Gold Leaf Award 2006 Mid-Atlantic Chapter "It's a very aggressive goal, but one that is necessary for the future health of our city.” Connie A. Brown, Director Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks

7. TreeBaltimore, Phase I: • Urban Forest Management Plan Timeframe: -Began research June, 2006 -Draft plan April 27, National Arbor Day -Final plan, June 30, 2007 -Adopted by Planning Commission, 2007 -Implementation: On-going -Inventory sampling, Summer, 2007

8. Urban Forest Management Plan “This is not just for now, it’s for the future. Think about the generations of people who will benefit.” Mayor Sheila Dixon

9. What is the Trend? What is the Trend? • Average lifespan of tree: 15 years • Only 30% of trees live past age 15 • Loss in stored carbon at a value of $340 Million in 30 years Baltimore’s Urban Forest David J. Nowak, USDA Forest Service Baltimore City is Losing Tree Canopy!

10. A Sustainable Urban Forest The naturally occurring and planted trees in cities, managed to provide the residents with a continuing level of economic, social, environmental, and ecological benefits now, and into the future.

11. Recommendations • Interagency cooperation; • Managing public lands with best practices; • Tree-friendly urban infrastructure • Suitable tree species; • Protecting existing trees • Increase tree planting on private lands; • Building capacity

12. Urban Forest Management Plan Policy: Interagency Cooperation • Establish an inter-agency working group to implement the Urban Forest Management Plan.

13. Recommendations • Interagency cooperation; • Managing public lands with best practices; • Tree-friendly urban infrastructure • Suitable tree species; • Protecting existing trees • Increase tree planting on private lands; • Building capacity

14. TreeBaltimore Urban Forest Management Plan Policy: Manage public trees and forests by best practices for sustainability POLICY: MANAGE PUBLIC TREES AND FORESTS FOR SUSTAINABILITY 5-year plan for street tree management operations according to best practices of the American National Standards A300 Street Tree Inventory Management Plan for park forests and trees

15. Recommendations • Interagency cooperation; • Managing public lands with best practices; • Tree-friendly urban infrastructure • Suitable tree species; • Protecting existing trees • Increase tree planting on private lands; • Building capacity

16. TreeBaltimore Urban Forest Management Plan • Policy: Build tree-friendly urban infrastructure • Building standards for public and private projects • Baltimore City Book of Standards • Landscape manual • Criteria for creating planting opportunities

17. Recommendations • Interagency cooperation; • Managing public lands with best practices; • Tree-friendly urban infrastructure • Suitable tree species; • Protecting existing trees • Increase tree planting on private lands; • Building capacity

18. Recommendations Policy: Plant Suitable tree species; -Revise recommended tree list -Prohibit exotic invasive species -Insure species are adaptable to growing conditions

19. Recommendations • Interagency cooperation; • Managing public lands with best practices; • Tree-friendly urban infrastructure • Suitable tree species; • Provide an integrated regulatory framework • Protecting existing trees • Increase tree planting on private lands; • Building capacity

20. Recommendations • Policy: Integrated regulatory framework • -Revise Article 7 for Comprehensive Urban • Forest Management objectives • -Integrate: • Forest Conservation Act • Landscape Manual • “Tree Ordinance” • Tree protection • Increase enforcement resources

21. Recommendations • Interagency cooperation; • Manage public lands with best practices; • Build tree-friendly urban infrastructure • Plant suitable tree species; • Integrate regulatory framework • Protect existing trees • Increase tree planting on private lands; • Building capacity

22. TreeBaltimore Urban Forest Management Plan • Policy: Protect existing trees from construction practices • -Best practices for sidewalk repair around mature trees • -Implement tree protection on all public and private development projects.

23. Recommendations • Interagency cooperation; • Manage public lands with best practices; • Build tree-friendly urban infrastructure • Plant suitable tree species; • Integrate regulatory framework • Protect existing trees • Increase tree planting on private lands; • Building capacity

24. Recommendations Policy: Increase tree planting on private property. -Small tree give-away -Mid-size tree 50/50 grant program -Market-based incentive program

25. Recommendations • Interagency cooperation; • Manage public lands with best practices; • Build tree-friendly urban infrastructure • Plant suitable tree species; • Integrate regulatory framework • Protect existing trees • Increase tree planting on private lands; • Build capacity

26. Recommendations • Policy: Build capacity for tree planting and care • Education • Promotion • Partnering with public and private organizations and sponsors • Civic task force to develop financial and organizational capacity

27. For us, for our children …

28. TreeBaltimore Amur Cork Baltimore City Notable Tree

29. Providing Professional Quality Service to Baltimore Since 1913 Doubling Baltimore’s tree canopy one tree at a time Brought to you by: Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks’ Forestry Division

30. - Question and Answer - Prioritize your concerns - What’s missing? - Tree Incentive Programs - Tree Sampling Survey

31. TreeBaltimore • Interagency cooperation • Manage public lands with best practices • Build tree-friendly urban infrastructure • Plant suitable tree species • Integrate regulatory framework • Protect existing trees • Increase tree planting on private lands • Building capacity Instructions: 1. Please rank each area: ‘1’ Most Important, ‘2’ Moderate Importance, or ‘3’ Least Importance 2. On the back of this paper, write any comment that you want about TreeBaltimore and the Urban Forest Management Plan.

32. TreeBaltimore Comments on the Urban Forest Management Plan, or other. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Name (optional)__________________________________________ Address __________________________________________ E-mail __________________________________________ Phone: ___________________________________________

33. TreeBaltimore • Incentive Programs • Biannual Tree giveaway • Target audience, opportunities and barriers • Species • Distribution method • Growing Home Coupon Model • Target audience, opportunities and barriers • 50/50 grant program with community organizations • Opportunities and barriers

34. Public Meeting Notice Saturday, June 2, 10:00 am -12:00 noon Fred B. Leidig Recreation Center 4521 Frederick Avenue Download the plan at: http://www.ci.baltimore.md.us/government/recnparks/treeBaltimore.html Comments due: June 4, 2007 First 30 people at each meeting will receive a free Red Maple!

35. TreeBaltimore Join the Street Tree Sampling Survey Summer, 2007 Volunteers Needed!

37. Thanks for Coming!