City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/26931
Because recommendations need to be measurable in their implementation, one of the first suggestions that our group put forward was to conduct a baseline canopy study. In the Broward County Climate Change Action Plan, we recommended quantifying the cur- rent level of carbon sequestration and storage by conducting a baseline canopy study and re-measur- ing every five years. This action item is still pending as Broward County’s internal sustainability team seeks funding. In 2010, I conducted a baseline canopy study for Manatee County on Florida’s west coast. I analyzed county-wide aerial photography from 2009 using a combination of ERDAS Imagine 2010 and CITYgreen software. This study concluded that Manatee County has 37 percent canopy cover, only three percentage points shy of the 40 percent canopy goal recom- mended by American Forests. In the Broward County Climate Change Action Plan, we recommended reaching a 40 percent canopy through Action Item NU-2.1, which encourages urban refores- tation with trees and shrubs known to sequester and store high levels of carbon through planting on public and private lands. This includes encouraging people to plant trees on “unused properties, school and govern- ment properties and conservation lands utilizing trees and shrubs acquired through grants, private public part- nerships with the green industry, and with developers or agencies looking for opportunities to offset carbon emissions and become carbon neutral. We also encour- age the connectivity of natural areas and green urban areas to reduce heat islands and improved energy effi- ciency of adjacent structures.” As has been the case with Broward County, finding fund- ing sources for Climate Change Action Plan creation and implementation can be challenging, but there are grants available—check with your state Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) coordinator. The Florida Division of Forestry UCF grants program has funded canopy stud- ies for communities in Florida, including the one that I conducted in Manatee County. The nonprofit group Keep Manatee Beautiful provided matching funding. Final Thoughts It is important for Climate Change Action Plans to include action items that residents will be likely to understand and support, such as tree planting and preservation programs. Incorporating tree plantings and tree giveaways into the plan is a great way to gain public support for the project. One additional benefit of a Climate Change Action Plan is that the actions proposed generally have benefits beyond the mitigation of climate change. For example, changing a municipal vehicle fleet from standard unleaded gasoline vehicles to hybrid, diesel, electric or compressed natural gas can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also save money when gas prices rise. Replacing light bulbs in government buildings with ener- gy efficient bulbs can save money over time. Policies that emphasize walking- and transit-oriented develop- ment reduce car trips (and greenhouse gas emissions) and lead to a healthier population. Accordingly, implementing programs to plant and main- tain trees, a common element of Climate Change Action Plans, provides a number of additional benefits to com- munities—benefits that are well known by city foresters. The Broward County Climate Change Action Plan can be accessed from: www.broward.org/NaturalResources/ ClimateChange www.urban-forestry.com 27