Tag Archives: Tree Protection

Local tree news update, 4-8-23

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Edmonds Tree Code Amendment Project: Public Survey – valid through May 19 – make your voice heard!

Carkeek Park Earth Day Celebration – Broadview Seattle, 4/6

UW cherry blossoms reach peak bloom – SeaTimes, 4/6

Community Work Party at Twin Ponds North Saturday, April 8, 2023 – Shoreline Area News, 4/2

Where to see cherry blossoms in the Seattle area – SeaTimes, 3/30

Balancing the health of its ‘urban forest’ with ‘a critical need for more housing,’ Seattle shaping new tree protections – Capitol Hill Seattle Blog, 3/30

WA to burn thousands of acres of forest ahead of fire season – SeaTimes, 3/28

City launches tree code update process with focus on private property – MyEdmonds News, 3/28

Lone tree at Richmond Beach – Shoreline Area News, 3/28

Poetry: Climbing the Tree of Life – Shoreline Area News, 3/24

Reminder: City sponsoring community conversation March 27 about changes to Edmonds tree code – MyEdmonds News, 3/24

Trees, housing and climate goals are intertwined as Seattle debates canopy – SeaTimes, 3/21

Editorial: Use state forestlands to ‘farm’ carbon credits – Everett Herald, 3/21

Ballinger Creek Restoration Project – Shoreline Area News, 3/20

Provide input on the Shoreline’s Urban Forest Strategic Plan and Forest Management Plan – Shoreline Area News, 3/17

Pinehurst Pocket Park Work Party 4/8/2023 – Pinehurst Seattle, 3/15

Pacific Northwest forests are heating up and drying out – High Country News, 3/14

Cherry tree removal on Pike Street underway after compromise – SeaTimes, 3/14

WA rivers, lake nominated to receive new environmental protections – SeaTimes, 3/12

Duwamish Tribe Cultural Preservation Officer consults with Shoreline Historical Museum re the Miyawaki Urban Forest History Project – Shoreline Area News, 3/11

How You Can Foster a Baby Forest – Seattle Greenlaker, 3/11

State’s forests: Protect ‘carbon workhorses’ SeaTimes, 3/10

Seattle Mayor directs city to replace Pike Place market trees with triple the number of cherry blossoms – NW Asian Weekly, 3/10

A rogue, unpermitted palm tree at Alki Beach raises hackles – SeaTimes, 3/10

Sponsor a tree, help a wetland – and a student! -West Seattle Blog, 3/10

Pike Street: Importance of cherry trees – SeaTimes, 3/10

Citing wildfire risk, Spokane to thin 1,000 acres of urban forest – KNKX, 3/9

New protections for Seattle’s trees are inching forward – KNKX, 3/8

Mayor and Councilmember Strauss working to protect and expand tree canopy – Westside Seattle, 3/7

Save the cherry trees – NW Asian Weekly, 3/7

Allow sale of credits for carbon stored in WA-owned lands – SeaTimes, 3/7

DEVELOPMENT: Tree concerns dominate hearing on Delridge proposal – West Seattle Blog, 3/4

Op-Ed: Sound Transit bus lane through LFP would deforest Bothell Way and shift the road west into 110 properties – Shoreline Area News, 3/4

Tree Talk: A name to master, a tree to grow – Madison Park Times, 3/3

Tree canopy: Lack of follow-up – SeaTimes, 3/3

Forest sale: ‘Shame on us’ – SeaTimes, 3/2

Seattle has a Green Lake-sized hole in its tree canopy, study shows – Crosscut, 3/2

Seattle has lost 255 acres of tree canopy. Here’s why – SeaTimes, 3/2

Seattle tree protections update includes plan for new arborist work and removal map by 2024 – Capitol Hill Seattle Blog, 3/1

Plan begins to replace failing street trees in Everett – Everett Herald, 2/28

Planting the seeds for Washington’s forest restoration efforts – Crosscut, 2/27

Two wins for Burien’s Tree Equity – Westside Seattle, 2/25

In the once-cool forests of the Pacific Northwest, heat poses a new threat– HCN, 2/24

Scene at Meadowdale Beach Park: Winter trees – Lynnwood Today, 2/19

Q&A with SCC District 4 Rep Alex Pedersen– Wallyhood blog, 2/11

Grant dollars are seeding the urban forestry push in Washington – Crosscut, 2/10

WATCH THE VIDEO: ONE MILLION TREES – G.R.I.T. in Tacoma, The Nature Conservancy, 1/25

White Center Tree Clearing Prompts Tree Protection Actions in Unincorporated King County – South Seattle Emerald, 1/20

Tree Talk: From tiny acorns grow … – Queen Anne News, 1/18

Public Comments Needed Now to Increase Seattle’s Protection of Trees

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Action Needed Now to Protect Seattle’s Trees!

Public Comments are needed now supporting draft SDCI Director’s Rule 13-2020 for Increased Tree Protection – Deadline August 17th

Your help is needed now to ensure that stronger tree protection in Seattle moves forward. The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections has released a draft update to its 2008 Director’s Rule on Exceptional Trees. Director’s Rule 13-2020 will be used to give updated guidance to developers and property owners on tree protection in Seattle.
Public comment in support of this update is needed by
Monday August 17, 2020

  SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT NOW  

The update was mandated by Mayor Burgess’s Executive Order 2017-11 – Tree Protection and by the 2019 Seattle City Council Resolution 31902 after strong citizen outrage over continued tree loss in the city.
The draft Director’s Rules would give greater protection to large trees, tree groves, Heritage Trees, and all trees over 6 inches in diameter at standard height (DSH). It would require Tree Care Providers to register with the city of Seattle and comply with city tree regulations. It would also finally require developers who remove exceptional trees and trees over 24 inches DSH to replace them on site or elsewhere in the city. This requirement has been in the current Tree Protection Ordinance since 2001 but was never enforced.
Adoption of the Director’s Rule as drafted is not guaranteed but can be changed or delayed due to public pressure. We would like to see stronger protection. The King County Master Builders, meanwhile, are urging their members to also submit public comments, including urging the update be delayed for 18 months.
The draft updated Director’s Rule is long overdue. Citizens have been urging updated tree protection for 11 years. Enough is enough.
The draft is a strong step toward adding more tree protection now while an updated city Tree Protection Ordinance is being considered.
You can help. We have put together a pre-written letter of support that includes amendments proposed by the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission in their public comments to the city.
Our pre-written letter highlights the main areas of support in the proposed Director’s Rule and our suggestions on how the Director’s Rule can be strengthened.
 

All you need to do is click on TAKE ACTION to get started.

You will be asked to let the city know who you are and where you live, so the city knows who is commenting. You can add your personal comments to the draft, and with one click, send it to the city to add your support. Thanks for your help.
When the updated Director’s Rule is finally adopted, it will be a big step forward in increasing protection for trees and draft Director’s Rule 13-2020Seattle’s Urban Forest ban forest.
Please share this e-mail with others to seek additional public input. Thanks!

TreePAC Recommends Shoreline Study Alternative Sidewalk Designs to Save Trees

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Dear Shoreline City Council and Shoreline Manager,

We are respectfully proposing that the Shoreline City Council strongly consider asking the Parks/Tree Board to appoint a special committee to study Alternative Sidewalk Designs. Potential losses of large numbers of mature trees such as that proposed on Dayton Ave N with the WSDOT project are of great concern.

The special committee  would deal with considering ways to resolve existing  conflicts that naturally occur when new sidewalks are proposed, and large trees are impacted or slated to be removed. These conflicts are likely to continue and escalate if this issue is not more proactively dealt with. Shoreline needs to  work to  alleviate the problems with creative solutions instead of relying on exceptions. Maintaining existing  trees and the urban forest has to be a high priority for Shoreline as the city grows and becomes more dense.

Shoreline has already deployed such designs in many cases over the last decade for the purpose of more sustainability and practicality. For instance, at Southwoods Park a sidewalk was required when the new park was created. It included a 3 ft ADA path, winding through the trees along NE 150th Street, alongside a natural drainage swale planted with natives. The path had 3 different treatment, including 1/3 of it being permeable pavement. There are many other examples that Shoreline has utilized as well around town. There are also many other examples deployed in Seattle and other neighboring cities.

This committee at Parks would be best if it included several Parks Board members and some members of the community. It could devote a few months to come up with a portfolio of potential alternative solutions for the Council to consider as amendments to the Development Code and Engineering Code.

We hope you will seriously consider this suggestion offered in good faith as a solution to some inevitable tree loss conflicts which are likely to persist otherwise.

TreePAC is an all volunteer organization that works to promote protection of Trees and  Urban Forests and promote quality of life for all cities in the Seattle Area.

Sincerely,

Steve Zemke – TreePAC Chair

stevezemke@TreePAC.org

2131 N 132nd St

Seattle, WA 98133

Letter and recommendation adopted Feb 26, 2020 by Tree PAC Board.