Loading...
Tree Commission feedback re Northampton's draft Climate Resilience & Regeneration Plan-1Northampton Public Shade Tree Commission Overarching remarks: The CRRP plan is appropriately ambitious in its aspirations, (city-wide carbon neutrality by 2050) but doesn’t provide clear guidance in achieving that goal. We recommend for every relevant area of carbon reduction/resilience building that there be clear metrics, short-, medium- and long-term targets, and regular assessments to evaluate progress, with an emphasis on making the greatest strides in the next 10-15 years, a period of time the IPCC has told us is critical for escaping a tipping point of catastrophic climate change. The Plan should emphasize the urgency of immediate action. As an example of a nationally recognized climate action plan that creates clear metrics and targets, we cite theClimate Action and Resilience Plan of Evanston, IL which is clear, outcome focused, and easily navigable. The structure of this plan is confusing and hard to navigate. The Plan makes little reference to the role of the urban forest in achieving carbon reduction (directly and indirectly) and strengthening our climate resilience and capacity for regeneration. We wish to emphasize: The political and budgetary commitment of the Mayor and City Council to Northampton’s urban forestry program, including establishment via City’s charter of the Tree Warden and Public Shade Tree Commission, the creation of the new Forestry, Parks & Cemetery Division within the DPW, and the City’s commitment since 2016 to planting 2000+ public shade trees over 10 years. The many comments we observed participants articulate (and articulated as individuals ourselves) during the CRRP public process regarding the importance of urban shade trees in addressing Northampton’s climate challenges (we heard mention: cooling, pollution reduction, wind blocking, storm water and traffic mitigating, and encouraging of bike and ped modes of movement) The mission of Northampton’s Public Shade Tree Commission which directly references climate change: “The Commission advises and assists the Tree Warden and Mayor in researching and developing plans, programs and policies for achieving a tree canopy that supports Northampton's goals of public health, beautification, economic and environmental sustainability, and resilience in the face of climate change.” The partnerships between Northampton’s Tree Warden, the Public Shade Tree Commission, and the 100+ volunteer force of Tree Northampton resulting in the planting, watering and pruning over 1000 street trees in four years, as well as the engagement and education of hundreds of members of the public including school children. The state and regional honors bestowed upon the City of Northampton for its transformative urban forestry program including, 2018 & 2019 Tree City USA Growth Awards Hosting of and feature focus on Northampton at DCR’s 2018 Tree City USA Award event 2019 Tree Warden of the Year award to Rich Parasiliti Spotlight of our successful municipal program in both the June 2019 DCR “Citizen Forester” and the April 2019 Journal of the International Society of Arborists. Full award (2016, 2019) of two large DCR grants--including one grant to fund a public shade tree inventory (completed in 2016, see Appendix below), and one grant to model best practices in addressing urban heat islands in environmental justice location through proper shade tree plantings. Inclusion of Northampton’s urban forestry goals in the CRRP is crucial to assure realization of its goals and, by extension, the City’s overall goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Again, we reference Evanston’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan, p. 20-21: Urban Canopy and Green Space as an example of a municipality highlighting urban forestry (with timeline and targets) in its climate action plan. The 2016 Climate Ready Boston Plan also references the importance of urban trees (p. 128: Initiative 8-5. Develop an Action Plan to Expand Boston’s Urban Tree Canopy). Additionally, see “Addendum” at bottom for science-based articles about the role of urban trees in reducing carbon emissions (directly and indirectly through its many co-benefits) and increasing resilience. It is unclear to us where inclusion of a section on Urban Tree Canopy would best fit in the structure of the CRRP, especially since urban trees provide co-benefits that cut across numerous aspects of this plan. Perhaps in Energy 3B? We defer to the team working on this Plan to find an appropriate place for this important section. We offer numerous recommendations: Recognition: Inclusion of a section describing and affirming the role of the urban forest in mitigating and buffering us from climate change, and in making us a walkable city--providing significant natural cooling, pollution reduction, wind blocking, storm water and traffic mitigating, and encouraging of bike and pedestrian modes of travel. For a comprehensive list of the benefits of urban trees with citations, see Alliance for Community Trees’ Benefits of Trees and Urban Forests A call-out box or section in the plan recognizing the work already completed in advancing Northampton’s urban forest. Commitments: We recommend the City adopt clear short, medium and long term commitments to urban forest coverage and regular assessments. Examples of clear targets and timelines related to urban forest: Increase overall tree canopy coverage especially in commercial and urban residential districts with emphasis on environmental justice zones, retail districts, parking lots, walking/biking corridors, bus stops, and community centers. Increase by 5% every X years canopy coverage in downtown Northampton and Florence Evaluate with LiDAR every 3 years tree canopy coverage and total biomass Increase required canopy coverage of new parking lots to X% Extend period required to assess the health of new parking lot trees and replace if dying or dead Plant 250-300 public shade trees/year with a net gain of: By 2025: 500 public shade trees By 2030: 1000 public shade trees By 2035: 1750 public shade trees By 2040: 2500 public shade trees By 2050: Planting in every location required for maximum possible canopy coverage of streets and parking lots Strengthen public shade tree population by increasing species diversity and selecting species resilient to new climatic conditions Annual update and dissemination of Northampton’s Tree List and Planting Guidelines using such guides as Trees for 2050 published by the Chicago Botanic Garden Annual review of % total tree inventory by species, striving for no greater than 15% per any one species Improve habitat quality of public shade trees by achieving canopy of 65-70% trees native to Eastern US Annual review of % total tree inventory by native versus non-native Strengthen the Significant Tree Ordinance (STO) to better encourage preservation of privately-owned, mature, healthy shade trees, and to better reflect the true replacement cost of significant tree removal. Create a database of Northampton’s “champion” trees by species Draft update of STO by December 2019, adopt by Mar 2020 Target shade tree plantings around municipal buildings to reduce energy consumption 2020 Identify all municipal buildings with potential for cooling through shade tree planting 2030 Plant 50% of identified sites 2040 Plant 100% of identified sites Commitment to urban tree planting and maintenance at a level sufficient to achieve its goals for expanding the urban tree canopy to X% coverage. Commitment to incorporate Tree Warden and Public Shade Tree Commission in earliest stage of all design review processes. Other specific comments by page or section: P. 2 Under Acknowledgments, include Tree Warden Rich Parasiliti P. 8 Good place for a Call-Out box of successful urban forestry program. 2nd paragraph citing past successes, add “planted over 1000 public shade trees” P.12 Table: Under Energy 2, insert “Target shade tree plantings around municipal buildings to reduce energy consumption” P.12 Table: Under Energy 3B: Continue to protect...city’s forestland (add and urban forest) and its capacity to … P. 13: Table: Under Water 1C: Produce a green infrastructure (add including a street tree planting) plan… P. 15: Table: Under Human Experience 1: Plant trees in EJ zones to promote walking P. 16 Table: Health & Safety 2: Under Build out the city’s “cooling capacity” through (add street trees), parks and recreational sites. P. 19 First sentence, “The fossil fuels we use for generating electricity, heating (add and cooling) our homes… P. 21 Second sentence, “...including (add decreased air quality especially in summer) (See Air quality in Pioneer Valley continues to be sub-par) P. 22 Re “From 1970 to 2000...6 days with max. Temperatures of 90F each year which is expected to increase to 16-42 days by 2050” This sentence is missing actual current data and making it seem like the worst increases are still decades away. There were at least 16 days above 90 in 2018. Add current data. P. 42 Under Pathway 3: Second sentence, “This will require a wide variety of actions...public investment in city buildings (add and well-sited shade trees near buildings)... P. 43 Under Pathway 7: Sentence beginning with, “Northampton has made the use of sustainable transportation modes…; investing in “complete streets” that make room for walkers and cyclists within city roads; (add planting shade trees that improve the experience of waking and biking;)...and helping to launch ValleyBike...In order to make further progress...further expand the bike share program, (add plant more street trees)...as well as focus… P. 44/45 Pathway 9: Carbon Sequestration and Offsets--this section strangely minimizes the role of woody plants, notably mature trees, in storing and sequestering carbon. Yes, soil stores carbon, but the way soil draws carbon from the atmosphere (which it needs to do, we all agree) is when photosynthesizing plants take root and break down into it. Second sentence "Urban areas, in particular, retain significant percentages of soil cover that can positively contribute to regenerative land practices and climate change mitigation," does not make sense to us. The sentence “...these practices will likely become much more important strategies as the city’s emissions approach zero” seems to ignore the reality that 1) mature urban trees take a human lifetime to grow, so delaying action on carbon sequestration through tree planting is a poor strategy, and 2) mature urban trees are not only stores of carbon, but offer numerous co-benefits that also lead to reduced carbon emissions (stormwater, building cooling, wind block, walking/biking promotion, etc). Therefore, the urban tree’s net capacity to reduce carbon emissions is greater than a tree of the same size in a stand in the forest. P. 48: To what extent does the “Northampton Designs with Nature” include well-sited shade trees? P. 49: Pathway 3 Healthy and Resilient Natural Ecosystems: This paragraph is very general and confusing. What specifically is it recommending, especially in relation to urban shade trees? Why are Energy 3A-3D all focused on soil health? P. 49 Pathway 4 Resilient and Connected Landscapes: We support the statement, “Priorities for land protection include areas denoted in…” We wonder whether the next sentence is a strong enough statement to clearly prohibit large scale solar PV development in these areas, “This shall be done by discouraging or prohibiting land use development and solar…” Suggest strengthening language. P. 50 Second column, “These could include job training or career development in areas such as…” replace: “climate-resilient street tree care” with “urban forestry” P. 58 First Column--we support the last sentence re assessing “the ecological and carbon impacts of any tree removal...to the extent possible.” P. 62 In addition to NZE standards, include encouragement of well-placed shade trees near building to reduce energy needs. P. 65 Energy 3B: Continue to protect, grow and enhance the city’s (add urban canopy), forestland and its capacity to store carbon Add 1-2 paragraphs here on urban tree canopy including the importance of preserving existing mature urban trees. This especially includes stands of trees that not only store carbon but create micro-climates whose cooling effects ripple out in otherwise hot zones. See recent research on wide variance of temperatures in cities due to presence/absence of trees. P. 66 Energy 3C Title: Support education and training in (add urban forestry), regenerative agriculture systems,... Here, there could be an entire paragraph on urban forestry. UMass Stockbridge has an urban forestry program that could be highlighted P. 67 Energy 3E, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Offset Community Fund FYI, the Tree Commission is in the early stages of conceiving of a carbon offset plan for public shade tree planting. P. 70 Reference to Northampton Designs with Nature and design opportunities, we suggest the Tree Warden be included in discussion of these design opportunities. P. 75 Second paragraph second sentence, “Invest in sidewalks, (add street trees), and complete streets…” P. 77 Transportation 2A Under bullet “Continue to install community amenities like bike lanes, (add street trees), sidewalks… p. 86 Health & Safety 2A Title: Build out the city’s cooling capacity through (add street trees), parks and recreational sites Note here tree planting zones that are identified high public benefit/high priority by the Public Shade Tree Commission: High traffic corridors Environmental justice areas Retail districts Parking lots Walking/biking corridors Bus stops Community centers such as schools & health facilities Under Energy Efficiency and Conservation there's no mention of trees contributing to cooling nor is there mention of trees in the transportation section. In the stormwater section there is mention of green infrastructure but no mention of the role trees play throughout the city! p. 88 Health & Safety 3B--Conduct a tree and forest ecosystems vulnerability and adaptations assessment It is unclear whether street trees are included but it sounds like it's only referring to "stands" of trees, which are not defined. Please define. This assessment should include forest microclimates within urban residential zones (especially those at risk of conversion) that provide vital function to surrounding neighborhoods including reducing heat island effect, violent storm buffering, and storm water mitigation. Also, worth noting here that Emerald Ash Borer was identified in Northampton in 2018, and will soon result in 100% mortality of our Ash tree population. Appendix 2019 national research on urban trees and microclimates--Temperatures can vary as much as 20 degrees in the same city depending on presence of shade trees. 2014 regional research (central & western MA)-- The Energy Benefits of Trees: Investigating Shading, Microclimate and Wind Shielding Effects in Worcester and Springfield, Massachusetts 2019 global research in Science: The restoration of trees remains among the most effective strategies for climate change mitigation 2018 Climate Action and Resilience Plan, Evanston, IL 2016 Northampton Tree Inventory and Management Plan prepared by Davey Resource Group 2018 Northampton Tree List and Planting Guidelines Trees for 2050, Chicago Botanic Garden Complete Inventory of Northampton’s Public Shade Trees (created 2016, updated continuously) June 2019 DCR Citizen Forester: The Evolution of Urban Forestry in Northampton Charter establishing Northampton’s Public Shade Tree Commission 2018: Air quality in Pioneer Valley continues to be sub-par 2011: Alliance for Community Trees’ Benefits of Trees and Urban Forests 2018: Measuring the CO2 Capturing Prowess of Urban Forests