Managing urban forests during severe drought

Managing urban forests during severe droughtPartners in Community Forestry ConferenceNovember 19, 2015

PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT

SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec1

Learning ObjectivesHow to develop strategic drought response plansPolicy considerationsTools to achieve tree management efficienciesCommunity outreach methodsOpportunities to raise funds to support tree preservation

SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRecThese locations were chosen because they represent some of the Citys original parks and so provide a window into park management and maintenance throughout the entire lifespan of the Parks department. Understanding the historical intent and vision of the parks and plazas included looking at tree plantings and removals through time as well as identifying original plantings that still stand today.2

SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec3Informing tree replacement plans includes understanding what tree species were historically in the parks, what species still exist in the parks, and what species could potentially be introduced into the parks.

SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRecSanta Barbaras Urban Forest of the Past

Circa 1800

SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec

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SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRecSpecies Diversity Introduced Early

Photo circa 1900s

SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRecHistoric Italian Stone Pines

SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec

Todays Urban Forest23,000 street trees10,000 park treesNative forests456 different speciesTrees on private landEstimated 320,000 trees in urban forest

SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRecDr. Doremus was heavily involved in the original maintenance and design of the plazas.

1853- appears as open space on the first City MapThe mature trees shown in the 1938 aerial show evidence that many of the trees in the Alameda Plazas were planted at the turn of the century (when Dr. Doremus began maintaining the parks in 1902). The similarity with the 2015 aerial suggest that canopy cover has not changed drastically in the intervening seven decades. 9

Benefits of TreesShadeHabitatAir QualityWater QualityColorNeighborhood and street character

HorticultureCulture & HistoryFood SourceProperty ValuesAestheticsRecreationHealth & Well-being

SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec

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Urban Forest ManagementParks and Recreation DepartmentForestry Program8 staffUrban Forest SuperintendentStreet Tree Supervisor6 field staffOperate on