12/27/2022
1 RiversideCA.gov
1 RiversideCA.gov
UPDATE ON THE
URBAN FORESTRY POLICY MANUAL
Land Use, Sustainability, and Resilience Committee
January 9, 2023
Public Works Department
RiversideCA.gov
2 2. The purpose of the Urban Forestry Policy Manual
(Manual) is to provide guidelines for the planting,
pruning, preservation and removal of all trees in city
right-of-ways based on industry standards and specs.
BACKGROUND
1. Designated by the National Arbor Day
Foundation as a “Tree City, USA” every
year since 1987, the city strives to
preserve and protect this tree heritage.
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3 1. Staff routinely review the Manual
and bring proposed changes
before the Land Use,
Sustainability, and Resilience
(Committee) for feedback and
approval – the most recent of
which was shared with the
Committee on January 11, 2021.
BACKGROUND
RiversideCA.gov
4 1. Research ways of providing adva nced notice to area residents when trees are being removed;
2. Work with additional communi ty, volunteer and environmental groups throughout the City;
LUSR COMMITTEE DIRECTIVES
Pictures courtesy of TreePeople.
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5 3. Research ways of planting new trees before trees are removed to help maintain continuity of the urban forest in
neighborhoods;
4. Provide public outreach on the
benefits and assets of the urban
forest; and
5. Establish the difference
between public and private
trees.
LUSR COMMITTEE DIRECTIVES
RiversideCA.gov
6 1. Four (4) Ad Hoc Committee
meetings were held
between April and July
2022.
2. Agendas included guest
speakers (local SMEs),
educational items, and a
tour of historically significant
trees in Riverside.
AD HOC COMMITTEE
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7 1. Creating an in-house inventory
database instead of relying on
contractors;
2. Adding information regarding
construction management when
working around trees;
3. Adding a tree standards
acknowledgment before
businesses can obtain a Business
Tax License for landscapers/tree
workers;
AD HOC COMMITTEE SUGGESTIONS
RiversideCA.gov
8 4. Working with the Planning Division on trimming standards for new developments;
5. Airing G-TV educational segments on trees;
6. Providing training for arborists working in the City;
7. Creating a flow chart of responsibilities and processes;
8. Adding more pictures to the Manual (less words);
AD HOC COMMITTEE SUGGESTIONS
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9 9. Update in accordance with ANSI Standards
every five years;
10.Creating a campaign for
people to sign pledges on
Anti-Topping;
11.Improving public outreach efforts.
AD HOC COMMITTEE SUGGESTIONS
RiversideCA.gov
10 During the update process, staff learned of a CalFire grant that (if awarded) will provide funding to assist with:
1. Updating the Manual;
2. Selecting tree species that maximize carbon
sequestration;
3. Building energy reduction
potential; and
4. Creating an in-house
inventory database (with a user
interface similar to the sample
shown here).
CALFIRE GRANT
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11 Our urban forest has an estimated value
of more than $449,000,000!
OUR URBAN FOREST
It is more important than ever to continue pursuing funding opportunities that will augment and care for our urban forest.
RiversideCA.gov
12 DISCUSSION
The City’s Urban Forest provides social,
communal, environmental, and economic
benefits to the entire community.
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13 Strategic Priority 4 – Environmental Stewardship
Goal 4.5: Maintain and conserve 30% of Riverside’s natural lands in green space including, but not limited to, agricultural lands and urban forests in order to protect and restore Riverside’s rich biodiversity and accelerate the natural removal of carbon, furthering our community’s climate resilience.
Cross-Cutting Threads
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
RiversideCA.gov
14 That the Land Use, Sustainability, and Resilience Committee:
1. Receive and file the update on the Urban Forestry Policy Manual;
2. Allow additional time for updating the Manual with
updates provided to the Land Use, Sustainability, and
Resilience Committee as they come forward; and
3. Provide any additional recommendations on any desired modifications to the Urban Forestry Policy Manual.
RECOMMENDATIONS
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