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1 RiversideCA.gov
1 RiversideCA.gov
URBAN FORESTRY POLICY MANUAL UPDATE
City Council
February 6, 2024
Public Works Department
RiversideCA.gov
2 BACKGROUND
Purpose of the Urban Forestry Policy
Manual
• Preservation and protection of
Riverside's tree heritage and urban
forest
• Guidelines for planting, pruning,
preservation, and removal of trees
in City rights-of-way
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3 BACKGROUND
1. Recognized as a "Tree City, USA“ by the
National Arbor Day Foundation since 1987
2. January 11, 2021 - Update Presented to
Land Use, Sustainability, and Resilience
Committee
Requested modifications
Requested recommendations from Park
and Recreation Commission Ad Hoc
Committee
RiversideCA.gov
4 • Considerations Included:
Advanced notice for tree removal
Planting new trees before removal
Collaboration with community groups
Public outreach on urban forest benefits
Distinguishing public vs. private trees
• Subsequent Meetings and Discussions
April 2, 2022: Background, industry practices, and field trip May 4, 2022: Guest speakers and Manual updates
June 15, 2022: Discussion with the Regional Urban Forester July 13, 2022: Meeting at Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District
BACKGROUND
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5 • January 9, 2023 - Progress Update
– Committee feedback and additional work time
– Update Manual branding
– Community notification for tree removals
– Perpetual Tree Care and Planting Fund options
– Periodic updates to the Committee
• March 3, 2023 - Updated Manual Draft to reflect City branding • March 13, 2023 - Tree Removal Standard Operating Procedure including notification methods for non-hazardous tree removals
• Perpetual Tree Care and Planting Fund
BACKGROUND
RiversideCA.gov
6 • May 8, 2023 – Staff presented final draft of Manual updates – Committee unanimously recommended City Council to approve Manual updates
• April 2023 - USDA-Forest Service released guidelines for multiyear, competitive grants for tree planting/related activities.
• September 2023 - Public Works notified of $1 million grant award for comprehensive tree inventory and development of in-house database/inventory management system
DISCUSSION
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7 1. Feeding America Partnership
• Gleaning fruit from public ROW orange trees on
Victoria Avenue
2. Complete Streets Ordinance
• Expanding tree planting opportunities in public
roadway projects
• Requiring street trees in participating
development projects
3. Measure Z Allocation: Palm Tree Trimming
• Additional $2M for trimming all City palms on a
two-year cycle
4. Measure Z Allocation: Tree Planting
• Additional $250,000 to plant more trees
NOTEWORTHY ENDEAVORS
RiversideCA.gov
8 Our urban forest has an estimated value
of more than $449 million!
URBAN FOREST VALUE
It is more important than ever to continue pursuing funding opportunities that will augment and care for our urban forest. 7 8
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9 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
10 That the City Council approve the updated Urban Forestry Policy Manual.
RECOMMENDATION
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