Partners in Community Forestry Webinar Series

This webinar invites participants to expand their perspective on community forestry by exploring it through a Tribal food sovereignty and cultural preservation lens. Participants learn how trees function as cultural and community anchors and dive into actionable insights from the Arbor Day Foundation’s recent Tribal Forestry Needs Assessment Report. The session also highlights how philanthropic partnerships are driving community-led solutions and sets the stage for continued, action-oriented dialogue.

It is well understood that urban trees provide an array of ecosystem services, including stormwater mitigation. What is less understood is how this service varies based on the physical traits of trees. Application of this knowledge in urban tree selection can be useful in moving towards optimal runoff reduction by urban tree canopy. In this presentation, we will provide an overview of the physical tree traits that correlate with high rainfall interception and runoff reduction by urban trees. We will also introduce a novel, practical guide - developed in collaboration between the City of Snoqualmie, Washington and Michigan State University - for urban foresters to identify these traits and select corresponding tree species. The presentation will conclude with a case study of the stormwater utility-funded, combined stormwater/urban forestry program in Snoqualmie. This program serves as an example of how a municipality’s recognition of the stormwater benefits of trees has generated a sustained funding source for urban forest management.

Recent legal challenges and legislative attempts at preempting local ordinances have demonstrated that tree protection ordinances are a sensitive issue. Using recent examples, this talk explores legal and legislative critiques of tree protection ordinances and illustrates best practices in the development, revision, and administration of local ordinances.