Recently in Business of trees, Arboriculture Category
On Tuesday, the California Climate Action Registry held a public meeting to discuss the latest version of the Urban Forest GHG Project Reporting Protocol. We had a very good turnout, both in person and online with the Webcast. A number of excellent suggestions were made and noted by the Registry representatives. We think that it would be helpful to reiterate those comments in writing to strengthen the case and provide support in the future should it be necessary.
Subject: Urban Forest GHG Project Reporting Protocol
Performance Threshold
In the Protocol version released July 8, the performance thresholds required of municipal, campus, and utility entities were 0.72% annual net tree gain, 0.58% annual net tree gain, and 0.004 trees planted annually per residential customer, respectively. We believe these levels are too high and would be a significant barrier to participation.
At the public meeting, the Registry indicated that it was considering setting the performance threshold for municipalities and campuses at a level that would require the existing urban forest to be maintained at least at its current population. All project trees that exceeded this level could be registered for credit. The threshold for utilities would be reduced to zero as it is not common practice for these entities to offer tree planting programs.
We support setting the performance thresholds at these reduced levels as we believe they properly represent better-than-average performance.
Co-Benefits: Greenhouse Gases, Energy Production
Although we recognize that for reasons of accounting and accuracy, the Registry cannot verify GHG benefits associated with reductions in energy use due to strategic tree planting or with the use of tree residue for bioenergy, we feel these benefits add significant value to tree planting projects in comparison to other GHG reduction measures.
We therefore urge the Registry to emphasize the value of these benefits in the reporting process and to provide a place on the reporting forms for their estimated value to be entered.
Benefits of Trees
In addition, trees provide many other benefits, some of which can be quantified, such as
- reduced energy costs,
- stormwater runoff reduction, and
- air quality improvement,
and others that can be described qualitatively, such as
- conservation education,
- improved human health,
- neighborhood revitalization,
- job training, and
- recycling green waste.
These additional benefits also add significant value to tree planting projects.
We therefore request that the Registry emphasize the value of these benefits in the reporting process and provide a place on the reporting forms where their estimated value can be entered and a qualitative description can be provided.
Other Types of Entities
Currently, the Protocol only allows for projects undertaken by municipalities, utility companies, and educational campuses to be registered. Often, however, other entities, in particular nonprofit tree advocacy groups, take the lead in spearheading tree planting projects.
At the public meeting, two potential concerns for including other entities were mentioned: the questionable longevity of other entities, especially nonprofit organizations, and the lack of available data for setting a performance threshold. We note first that the entire premise of the Registry relies on assuming the longevity of the nonprofit Registry itself. Therefore, we consider this concern to be shared equally between those doing the reporting and those accepting and verifying the reports. We encourage the Registry to determine whether sufficient historic data exist and whether a suitable matrix can be developed to create a performance threshold before deciding to exclude other entities.
We therefore encourage the Registry to consider adding other entities, in particular nonprofit tree advocacy groups, to the list of participating entities.
SOURCE: California Releaf
California ReLeaf monitors state and federal legislation in order to inform the urban forestry community of opportunities to influence public policy on behalf of urban trees.
In 2006 California ReLeaf hired a professional lobbyist to assist with its state-level efforts. As a result of its work, $20 million was designated for urban forestry programs under California Proposition 84 passed in 2006.
California Releaf also coordinates California ReLeaf Network, an alliance of urban forestry groups throughout the state. This alliance has been instrumental in raising the profile of urban forestry in the state and a key part of California ReLeaf's advocacy strategy.
BACKGROUND
California ReLeaf was founded in 1989 as a program of the Trust for Public Land and was incorporated as a separate 501c3 nonprofit in 2004.
California ReLeaf works statewide to promote alliances among community-based groups, individuals and government agencies to protect the environment by planting and caring for trees. It also serves as the state's volunteer coordinator for urban forestry in partnership with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Programs and services include:
* Coordinating California ReLeaf Network, a statewide alliance of urban forestry groups
* Administering a state grant program
* Publishing a quarterly newsletter, California Trees
* Providing assistance, information and referrals to individuals, organizations and agencies on urban forestry management issues
* Monitoring state and federal legislation and keeping the urban
forestry community informed of opportunities to influence public policy
on urban forestry
COMPONENTS
Hiring a professional lobbyist
From its inception, California ReLeaf was involved in advocating on
behalf of urban forestry. In 2006, California ReLeaf decided that
hiring a professional lobbyist would greatly improve effectiveness at
influencing state legislation on urban forestry.
Since California is a large state with a wide range of environmental issues, California ReLeaf, with a staff of three, found it difficult to stay on top of all the issues and proposals that affected urban forestry. Although California ReLeaf had many partners who worked with them on urban forestry issues, it needed someone to spearhead its efforts.
With the encouragement of other urban forestry groups, California ReLeaf hired a lobbyist who specialized in conservation issues and was willing to work with them at a reduced rate.
Martha Ozonoff, Executive Director of California ReLeaf, says that this decision has been critical in its advocacy efforts.
"Hiring a lobbyist has definitely increased our ability to be effective. You can lobby on your own. You are not required to have a professional lobbyist. But this has helped us stay on top of fast-paced decisions and has given us inside information about what different legislators are interested in and how to approach them. Our lobbyist has helped us see where we can connect to other environmental issues," Ms. Ozonoff says.
Ms. Ozonoff says whether or not your organization needs a professional lobbyist may differ from state to state. She recommends talking with larger environmental organizations in your state that have lobbyists on their staff such as the Trust for Public Land, the Nature Conservancy or the Sierra Club. Get recommendations from them on whether or not you need to hire a lobbyist and on potential candidates.
Making your case
Once the lobbyist identifies what legislation to follow and who the key
players are, California ReLeaf meets with key players including
legislators and their staff, testifies at committee hearings, sends
letters and emails, makes phone calls and encourages organizations in
the California ReLeaf network and other groups to support legislation
and other relevant initiatives, including funding propositions.
Ms. Ozonoff emphasizes that working with a network of urban forestry groups brings enormous value in supporting advocacy initiatives. California ReLeaf Network has approximately 90 member organizations located throughout the state. This allows California ReLeaf not only to harness the support of more constituents throughout the state, but also helps them target voters in specific localities where key legislators reside.
Funding
California ReLeaf funds its advocacy efforts through private foundation
monies in its general operating account. Government funds cannot be
used for lobbying.
RESULTS
California ReLeaf is particularly proud of its advocacy efforts which helped to ensure that "at least" $20 million funding was designated for urban forestry under Proposition 84 passed in 2006.
In addition, in 2007 California ReLeaf helped spearhead a letter-writing campaign thanking Governor Schwarzenegger for restoring $10 million to the Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program, which provides public funds for urban forestry and other natural resource projects that reduce the impact of transportation projects on local communities. This year, the funds are being presented as part of the Governor's budget, thereby virtually assuring their passage. California ReLeaf believes that its "thank you" campaign may have played a part in the governor's decision.
California ReLeaf is currently sponsoring a bill in the state legislature to update the state Urban Forestry Act of 1978. This will be the organization's first effort at sponsoring legislation.
LESSONS LEARNED
1. Research your state to determine whether or not you need to hire a lobbyist. California ReLeaf says hiring a lobbyist was essential for them.
2. Nonprofits CAN advocate and lobby. Don't be paralyzed by the fear of violating IRS rules. Read the regulations and get advice but remember that both advocacy and lobbying are allowed within certain limitations. The rules may not be as restrictive as you think.
3. Advocacy and lobbying is easy. Do not be intimidated by the process.
4. You are the expert on your cause and its most passionate supporter. Make use of that.
5. Remember to say thank you to all the people who support your efforts.
6. Stay on top of legislation. Understand the process and realize that changes can happen quickly and often. You need to be vigilant.
7. The benefits of advocacy are enormous. It raises the visibility of your cause and your organization. It helps refine your message and increases your organization's credibility and reputation.
Contact Information:
Martha Ozonoff, Executive Director
California ReLeaf
P.O. Box 72496
Davis, CA 95617
Phone: (530) 757-7333
Fax: (530) 757-7328
Planting a billion trees is an astonishing number! The Nature Conservancy's Plant a Billion Trees Campaign will preserve and restore Brazil's Atlantic Forest.
The threat is dire. "No tropical forest on earth has come closer to total destruction," says Claudia Picone, an information resource coordinator for The Nature Conservancy.
The Atlantic Forest is a spectacularly complex and biologically diverse expanse of tropical rainforest on the coast of Brazil. Once twice the size of Texas, only 7 percent of the original forest remains—it has been ravaged by ranching, illegal logging, agriculture, and other pressures.
The campaign to plant one billion trees in the Atlantic Forest continues The Nature Conservancy's mighty efforts to preserve the very special ecosystem. According to Picone, "We've finally turned the corner, and people are starting to realize that there are economic benefits to leaving the forest standing instead of cutting it down."
Since The Nature Conservancy's founding in 1951, it has protected more than 117 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers around the world. The group has more than a million members and works in all 50 states and more than 30 countries.
Give to the Conservancy's Plant a Billion Trees campaign
www.plantabillion.org
University of California researchers have studied the effects of irrigation on almonds for about 20 years. It has generally been thought that about 42 inches per acre per season is a reasonable estimate of water use by mature, productive almonds.
Seasonal water use follows a bell-shaped curve. Under this 42-inch model, water use starts out low after leafout at about 1.0 inch every 15 days, peaks at about 4.5 inches every 15 days in the first half of July, and declines back to about 1.0 inch every 15 days as the season ends.
In some situations, growers may have much less than 42 inches of water available from stored soil moisture and irrigation water. The challenge becomes managing crop stress over the course of the season.
One relatively effective approach that doesn't rely heavily on field monitoring is to attempt to sustain crop stress uniformly across all stages of tree growth and crop development by using estimates of crop water use. The limited water allocation is applied as a consistent percentage of the seasonal water use pattern. If 24 inches of irrigation water are available, representing about 60 percent of the potential water use, then the irrigation water would be allocated at about 60 percent of real-time or historic rates of crop water use over the course of the season.
UC water management specialist David Goldhamer of the Kearney
Agricultural Center published results of a four-year study illustrating
the effectiveness of the above approach.
Almonds were produced with 55, 70, 85 and 100 percent of a 42-inch water allocation.
Water was either cut back as a consistent percentage of estimated crop water use to try to sustain less pronounced crop stress across all stages of crop growth, or cutbacks targeted only pre-harvest, or post-harvest crop stages for higher crop stress.
The effect of limited water supply was minimized with uniform
allocation of water across all crop stages. However, productivity was
reduced particularly with 55 percent and 70 percent allocations.
- The uniform crop stress strategy gave both the highest four-year yields, and the largest average nut size within each water allocation.
- Sharp cut backs before harvest resulted in the second highest yields, but reduced nut size.
- Sharply withholding water after harvest affected bud development and reduced yield the next season.
UC Davis professor Ken Shackel was able to get by with a water allocation of about 85 percent of full supply with no short-term yield loss or effect on nut size by using a pressure chamber to actually track midday crop stress and keeping it within the -12 to -20 bar range in July during hull split.
For more information on on water management refer to UCManageDrought.ucdavis.edu.
The City of Los Angeles has the country's largest roadway and sidewalk system with 6,500 miles of streets and approximately 10,000 miles of sidewalks. And Los Angeles also has the largest urban forest with a population of nearly 700,000 street trees.
A successful sidewalk program includes
tree planting. Trees shade sidewalks and the adjacent streets to reduce heat. Urban areas can be as much as 10 degrees warmer than surrounding open areas, so every tree -- especially MATURE tree counts.
The overall goals of the program are to:
- Provide safer and more accessible transit surfaces for pedestrians.
- Improve street drainage.
- Maintain a healthy, safe, and sustainable urban forest.
Los Angeles, CA has a longstanding policy of replacing every tree removed from sidewalk areas with a minimum 2 to 1 replacement ratio. The Bureau of Street Services uses every sidewalk retrofitting opportunity to expand the future tree canopy coverage by planting every available site within the sidewalk repair area. Where there is no room to replant trees, vacant planting locations are identified on adjacent streets to plant more than the 2 to 1 replacement ratio.
In the City of Los Angeles, replacement street trees must be 15-gallon size containers or larger. Using larger trees minimizes the occurrences of vandalism and gives the trees a much better chance of surviving.
All trees are planted using root deflection devices, which will help
reduce future sidewalk damage. However, the most critical decision for
reducing future infrastructure damage is proper species selection.
A municipal arborist is invaluable in selecting species that are
compatible with each site. Consider hiring an arborist that is knowledgeable with the trees in your area.
a program designed by Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources (DCNR) to increase Southeast Pennsylvania's tree cover
and the benefits that trees offer us all. Join us for 9 hours of
hands-on training that will cover tree biology, identification,
planting, proper care and working within your community.
The course is being offered on weekday evenings at five different
locations, and is designed for lay people and experts alike. The course
is free but registration is required. Pennsylvania Landscape
Architecture, PLNA, ISA Certified Arborist, and Act 48 CEUS are offered.
There are several ways to register. See below for a registration form
which could be faxed to 215-988-8810 or mailed in. You can also register
online, by going to www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org, and
choosing "Tree Tenders Training".
Tree Awareness:
* Tree Biology
* Urban Stresses on Trees
* Tree Identification
* Basic Tree Pruning and Root Care
* Tree Planting
Community Organizing:
* Fundraising and Identifying Resources
* Working with Local Government
* Organization Building
The three-part series is FREE
For more information contact:
* Julianne Schieffer, 610-489-4315 or jxs51@psu.edu
* Mindy Maslin, 215-988-8844 or mmaslin@pennhort.org
- Profit can easily coexist with conscience and good values.
- Profit alone is rewarding, but profit coupled with benefit to others is immeasurably more satisfying.
- Specialized knowledge improves success.
- Profit is much more self-perpetuating than altruism alone.
- A successful business relationship benefits everyone involved.
- God gives all of us the ability, and the responsibility, to leave this world and those around us better than when we arrived.
- Out of every problem arises equal or greater opportunity.
- Working together we can accomplish much more than working alone.
