Description
Establishing robust and healthy urban forests that yield long-term benefits requires maintaining and expanding tree canopy, particularly in areas over pavement and in low-canopy neighborhoods where it’s most needed. While many communities have had success with tree planting programs, survival for newly planted trees and proper tree care are ongoing challenges, particularly in urban environments. Development pressures and barriers to proper tree maintenance on public and private property are further compounding tree loss in urban areas.
King County will enhance tree canopy and forest health on public and private lands in urbanized areas and identify approaches that can leverage existing resources to achieve this goal. Specific actions include developing and implementing approaches to support tree retention, planting, and maintenance on private property; improving site conditions and early care for planting; supporting local efforts to identify, track, and achieve tree canopy goals; setting tree canopy goals for urban unincorporated areas and rural towns; developing and promoting a Tree Code Toolkit designed to assist cities crafting or revising tree regulations; updating the County’s tree regulations for urban unincorporated areas and rural towns; and increasing investments in noxious weed management in urban areas.
King County was awarded a grant from the WA DNR, contingent on federal funding, to engage communities in planning and implementation activities to maintain and increase tree canopy in urban unincorporated King County. Activities include a data-driven canopy cover assessment, community engagement with the King County Open Space Equity Cabinet, Climate Equity Community Taskforce (CECTF), and other local community-based organizations, and implementation of three pilot projects to enhance local tree canopy. Insights from this work will guide further development and expansion of the King County Urban Forestry Program, consideration of site-specific tree canopy coverage targets for urban unincorporated areas, and work to address urban tree canopy inequities.
As part of this work, King County will continue to support the Urban Forestry Forum, created in 2022, to further foster collaboration on county-wide urban forestry objectives.