REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: BRIAN E. RUSSELL, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Streets, Landscape, and Graffiti Divisions
ERIKA PELAYO-LOPEZ, Community Coordinator
Public Works Department, Landscape Maintenance Division
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION - Adopt a Resolution of the Council of the City of Fresno, California to Approve and Adopt the 2024 Urban Forest Management Plan (Subject to Mayor's Veto).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council adopt a Resolution to approve the Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP), establishing the plan as a comprehensive guide for managing and maintaining the City of Fresno's urban forest.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Public Works Department is responsible for maintaining and preserving the City's urban forest, which encompasses approximately 131,000 street trees. On June 25, 2020, the City was awarded a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) grant that provided funding to hire a consultant that would assess the City's current urban forest, tree inventory, green canopy, and City forestry program policies. The selected consultant, Dudek, has worked with City staff and stakeholder groups over the past year to diligently develop an extensive UFMP. This comprehensive plan encompasses many crucial elements to effectively manage and preserve the City's urban forest.
For three consecutive fiscal years, the City has been able to fund proactive geobase tree trimming to provide a 10-year tree trimming cycle. This proactive work has assisted in reducing the number of emergency calls related to fallen trees, which will assist in being able to keep larger trees with significant tree canopies healthy. The City has also planted nearly 4,000 trees within the same timeframe.
The adoption of the UFMP provides guidance and strategies to maintain a well-managed sustainable urban forest, that provides multi-benefit solutions to ...
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