Urban Forestry Commission Seeking 5 New Members

The City of Seattle Boards and Commissions published this information:


Seattle’s Urban Forest Needs You

The Urban Forestry Commission (UFC) is seeking an Arborist, Landscape architect, Environmental Justice Representative, Public Health Representative, and Community/Neighborhood Representative.  

Do you want to help Seattle protect its trees and continue to be the Emerald City? Then you should join the Urban Forestry Commission.   

Volunteering for this Commission is an opportunity to support city government in developing policies that support urban trees. 

The UFC was established to advise the Mayor and City Council on policies and regulations to support the protection, management, and conservation of trees and vegetation in Seattle.  

Applications are due February 28, 2018.

For more information go to the UFC website.

Free Trees Still Available Through City reLeaf Program

Katie, Seattle reLeaf Project Manager, who coordinates the City of Seattle’s Trees for Neighborhoods program, told us that they are still trying to find homes for the remaining  street trees and the deadline is Wednesday.

Katie said:

Plant a future neighborhood landmark—apply for a white oak, silver linden, tulip tree, or black tupelo for your planting strip! Imagine the awe-inspiring beauty a street tree will someday provide your neighborhood. All of these trees require at least a 7 or 8 foot planting strip with no overhead power lines.  

Ready for a tree? Don’t delay—the application for street trees closes Wednesday, August 27^th! Yard tree applications will be accepted until October.

 

To apply for a street tree visit www.seattle.gov/trees. If you have questions, email TreesforNeighborhoods@seattle.gov or call (206) 684-3979.

Go here for more information.

 

.

 

 

 

Apply Now For Free Trees

 

 



 4500 block of 46th Avenue NE lined with City's free trees

The City of Seattle’s annual Trees for Neighborhoods  program begins accepting applications today through a program called Seattle reLeaf, which offers free trees to Seattle residents.  Each year the program gives away thousands of trees to Seattle residents to plant in their yards and parking strips.

Many streets in Laurelhurst, including the 4500 block of 46th Avenue NE, have participated in the program and have their street lined with beautiful trees. 

This year the tree pickup is located very close to Laurelhurst  at the Center for Urban Horticulture (3501 NE 41st Street).   

Seattle reLeaf’s Trees for Neighborhoods program participants can receive up to four trees, including fruit trees, evergreen trees, street trees, as well as free watering bags for each tree, training on proper tree planting and maintenance, and  informative workshop opportunities on topics like young tree pruning.  

Applications are now being accepted for thirteen tree species, including Galaxy Magnolia, Tall Stewartia, Emerald Sunshine Elm, Mountain Hemlock, and June Snow Dogwood.  Here is the complete tree list.

Applications for street trees are due September 1st and for yard trees on October 11th.  Residents are urged to apply early as many species are claimed quickly. Trees can be picked up between October 19th or November 3rd.

The website information says:

Urban trees are important for cleaning our water and air, storing carbon, and building community. Trees also calm traffic, making our streets friendly to walk and bike. Larger trees provide the greatest benefits to neighborhoods and our environment because they absorb more storm water, breathe in more carbon dioxide, and breathe out more oxygen than smaller trees.  

Through the City of Seattle’s Trees for Neighborhoods program, Seattle residents have planted over 4,000 trees since 2009. That’s 4,300 more trees that help clean our air and water, make our streets more walkable, and our neighborhoods safer and healthier. Join the movement this year—plant a tree and help grow Seattle’s urban forest!

Residents who participate also receive free watering bags, training on proper tree planting and care, and workshop opportunities. This year, the program is offering 12 tree species ranging from large native conifers to small deciduous trees appropriate for planting under power lines and along the street. Check out the complete list and see photos here.

Go here for more information, email treesforneighborhoods@seattle.gov or call (206) 615-1668.  

 

Check Out Audubon Society's New Interactive Seattle Tree Map

   

Seattle Audubon Society has launched a new interactive on-line street map comprised of a shared inventory by users of the inventory of Seattle's trees.

 

The information says:

Curious about how many Douglas Firs are in your neighborhood? Or the number of trees in the city with a trunk diameter greater than twenty-four inches? Search functions allow you to find the exact trees you're looking for, or filter results based on tree height, date of planting, plot type, tree health, and more.

Users can edit data to account for missing or outdated information, upload photos to tree profiles, "favorite" the trees they like, set alerts (this tree needs to be watered!), and add comments. Users can contribute to urban forest monitoring and conservation through a shared inventory of Seattle's trees.

The Seattle Tree Map is part of Canopy Connections, a project by Seattle Audubon to "document, map, and enhance Seattle’s urban forest habitat for birds and nature"

 

Go here for more information and to get started.

Large Trees Causing Sidewalk Damage As Well As Electrical Hazard Removed On NE 45th Street

Trees before removal

 SDOT removing trees

 

Six large trees were removed in the 4300 block of NE 45th Street in front of three homes at the end of October.

The three homeowners have been working since then to put in a new sidewalk and grass and are also in the process of determining what new trees should be planted according to City arbor guidelines.  

An orange paper taped by Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) on each tree prior to their removal said that the reasons for removal were "chronic eletrical hazard, damaging the sidewalk" as well as an "improper species near power lines."

Glen, Tree Trimming Representative, with Seattle City Light, said that "to repair the sidewalk damage from the tree's, the amount of roots that would be pruned to repair the sidewalk and try to save the trees, the trees would ultimately not survive or would fall over.  The trees had to be removed because of the electrical hazard that are present and whatever species is planted in their place will be the proper species for under the power lines."

The City only paid to remove the trees and the three homeowners are sharing the cost of paying for everything else - redoing the sidewalk and landscaping, which one homeowner said was roughly ten thousand dollars each.

A neighbor who lives near the area told us that she experienced an outage about three years ago and there was a fire in one tree.

She said:

City Light cut the trees back from the wires and acknowledged that there was some danger of possible electrocution if the branches got in the wires and someone touched the trees.

City Light offered to cut down the trees if I got a permit from the City of Seattle offices. I applied for a permit, but only a couple of months ago did we finally get permits for each of the three properties.  

Seattle's office of the arborist in the department of transportation declared the trees a hazard and then issued each of the three homeowners a permit to remove them and also insisted that the sidewalk be replaced for safety reasons.

The roots were also causing the sidewalk to lift up, so that it had become hazardous to passersby.

We all hope that the many parents and children that use the sidewalk will find the new-found safe sidewalk enjoyable. The trees also blocked some of the visibility available to those who choose to cross the busy NE 45th Street at that intersection.

Some small trees may be planted in place of those removed at the discretion of the individual homeowner.

The parking strip will be filled with sod and grass to make it level with the new concrete sidewalk. And some landscaping will be made by each of the individual homeowners.

.

 Trees and grass removed, new sidewalk preparation

 

 

City's Free Trees For Neighborhoods Program Still Accepting Applications

 



The City's Trees for Neighborhoods Program has one tree species remining, the Austrian pine, and the program coordinator told us "We’d love it if we could find some homes for the trees in Laurelhurst."

Participants in the Trees for Neighborhoods program receive free trees, watering bags, training on proper planting and maintenance, and opportunities for additional workshops such as young tree pruning.

Many streets in Laurelhurst, including the 4500 block of 46th Avenue NE, have participated in the program and have their street lined with beautiful trees.

This year the tree pickup is located very close to Laurelhurst at the Center for Urban Horticulture (3501 NE 41st Street.).

 
Although this one tree is still available, applicants are encouraged to continue to apply for trees currently waitlisted as many will become available in the fall.
 

The Austrian pine is a large conifer reaching an approximate height of 40’ and a spread of 25’ at maturity. They do best in  yards, as opposed to street treese, as they grow quite large.  The tree has a broad, flat crown and a rough, short trunk with spreading branches. The tree’s dense shiny green foliage provides a good screen or windbreak and is adaptable to a wide variety of urban conditions and soil types and is easy to grow.
 

The trees, planted around Seattle, provide habitat for birds, stabilize steep slopes, reduce surface run-off year-round by absorbing rainwater, and cut energy costs by providing a natural windbreak in the winter and shade in the summer.
 

To apply on-line go here and for more information go here, call 206-615-1668 or email treesforneighborhoods@seattle.gov.

 

Trees Being Salvaged On Hospital Campus And Nearby

Trees on Sand Point Way that are being dug up for new traffic lights

A recent post on the Hospital's Construction Blog talked about how Jeff Hughes, Grounds and Sustainability Manager, is always on the lookout for trees to salvage and re-use.

The post says:

Jeff Hughes is constantly saving or recycling trees displaced by construction around our campus.  

The latest example: six trees that must be removed from the median on Sand Pont Way NE near 40th Avenue NE where a new traffic light and bike/pedestrian crossing will be installed.  

Hughes will dig up three cedar trees and replant them in a nearby site on campus. Three pin oaks, which wouldn’t survive being transplanted, will be cut down but their wood will be saved to create benches.  

During a visit to a local nursery, Hughes  spotted 11 large river birches that were slated to be cut down because they were growing near power lines. He purchased the trees for pennies and two are planted in front of the Hartman Building and the others are destined for a bioswale on the construction site, where their tolerance for moisture makes them a perfect fit.  

The river birches in front of the Hartmann Building are part of frontage improvements completed this fall. The landscaping also includes three mature boxwoods salvaged from the Building Hope site and a form of ground cover called pig squeak that Hughes introduced on campus years ago – in part because he knew he could transplant clumps of it later as it grew and spread.
 

(photo courtesy of Hospital)

Application Deadline Sunday For City's Free Trees For Neighborhood Program

Seattle reLeaf still has free trees for residential yards available through the Trees for Neighborhoods program and the deadline to submit an application is Sunday.

The Trees for Neighborhoods program helps Seattle residents plant trees around their homes.

Participants in the program receive:
·           Free trees (up to 4 per household)
·           Watering bags
·           Training on proper planting and care
·           Coupon for free GroCo compost
·           Ongoing care reminders and workshop opportunities

Trees can be planted anywhere in residential yards, but must be planted at the address on the application. Permits are required if planting street trees and receiving a permit is not guaranteed. No permit is required for yard trees.

Tree supply is limited and applications will be accepted on a first come first served basis. Some of the trees available are Western Red Cedar,Japanese Cedar and Fernleaf Beech.

Participants must attend a planting and care workshop on October 27 or November 10 when the trees are picked up.

All tree pickup and planting workshops will be held at Rainier Beach Urban Farm, 5513 S Cloverdale Street. 

For questions about the program contact TreesforNeighborhoods@seattle.gov or call 206-615-1668.

Find History Of Trees On Your Street And Throughout The City

SDOT recently released a new web based tool for looking up what kinds of trees are planted on your street and who is responsible for maintaing them, including the many trees in Laurelhurst.

SDOT started the tree inventory process in 1992 and has continued until currently where the inventory stands at  approximately 40,000 city maintained trees of the over 130,000 in the city.

The website lists each Seattle neighborhood, including Laurelhurst,  with a street map containing the inventoried tree's common and scientific name, the inventory identification number, diameter, street address, party responsible for maintenance, the date the tree was planted or inventoried, and the date that the tree was last checked by clicking on an individual tree.

Users can submit current size information for an existing tree  here or submit information for an unlisted tree here.

Free Trees Still Available For Pick-Up Tomorrow

A reader sent us the below information from Jessica, who runs the Trees for Neighborhoods Program.  She says that free trees are still available and can be picked up tomorrow  from 10-2pm at the Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands (5513 South Cloverdale Steet).

After Sunday's workshop, we had a number of conifer trees left without homes! We have re-opened applications for conifers to be planted in yards, and I am hoping that you can help me spread the word.

If you have friends or neighbors who love trees, live within the City of Seattle, and have space to plant some big trees in their yard, please send them to the Trees for Neighborhoods website to apply. 
Also, if you received less than the maximum of 4 trees per household and you think that you might like to add some conifers to your own yard, feel free to fill out another application.

Available trees include Deodar cedar, Weeping Alaska cedar, Shore pine, and Western red cedar. You can find out more information about each of these species, along with links to pictures here.

Here is a previous post we did 2 weeks ago about the program.

If you are interested in more deciduous trees for your yard,  unclaimed trees will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 2:30 pm  tomorrow at the Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands.

Applications Due Thursday For City's Free Trees Progam

The City of Seattle's Trees For Neighborhood Program is once again offering free trees and applications are due September 1st.

The Trees for Neighborhoods program helps Seattle residents plant trees in their yards and along their streets. Participants in the program receive free trees, watering bags,  training on proper planting and care, coupon for free Groco compost  and ongoing care reminders and workshop opportunities.

Some of the rules are:

• Trees should be planted anywhere in residential yards, but must be planted at the address on the application. 
• Participants must obtain permits if planting street trees – reLeaf staff will coordinate acquiring permits. Receiving a permit is not guaranteed. No permit is required for yard trees.
• Participant must be present at the planting training to pick up the tree(s), which should be planted shortly after receiving them.
• The number of trees approved for particiant's yard may be fewer than the number requested as tree availability is not guaranteed. 
• Tree supply is limited and applications will be accepted on a first come first served basis, so apply early!

Particpants are encouraged to read descriptions carefully of each tree and envision what the tree will look like in 30+ years.

The City says that "Larger trees provide greater benefits to your neighborhood and our environment than smaller trees. They control more water, provide more shade in the summer, breathe in more carbon dioxide and breathe out more oxygen than smaller trees. For these reasons, the City of Seattle recommends planting larger trees whenever appropriate. "

Trees will be available in late October and early November.  Yard tree applications are due by October 24th.

To apply on-line go here and for more information go here or call 206-615-1668.

Large Branch Falls On Car Last Night

A reader sent us this email with the subject line "Oooops!":

Yikes! This 200 lb. Diadora branch fell on our son's car, last night, on N.E. 43rd Street.

Thank goodness no one was walking down the sidewalk at that moment!!!

Everyone needs to be watchful of their trees' condition, especially when they are over a public walkway/parking.

Thanks for the past two years!

City of Seattle Offering Four Free Trees Per Household

The City of Seattle, through the reLeaf Program, is offering up to four free trees per household.

Applications to participate are due no later than Monday, December 6th.

In addition to receiving four trees, participants will also be given watering bags, a bag of GroCo compost, and training on proper tree planting and care.

And according to the releaf website, the best time for planing trees is now with all the rain. Here are some tips for planting trees and which to select.

 

According to the reLeaf website, "planting trees is a great way to lower your carbon footprint. An average city tree will absorb about a ton of harmful carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Urban trees also help keep our water clean, our air breathable, provide habitat for birds and other wildlife and make Seattle a vibrant place to live and work."

To participate you must meet these guidelines:

• Live in Seattle, and plant the tree on your property (renters must have their landlord's permission)
• Plant the trees in your yard, and not as street trees
• Do not plant the trees under power lines (these are large trees that will eventually grow into the lines)
• Commit to caring for the tree in the future, including watering for the first 3 summers

 

Some available trees are:

 

1. Shore pine (Pinus contorta ‘Contorta’)
2. Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum)
3. Red oak (Quercus rubra)
4. Western red cedar (Thuja plicata ‘Excelsa’)
5. Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

You can fill out the application here.

 

For questions contact Jana Dilley with
Seattle reLeaf at jana.dilley@seattle.gov
or call 206-615-1668.