Executive Director’s Report December 2019

Federal Policy Update – Congress is reconvening but no updates yet

Forest Service Regional Update – Miranda Hutton is on detail in another position through the end of the year.  Stacy Hishinima has been working in Miranda’ s position temporarily.  

Forest Service Funding – We have submitted our forms, budget and work plan to the Forest Service for July 2020-June 2021.  

Forest Service Research – Hughes is attending the LA Urban Research Center’s advisory committee meeting today helping to plan for the research efforts for 2021.

Cal Fire – We submitted two new grant applications to CALFIRE last week – one to continue our CILCLE program, another to continue our urban tree removal program.  

CUFAC – I attended the October 16-17th in Sacramento.  Essentially the efforts there were to finalize the new strategic plan and prep it for submittal to Chief Porter for review and approval.  I shared copies at our in-person meeting suggesting we review what the State’s goals are so we can see if we want to incorporate them into our planning.

State Policy & Advocacy – Hughes is heading to the Capitol Friday 12.6.19 for rounds with legislators, and a meeting with John Melvin

Program Updates –

CIRCLE Projects (Cap & Trade Funding) – CIRCLE 1 – monitoring only, no update; CIRCLE 2.0 – sending out text messages to tree recipients to remind them to water along with other tree tidbits;

High Speed Rail –  CIRCLE 3.0 – All trees planted!  We are focusing on monitoring now.

Cool Parks Program – All plantings are complete for the Fall and another round of plantings will take place in Spring 2020.  Monitoring is underway.

Urban Tree Removal Project has been renamed City Forest Renewal.  Meetings are underway and MOU’s are being signed.  I submitted a request for an advance to CALFIRE to support us in paying bills for rapidly.

2020 Conference – Is scheduled for May 2020 in Sacramento in partnership with CA ReLeaf.  We held our first brainstorming cal and will pick up the pace after January 1, 2020.

Santa Rosa – we held another planting in Santa Rosa – Fountaingrove area on 10/26/19, as the Sonoma fires were burning in Windsor and Healdsburg.  We were monitoring the air quality but the work all got done and all was well.  As we finished word was received about the evacuations in Sonoma and then later also in Fountaingrove.  Quite the day.  The final reporting on this event is underway to Arbor Day Foundation.  Google was the sponsor of this event.

Other –

Audit – I have received the audit from Pam Mainini.  She will be coming back to the office one more time to update our QuickBooks software.  I will review the audit then pass it on to Emily for review and then to the full board.  

Bookkeeping – Our bookkeeper is on leave through January.  I’ve been working in that role as well.  Morgan has recently had a baby boy named Jules!  Very cute!  Another urban forester enters the world!

2020 Budget – I am working on the budget now and should have it for you this month for review and discussion and approval.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Hughes