September 2019
Federal Policy Update
Senator Corey Booker will be presenting legislation soon on a national urban greening effort and job creation. I’ve attached documents on this effort. We need to put some effort into making this a reality! Also, the FS has a new UF page. As well Jan Davis, Assistant Director of the Forest Service’s Cooperative Forestry Program (where UF lives), is leaving the Forest Service’s Washington Office to begin her new position as Deputy Regional Forester in the Southern Regional Office. Her position will be filled as soon as possible.
Forest Service Regional Update
No update
Forest Service Funding
No update
Forest Service Research
Forest Service Research – Here’s a link to all the Forest Service staff that are doing UF research on some level – should be helpful
Cal Fire
We are awaiting the signed contract back from CalFire for the Urban Tree Removal and Education Project. Once received we will begin planning that implementation as well.
CUFAC
Several of us are met with the CalFire Chief, Thom Porter, on July 25th. John Melvin was also in attendance. It was mainly to
State Policy & Advocacy
The legislature goes on recess currently.
Program Updates
CIRCLE Projects (Cap & Trade Funding)
CIRCLE 1.0
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
Planning is underway for the final Community Canopy Trees for this Fall and the numbers are coming in strong – We have a Story Map here
Cool Parks Program
Ramping up – we have MOUs with eight cities currently, and we are in discussion with five more. 2,500 trees will be planted in disadvantaged neighborhood parks either this Fall or next Spring with follow-up care.
Urban Tree Removal
I went to San Diego last week for meetings with our contractor for the new Urban Tree Removal Project. We can work on the project but we can’t submit invoices yet, so we are only doing preliminary planning now.
2019 Conference
- The website is live and final details will be nuanced over the next few days. Deb did a wonderful job!
- We have raised $25,500 is sponsorship which includes $10k from the Forest Service/CalFire from our current Forest Service grant.
- I am so happy and appreciative to our sponsors and volunteers. Emina Darakjy, Board member for LA/OC is managing our silent auction donations so please be in touch with her with your contributions!
- Please register and volunteer to help me and Deb!!!!!
Other
- Audit – our audit is scheduled for August 26 – 29th the 10 days prior will be all prep! We are deep in preparation now and are trying not to schedule anything till after the event is over.
- Participating with Drawdown Marin (getting to zero carbon) on a biomass planning committee to evaluate the entire county’s tree canopy: urban and wildlands, as well as each city! Our goal of a local tree group very well may be an outcome of this effort too. We may be able to direct some of our funds from Cool Parks to do a tree planting in San Rafael.
- The Sacramento meeting on the Invasive Shot Hole Borer meeting at the CA Department of Food & Ag was very informative and positive overall and we will do our best to partner with them on our grant deliverables so we are not duplicating efforts.
- We are crafting a proposal to BlueSource, a carbon management company, using our CIRCLE model. The monitoring and maintenance that the UF Protocols require are part of the project so we are not sure about how this will pan out. There are no UF projects under the Protocols currently as they are not typically cost effective.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Hughes