Call for Landscape Contractor Participation

RIVERSIDE, CA

Over 6 million trees are maintained by cities and counties all over California. As trees have certain value (not just monetary value), these urban forests represent a significant part of landscape construction and maintenance businesses-- and the overall environment as a whole.

The California Department of Forestry (CDF) has contracted California Urban and Community Forests (CUFC) to begin a process of statewide community sensing for urban forestry issues and priorities. The first of eight statewide caucuses in San Francisco resulted in NO landscape contractor company or nursery industry representatives attending; according to the CUFC, the sixty participants took notice and expressed great concern.

Two future sessions are scheduled, including at the San Diego Hilton in January 1999 and the Palm Desert Hilton in February 1999. As the sessions are conducted free of charge, landscape contractors are encouraged to participate in the process. This is the first attempt to regional caucuses in California to build urban forest strategies that will be prioritized at a statewide summit to be held next year.

CDF representative Eric Oldar identified three positive trends of California's urban forests: a rising percentage of pruning waste is being recycled rather than going to landfills; cities are more closely monitoring tree related hazards; and local citizen support for tree programs has remained consistent. However, Oldar also identified three disturbing trends: the percentage of city maintained street trees has sharply declined since 1988; municipal tree budgets continue to decline; and treetopping is still a common practice in many communities, and only half of city tree ordinances are adequately enforced. These trends and others will be discussed at the sessions. For information, contact Oldar at 909-782-4140.