Did You Know?

Support from Public Agencies, Cities & Counties

Purpose:   A regional agreement to work toward increasing tree canopy for healthier communities

The Orange Blossom Trail - The Redlands Rail Trail Project is a joint effort between the City of Redlands and the County of San Bernardino.  The project will revitalize portions of the AT&SF railroad corridor and the historic Mission Zanja irrigation channel to create a 9.0-mile multi-use trail through the communities of Redlands and Mentone.  It will provide a safe, non-motorized connection of current and future residential areas in these communities with their education, shopping and employment centers, and the future Metrolink light rail extension.  The Project will serve as the only non-vehicular connection between both sides of the I-10 freeway that bisect the City of Redlands while helping to reduce the urban heat-island effect from the freeway.  The City and County will select a consultant to assist with inventory, planning, facilitating public participation, cost estimating, and a funding plan.  Additional resources contributed by the project: local landscape architects will provide “in-kind” support for planning of low water and low maintenance vegetation and ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute) will provide “in-kind” support for some project mapping. 

Replication of the GreenPrint Project for the Air Quality Management District region –

“The purpose is to guide cities and counties within the AQMD region to develop urban forest initiatives.  The goals are to: optimize the benefits of trees throughout the region; to create sustainable urban forests; and, to build community-wide appreciation for urban forests.  A successful urban forest program requires attention in three key elements: management of public trees; policies and ordinances; and community partnerships.”[i]  “This effort requires residents and stakeholders to participate in an extensive public involvement campaign to contribute their thoughts and ideas.”[ii]  A link to the Sacramento GREEENPRINT can be found below to demonstrate in detail the challenge and the effectiveness of creating a similar program in the four county area.

http://www.sactree.com/aboutUs/programsServices/greenprint/greenprintOverview.html

California Urban Forests Council will work to bring a lead agency on board to develop and implement this vital concept.  (Multiple year funding requested.)

The T.R.E.E.S. Project (Trans-Agency Resources for Environmental And Economic Sustainability) – TreePeople proposes to bring about a systematic change in the way public agencies and school districts design, maintain, and support local green infrastructure.  This is done by building consensus among local leaders and stakeholders to integrate the way natural resources, including our tree canopy, are protected and managed.  The T.R.E.E.S. Project provides education of public agencies on the need, value and best practices regarding care for trees and other green infrastructure.  Education can include sharing printed and web-based materials, presentations, demonstration tours and one-on-one updates.  Facilitation of design workshops for agencies to incorporate green infrastructure into new and existing facilities is also offered.  TreePeople brings administrative support as well as covered office costs as additional resources.  (Funding request is for three years.)