A written plan loses its meaning if no measurable milestones are in place.

Much of the city’s newly released draft Urban Forest Plan update spells out in great detail guidelines for selecting, planting, removing and caring for trees.  It sets a 30-year goal of increasing the city’s tree canopy cover from its current 11.2% to 20%.  While the draft plan aims to plant 350 trees a year, it does not provide a schedule for some immediate opportunities to get this done.

“According to city reports, the city has severely underperformed in meeting its existing 350 annual tree goal as budgeted.  In 2023, they planted only 79 trees,” said Alameda resident and founder of 100K Trees for Humanity Amos White.  “Alameda has never had a gain.  They have yet to break even.”

One possible way to build up community confidence in the plan would be to include site-specific opportunities for immediate implementation, with an estimated cost for actually achieving these results and a requirement of a mid-cycle review to evaluate whether the city is on track.  This would also advance tree plantings as a priority in the city’s upcoming budget and grant applications. 

Easy short-term targets at vacant plantable public spaces would provide quick wins.  Reclaiming city-owned strips of land between sidewalks and streets is crucial.  There are also many good opportunities available right now for more trees at the West End.

Reclaim the city-owned strips and tree wells

The draft plan states that the city inventory shows 4,234 vacant tree planting sites with the possibility “to add additional planting sites by cutting new tree wells, removing asphalt, and other depaving practices.”

In the past the city has waited to be contacted by property owners requesting that trees be planted in the city-owned strips of property between the sidewalk and street in front of their houses.

As the city schedules future tree planting, property owners could be told that a new tree will be planted in compliance with city policy and explain how the city will water the tree during its infancy.

The city also has not been removing the pavement on strips that property owners, not necessarily the owners living there now, have illegally placed in front of their property on city-owned land.

West End opportunities

There are additional shovel-ready sites for planting new trees at the West End of Alameda, where a gap in the tree canopy has been identified.

For example, at Alameda Point, the Parade Grounds at City Hall West and the open space between the “Main Gate” and O’Club are candidates for immediate plantings.  Tree plantings could be quickly completed at Jean Sweeney Open Space Park and Main Street Linear Park.

Fortunately, in the near future, EBMUD will be connecting its East Bayshore Recycled Water Line to the West End of Alameda.  This line will deliver ample amounts of recycled water for watering trees and eliminate previous concerns about using potable water to irrigate trees and landscaping.

Next steps

The draft Urban Forest Plan update is now being vetted by boards, commissions, and the city council and is available for public comment until February 14, 2025.   At the recent city council “work session” none of the councilmembers expressed an interest in requiring milestones with a five-year review to evaluate whether the city is actually making progress.

“This Urban Forest Plan will only be as good as the public demands the city be held accountable for executing and increasing its tree budget,” said White.

Let’s establish a starting point for gaining new trees by identifying specific sites and check-in points to measure our success.  This will make our effort to expand our urban forest more real and less theoretical.

Originally published in the Alameda Post