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Home My WebLink AboutCA Urban Community Forrest Summit Meeting CITY OF PALM DESERT INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: City Council and City Manager FROM: Richard J. Folkers, ACM/Public Works Director SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO HOST THE CALIFORNIA URBAN AND COMMUNITY FOREST (CUCF) SUMMIT MEETING DATE: October 22, 1998 RECOMMENDATION: Authorize staff's request to act as the host for the California Urban & Community Forest Summit Meeting, and authorize the appropriation of $2,500 from the Unobligated General Fund Reserves. BACKGROUND: The California Urban and Community Forest is a non-profit organization working in cooperation with the California Department of Forestry. They are chartered to conduct regional caucus meetings to get people talking about the future of urban landscaping and urban forests. At this time, three meetings have taken place. Another six meetings are scheduled thru April 1999. CUCF is most interested in holding a caucus meeting here in Palm Desert. This will be the first time since 1991 that the City will have a chance to be a part of such a groundbreaking event. Details of the meeting are as follows: • Tentative summit meeting date: January 29, 1999 • Proposed meeting site: To be held at the College of the Desert • Estimated meeting cost: Approximately $2,500.00 • Proposed targeted audience includes: Government agencies, Golf Course Superintendent Association, Landscape Architects, Community Association Institution, California Landscape Construction Association, Arborists, Developers and Environmentalists Staff recommends the City Council approve staff's request to sponsor a summit meeting and appropriate $2,500 from the unobligated general fund to off the meeting costs. /Y--y RICHARD J. OLKERS, P.E. y-qVIEWED AND CONCUR CITY MANAGER RJF:JC/ms REVIEWED AND CONCUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE rITY. COUNCIL ACTION: 'ROVED , DENIED 7TVED OTHER A'. DATE itD/9-R-rrt (4, Arg . 1-7ae_eDoso4, IcEALN -SP c(2 -SENT: 1 MeWg" . .STAIN: Airt,(3 IFIED BY: •Sk4t ox.,4inal on File wit4 CiVy Clerk' s Office For Immediate Release: Contact: Mel Johnson 415-647-4207 April, 1998 California Urban Forests Council California Urban & Community Forests Summit To Take Place The California Urban Forests Council in cooperation with the California Department of Forestry is conducting the first California Urban and Community Forests Summit. The Summit scheduled for mid-1999, is designed to involve every aspect of urban forestry through a series of caucuses over the next 16 months, The goals of the Summit are threefold: 1. to stimulate discussion on the future needs of California's urban forests; 2. to bring together diverse groups in a formalized setting for the purpose of developing strategies for eachgeographic region in California and; 3. to formulate statewide goals, objectives, and implementation procedures that will act as a blueprint for the future direction of urban forestry. The California Urban Forests Council is encouraging the participation of all organizations and individuals who are involved in urban forestry and its varied aspects. Information will be distributed over the next few months to stimulate discussion at gatherings throughout the state, such as professional society meetings, tree boards, garden clubs, etc. After this discussion period the first regional caucus is scheduled for July 17 at the PG & E Energy Center in San Francisco. Each caucus will be professionally facilitated and charged with the task of developing a set of goals and objectives for their particular region focusing on issues that emerged from previous discussions. At the conclusion of each caucus participants will be asked to send representatives to the two day Summit in mid-1999. It will be the charge of the Summit to develop a statewide plan from the goals and objectives brought from each of the respective regional caucuses. This plan will act as a blueprint for developing and updating a strategic plan for future urban forestry management in California. CUFC encourages everyone with a stake in the future of urban forestry in California - to become involved in this exciting venture. For further information visit the web site at http://urbanfor.cagr.calpoly.edu/data/cufc/cufc.html or contact the CUFC office: email: cufc@pacbell.net, Office: 415-647-4207, or Fax: 415-647-3903. ##################### • Why a Summit? • The Goal: What's the Plan & Structure? • 1 This is the first attempt to'use regional caucuses To influence the future • Regional Caucuses will be held at sites all in California to build Urban Forest strategies that over the state. • will be prioritized at a statewide Summit to be held in August, 1999. With a Summit the California direction of.California's • • "Think-tanks" from each Caucus will clarify Urban Forests Council will: concerns and strategize for their region. • Introduce a broad range of people to one findings will be reported• Urban and Community • Regional to the g another, to find common areas of interest Summit where they will be prioritized, and expertise resulting in an increase in • cooperation for California's common good. Forests . polished,and published as an Urban Forestry . • Consolidate regional ideas and information: Blueprint. _ • • Identify common issues and create solutions Mir The blueprint will be used by decision makers 'mprove California's Urban Forests through • . .,. ;'.. next century. `"``., ..•. .. ... and funders, including CDF,as they determine • a 4 - • :• future programs, projects, and grants. Why Attend? }j_ .,�„; > � - w±� .a•• Be part.of a ground-breaking blueprint for ;,. .. ' California's future. •y ti;3e ...•`k":e :g_ ___ v,y^ ., • Give voice to your concerns, opinions, .:«1'' •-d �. - , issues, and ideas. :'• `:•-' t� 6 • Represent your organization's unique ' •, A.r _ .•:k perspective and viewpoint to the whole.. • •�i - 1 "444 • Assure that your important perspective is ~ _ -'i• . rt* ::0-' '"'' considered and included in statewide strategies. - : •..•;�,,:. �`^ ~4• r •. is -. -..1• _ ,„ �� * .Y;`.._:• L. .� .74:` �r .,..' �;.. Vile- - Will Attend? i 4 :: ..;.; ':'. ! i_yt kr • „.�r„ne and everyone who is • ..�;{ v� passionate and concerned about: the State of California's Urban Forest '` t ^'+`�.''''.�, ' - r' ' • . - Urban Forestry Positive Trends: - Parks and Recreation • Over 6 million trees are maintained by cities and counties and a rising percentage - Beauty and Open Space of pruning waste is being recycled rather than going to land-fills. • Cities are more closely monitoring tree related hazards. -City Growth and Planning • • Local citizen support for tree-programs has remained constant. Gardening and Horticulture • Disturbing Trends: - Future Environmental Impacts • Since 1988, the Trends: of city maintained street trees per resident has sharply - Urban Ecosystem Management declined along with a decrease in local government tree program support. -Arboriculture • • Tree budgets continue to decline with the average city spending less than 1% of their total budget on trees. -Air Quality • The damaging practice of tree-topping is still common in many California - Urbanization of Rural Areas• communities, and only half of city tree ordinances are adequately enforced.