Advocacy Ad Hoc Committee - Street Tree Preservation
Chair, Susan Traver
344-1065 or email
Committee Mission
Large canopy-forming street trees are an immensely important part of Spokane's historic neighborhoods. Indeed they are a highlight and important natural infrastructure of this beautiful city.
Heritage Tree Program
THREE SPOKANE TREES
THE FIRST TO BE RECOGNIZED BY
HERITAGE TREE PROGRAM
An American elm, an apricot tree, and a horse chestnut in Pioneer Park were the first to receive the new heritage tree status introduced by the city, placing them on a register designed to protect historic trees in Spokane.
The size, age, and relative rarity of the trees in the Marycliff/Cliff Park Historic District, as well as their history and good condition, made them perfect candidates for the new register. In December 2009, the Urban Forest Tree Committee approved them as the first to be listed.
The purpose of the Heritage Tree Program is to protect significant trees in the community. Heritage trees are particularly valuable because of the characteristics that set them apart from other similar trees. These might include:
1. Historical significance to a person, place, or event.
2. Significant size in height, caliper, or canopy spread for its age and species.
3. Special aesthetic qualities for its species.
4. Visible to the public, along major roads, or public places.
5. Rare horticulture value.
Individuals or groups can nominate trees on any public or private property within the city of Spokane for Heritage Status designation. The Urban Forest Tree Committee of the Spokane Park Board will review nominations monthly.
The Heritage Trees Program emphasizes that trees are key to Spokane’s character and sense of place. Championing heritage tree preservation and the Urban Forestry Program is another way to boost awareness of Spokane’s historic urban landscapes.
More Room for Large Street Trees
Spokane’s large street trees may soon be “branching out” if recommendations to the City by a citizen’s advisory committee are approved. Namely, allow large trees in 5-foot-wide parking strips where only small trees previously have been permitted and often no trees grow at all.
And the largest trees would no longer be limited to parking strips at least 12 feet wide, but could be planted in smaller 8- foot strips. That means large street trees would have many more places to put down roots, beginning the restoration of the urban canopy that city fathers planted over 100 years ago.
The recommendations were the outcome of long-term study and discussion by the Street Tree Subcommittee of the Urban Forestry Citizen’s Advisory Committee (UFCAC), of which Susan Traver has been a patient, dedicated and outspoken member.
Background on Street Tree Issue
 In the early 1900s Spokane thoughtfully planted large-canopy trees along the streets of our many great neighborhoods. In many instances these plantings were part of a deliberate, comprehensive, streetscape plan for this city. (See www.olmsted.org) SPA believes that these large, old trees are now worthy of special attention.
Refer to SPA Update September 2007 for article on the importance of canopy-forming street trees.
Therefore, SPA created an ad hoc street tree committee to explore ways to preserve and replace in-kind our grand canopy-forming street trees. SPA asks for your increased attention and direct support in our three tightly-focused street tree preservation initiatives:
- Increased emphasis for preservation of Spokane's large-canopied street trees
- Like-tree replacement (not small-tree, ornamental tree replacement) to maintain Spokane's existing historic neighborhood streetscapes. To replace large-canopy trees with smaller trees because of the existing planting strip size restrictions, negatively alters the look of Spokane's great neighborhoods. SPA believes this as a significant quality of life issue for neighborhood streetscape integrity.
- Advocacy for adequate Urban Forest Program funding to maintain these important trees
SPA has recently published two ads in local newspapers to inform Spokane residents about the importance of and threat to our large canopy street trees:
Spokesman Review/Inlander (October 2008)
Inlander (January 2009)
SPA also contracted for a survey asking Spokanites how they felt about their large street trees. Here are the survey results and our follow on letter sent to Mayor Verner.
Through tree preservation education, volunteerism, and funding, SPA stands ready to help the City of Spokane achieve these important large-canopy street tree preservation initiatives.
The following informational sites are great in explaining the benefits of large-canopy street trees:
"The Large Tree Argument"
www.fs.fed.us
"How to Fit Large Trees into Landscapes"
"What People, and Trees, Think About Utility Tree Pruning"
http://extension.usu.edu
Additionally, the following information is useful (.pdf files):
Large Trees and Communities
Trees and Safety
Project for Public Spaces - Allan B. Jacobs
Trees are Not the Root of Sidewalk Problems
Which Comes First, the Root or the Crack
Fitting Large Trees into Landscapes
On the evening of June 18th, 90 interested Spokanites came to Interplayers Theater to hear Dr. Mike Kuhn’s very informative free lecture discussing how large trees have an important place in our urban environments. The SPA Advocacy Committee hosted Dr. Mike Kuhns to Spokane from Utah State University, to advance the dialog concerning Spokane’s large street tree preservation.
This lecture was another way for SPA to passively, yet effectively apply subtle pressure to Spokane city leadership to influence change concerning how they manage their large street trees inventory. SPA continues to advocate for Spokane’s large street tree preservation, maintenance and same kind replacement. These three key points are critical to large street tree preservation in Spokane. Preservation of historic landscapes is a critical component of SPA’s mission.
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