Friends of Urban Forests
@urbanforests.bsky.social
Advocating for planting, growing and protecting trees and urban forests for healthy communities where people live.
www.friends.urbanforests.org #urbanforests
www.friends.urbanforests.org #urbanforests
Reposted by Friends of Urban Forests
Momentum builds for new leadership!
Now is the time to fight, not surrender. 🗣️
Schumer must step down from his post as minority leader and allow for new leadership to emerge—someone who is willing to consistently fight for the American people.
Schumer must step down from his post as minority leader and allow for new leadership to emerge—someone who is willing to consistently fight for the American people.
Progressive group MoveOn calls on Schumer to step aside
"Inexplicably, some Senate Democrats, under Leader Schumer's watch, decided to surrender."
www.axios.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Momentum builds for new leadership!
And it goes on and on as GOP MAGA Cult is afraid to do anything that upset the WannaBe Dictator.
House cancels votes next week, including vote on Epstein files.
November 6, 2025 at 4:20 AM
And it goes on and on as GOP MAGA Cult is afraid to do anything that upset the WannaBe Dictator.
An example of action being taken in Seattle to save more trees as the city increase efforts to build more needed housing. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell signs a new Executive Order to increase protection for existing trees.
Mayor Harrell Signs Executive Order to Preserve More Trees on Private Property, Protecting Critical Urban Tree Canopy - Office of the Mayor
Seattle – Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell signed a new Executive Order to increase tree preservation on private property, building on efforts over the last three years to protect and grow Seattle’s urban f...
harrell.seattle.gov
November 5, 2025 at 6:27 AM
An example of action being taken in Seattle to save more trees as the city increase efforts to build more needed housing. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell signs a new Executive Order to increase protection for existing trees.
Reposted by Friends of Urban Forests
Fall colors on display at the Seattle Arboretum.
October 29, 2025 at 5:43 AM
Fall colors on display at the Seattle Arboretum.
“Eighty to ninety percent of issues urban trees face,” Erwin told me, “come from problems in the growing place.”
S6E3: The Tree Is the New Sewer System with Erwin van Herwijnen of New Urban Standard
Why most city trees die young, why soils matter more than species, how stormwater makes or breaks survival, and how spreadsheets can save urban forests — with Erwin van Herwijnen.
internetofnature.substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 8:46 PM
“Eighty to ninety percent of issues urban trees face,” Erwin told me, “come from problems in the growing place.”
An example of how King County in Washington State responded to the need to address clearcutting of lots in unincorporated areas. A final tree protection ordinance has not been adopted yet but 2 studies of what cities are doing and what the county is not doing have been done.
$100K now earmarked to develop a tree ordinance for unincorporated King County | Westside Seattle
www.westsideseattle.com
October 26, 2025 at 4:59 AM
An example of how King County in Washington State responded to the need to address clearcutting of lots in unincorporated areas. A final tree protection ordinance has not been adopted yet but 2 studies of what cities are doing and what the county is not doing have been done.
"Street trees provide a wide range of environmental, social, aesthetic and economic benefits. They improve air quality, conserve energy, reduce stormwater impacts, increase property values, provide habitat for local wildlife, and enhance the appearance and character of neighborhoods."
City Shade Street Tree Planting Program | Port Angeles, WA - Official Website
This volunteer-centric program is designed to help increase the tree canopy in our community by planting trees in low, medium and high-density residential neighborhoods within City right-of-ways.
www.cityofpa.us
October 20, 2025 at 8:29 PM
"Street trees provide a wide range of environmental, social, aesthetic and economic benefits. They improve air quality, conserve energy, reduce stormwater impacts, increase property values, provide habitat for local wildlife, and enhance the appearance and character of neighborhoods."
Sunset at Golden Gardens Park in Seattle, Washington. Across Puget Sound you can see the Olympic Peninsula in the background.
October 13, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Sunset at Golden Gardens Park in Seattle, Washington. Across Puget Sound you can see the Olympic Peninsula in the background.
Wise words to think about and act on.
Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.
October 7, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Wise words to think about and act on.
Bellingham "Despite its beauty, Samish Crest Open Space faces threats from a growing population. I have spent much time contemplating how to balance protecting wildlife corridors, trails, and scenic views with the need for more housing. ... I believe it is possible to achieve both objectives."
Samish Crest is under threat...again.
This irreplaceable forest, home to deer, bobcats, owls, cougars, and centuries-old trees, could be lost to development.
salish-current.org/2025/09/29/b...
This irreplaceable forest, home to deer, bobcats, owls, cougars, and centuries-old trees, could be lost to development.
salish-current.org/2025/09/29/b...
Bellingham’s beautiful forest
Commentary: The Samish Crest Open Space is home to deer, bobcats, coyotes, cougars, a variety of birds and more. This forest is deeply spiritual to me.
salish-current.org
October 5, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Bellingham "Despite its beauty, Samish Crest Open Space faces threats from a growing population. I have spent much time contemplating how to balance protecting wildlife corridors, trails, and scenic views with the need for more housing. ... I believe it is possible to achieve both objectives."
Bellevue, WA - a Northwest Urban city striving for 40% tree canopy cover. See more details here.
Op-Ed: Bellevue’s New Tree Protections Are a Needed Step Forward » The Urbanist
# Bellevue recently enacted a bevvy of protections intended to stem the tide of tree canopy loss in suburban residential neighborhoods. It's an important step toward achieving the goal of exceeding 40...
www.theurbanist.org
October 5, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Bellevue, WA - a Northwest Urban city striving for 40% tree canopy cover. See more details here.
"...research published in The Lancet has found that increasing tree cover in European cities to 30 percent could have reduced premature deaths from urban heat islands by 40 percent."
Urban Trees Could Reduce Summer Heat Deaths by 40 Percent
New research published in The Lancet has found that increasing tree cover in European cities to 30 percent could have reduced premature deaths from urban heat islands by 40 percent. Currently, the …
dirt.asla.org
September 27, 2025 at 2:29 AM
"...research published in The Lancet has found that increasing tree cover in European cities to 30 percent could have reduced premature deaths from urban heat islands by 40 percent."
"When developers look to clear-cut residential lots to put in more housing, they often point to street trees as a viable alternative to keeping the city green.
But Seattle can’t accomplish its own tree canopy goals without preserving and protecting existing trees on private properties."
But Seattle can’t accomplish its own tree canopy goals without preserving and protecting existing trees on private properties."
Make it One Seattle, full of trees, in Comprehensive Plan | Editorial
A street tree study shows planting in the right of way won't get Seattle to its goal of 30% tree canopy. The city must protect trees in the Comprehensive Plan.
www.seattletimes.com
September 19, 2025 at 10:01 PM
"When developers look to clear-cut residential lots to put in more housing, they often point to street trees as a viable alternative to keeping the city green.
But Seattle can’t accomplish its own tree canopy goals without preserving and protecting existing trees on private properties."
But Seattle can’t accomplish its own tree canopy goals without preserving and protecting existing trees on private properties."
TreesCharlotte simple on the ground temperature test shows an 11 F degree temperature difference between open ground space with no tree cover and under trees. Why trees in neighborhoods where people live can have multiple health benefits.
Reducing Urban Heat with Trees
YouTube video by TreesCharlotte
www.youtube.com
September 17, 2025 at 6:13 PM
TreesCharlotte simple on the ground temperature test shows an 11 F degree temperature difference between open ground space with no tree cover and under trees. Why trees in neighborhoods where people live can have multiple health benefits.
A "basic tree protection area" that can not be modified during development is what is killing trees. It is contrary to guidelines issued by the International Society of Arboriculture. One inch tree diameter equals 1 foot of radius of basic tree protection area is a made loophole by Master Builders.
That idea is good in the abstract. The specific proposals they endorse undermine the ability to build housing, and thus, will kill off the trees they claim to want to protect.
September 17, 2025 at 4:47 PM
A "basic tree protection area" that can not be modified during development is what is killing trees. It is contrary to guidelines issued by the International Society of Arboriculture. One inch tree diameter equals 1 foot of radius of basic tree protection area is a made loophole by Master Builders.
The State Legislature has passed HB 1110 and requires cities over 75,000 to allow 4 plexes & 6 plexes on all residential lots. So that is no longer an issue. The question is how you do that. TreePAC supports incentives for stacked flats (build up) on all lots as well as common walls on row houses.
can you give an example of tree pac actually actively supporting increasing housing
September 17, 2025 at 3:02 AM
The State Legislature has passed HB 1110 and requires cities over 75,000 to allow 4 plexes & 6 plexes on all residential lots. So that is no longer an issue. The question is how you do that. TreePAC supports incentives for stacked flats (build up) on all lots as well as common walls on row houses.
This was a post from 2016 and is no longer the policy of TreePAC. A different Chair headed up TreePAC at that time and the board had a different membership composition. Tree PAC currently supports building needed housing and protecting trees. Build up & consolidate, not spread out in separate units.
they opposed seattle's middling ADU lege, claimed it would have 'major environmental repercussions'
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treepac.org/seattle-time...
🤪
treepac.org/seattle-time...
Seattle Times: Ruling calls bluff on Seattle’s misguided housing policy on backyard cottages | TreePAC
treepac.org
September 17, 2025 at 2:55 AM
This was a post from 2016 and is no longer the policy of TreePAC. A different Chair headed up TreePAC at that time and the board had a different membership composition. Tree PAC currently supports building needed housing and protecting trees. Build up & consolidate, not spread out in separate units.
People had only one minute to speak and there are over 100 possible amendments. Speakers prioritize one or two issues. The legislature already with HB 1110 requires large cities like Seattle to allow building a minimum of 4 housing units and up to 6 per lot in residential zones. That's decided.
it's telling that almost no one who supported CM rivera's tree bills (93 & 102) actually expressed support for housing as well
but there's another thing i want to point out with amendment 102.
this is so poorly written it's going to have severe unintended (or perhaps intended) consequences.
but there's another thing i want to point out with amendment 102.
this is so poorly written it's going to have severe unintended (or perhaps intended) consequences.
September 16, 2025 at 11:00 PM
People had only one minute to speak and there are over 100 possible amendments. Speakers prioritize one or two issues. The legislature already with HB 1110 requires large cities like Seattle to allow building a minimum of 4 housing units and up to 6 per lot in residential zones. That's decided.
And how would it accelerate tree loss? The basic tree protection area loophole allows most trees, particularly large ones, to be removed by developers & not how the International Society of Arboriculture describes tree protection areas as being able to be modified for tree species & site conditions.
That comment of yours does not actually address the specific issues people have flagged with the amendment itself, which as I and others see it, will probably accelerate rather than slow tree loss in our city.
September 16, 2025 at 10:51 PM
And how would it accelerate tree loss? The basic tree protection area loophole allows most trees, particularly large ones, to be removed by developers & not how the International Society of Arboriculture describes tree protection areas as being able to be modified for tree species & site conditions.
Article in Lancet on value of urban trees. - “planting urban trees offers an important opportunity to mitigate high temperatures and, compared with other strategies, is relatively simple and cost-effective to implement.”
Urban Trees Could Reduce Summer Heat Deaths by 40 Percent
New research published in The Lancet has found that increasing tree cover in European cities to 30 percent could have reduced premature deaths from urban heat islands by 40 percent. Currently, the …
dirt.asla.org
September 16, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Article in Lancet on value of urban trees. - “planting urban trees offers an important opportunity to mitigate high temperatures and, compared with other strategies, is relatively simple and cost-effective to implement.”
Madrone tree in Seattle. It naturally sheds its thin, reddish-brown bark as an evolutionary defense against fungi, mosses, lichens, & insects that can harm the tree. The peeling reveals smooth, greenish bark underneath, which then photosynthesizes & turns red as it is exposed to sunlight.
September 16, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Madrone tree in Seattle. It naturally sheds its thin, reddish-brown bark as an evolutionary defense against fungi, mosses, lichens, & insects that can harm the tree. The peeling reveals smooth, greenish bark underneath, which then photosynthesizes & turns red as it is exposed to sunlight.
This is the consequence of developers inserting amendments into a Seattle Tree Protection Ordinance update 2 years ago that greatly increased their ability to clearcut most lots to increase housing density. Cities can both build more housing and save trees with better site planning and coordination.
Seattle developers cutting trees faster under protection law
Mayor Harrell promised law would get Seattle “back on track,” but new street-tree planting data raises doubts
www.investigatewest.org
September 15, 2025 at 8:32 PM
This is the consequence of developers inserting amendments into a Seattle Tree Protection Ordinance update 2 years ago that greatly increased their ability to clearcut most lots to increase housing density. Cities can both build more housing and save trees with better site planning and coordination.
"The extreme heat isn't just uncomfortable; it's the top cause of weather-related fatalities nationwide. According to a New York City mortality report, extreme heat kills an average of 350 New Yorkers each year."
Planting more trees can help reduce heat islands in urban areas.
Planting more trees can help reduce heat islands in urban areas.
Green spaces key to combating record heat in marginalized communities
Experts say planting more trees and creating green spaces can help against record heat being experienced in many communities.
www.myjournalcourier.com
September 8, 2025 at 8:49 PM
"The extreme heat isn't just uncomfortable; it's the top cause of weather-related fatalities nationwide. According to a New York City mortality report, extreme heat kills an average of 350 New Yorkers each year."
Planting more trees can help reduce heat islands in urban areas.
Planting more trees can help reduce heat islands in urban areas.
Increased development in Seattle neighborhood residential zones will allow 4 - 6 housing units on a single lot, increasing significantly tree loss at the same time Seattle has a goal to increase tree canopy to 30%. Current tree ordinance unfortunately allows developers to remove most trees on lots.
Seattle’s long-neglected tree canopy is on a collision course with development
Tawny Bates knows the trees in her neighborhood well. She points them out as she walks down the street on a recent afternoon — the big leaf maple, a chestnut, a willow, a blue spruce. These towering t...
www.investigatewest.org
September 8, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Increased development in Seattle neighborhood residential zones will allow 4 - 6 housing units on a single lot, increasing significantly tree loss at the same time Seattle has a goal to increase tree canopy to 30%. Current tree ordinance unfortunately allows developers to remove most trees on lots.