City to survey residents on developing an Urban Forest Plan
The plan would guide tree planting and maintenance in public parks, along streets and throughout neighborhoods, officials said.
Long Beach officials are asking residents for help in developing a management plan for city trees, the city said Thursday.
Through the end of October, residents can give their suggestions on how Long Beach should develop a "roadmap to grow, maintain and protect the trees and green spaces that make Long Beach more livable, sustainable and resilient," said Hannah Vasilis, the city's Urban Forest coordinator, in a news release.
The city of Long Beach is currently dealing with a huge portion of its trees that are dead or dying, according to a 2021 city report. As of that year, 14,000 of the city's 29,000 trees were "dead, diseased or dying."
Earlier this year, a jury awarded more than $5 million to a man who was hit by a 200-pound tree branch in El Dorado Park.
The city's survey will ask residents for their experiences with trees and their thoughts on what to prioritize and how to improve access to green spaces across Long Beach, according to Vasilis.
Once completed, the city's Urban Forest Plan would do the following:
- Evaluate the city’s tree canopy and maintenance practices;
- Identify neighborhoods that need more trees;
- Set goals for equity, climate resilience and sustainability;
- Recommend best practices for tree care, operations and policy improvements;
- Support long-term investment in the tree canopy and infrastructure that supports the trees.
Large concentrations of trees make urban areas safer and more livable in a variety of ways, according to the California Urban Forests Council, which has been advocating for increased tree plantings since 1968.
Trees improve municipal areas by cooling streets, reducing energy use, lower heating costs in the winter, filtering pollutants from the air, slow traffic, reduce noise, lowering both violent and property crime, extending the life of asphalt, increasing business in shopping districts and raising property values, according to the council.
Studies cited by the Urban Forests Council have also shown that regular exposure to trees lowers an individual's stress and mental fatigue as well as helping people heal faster and live longer.
The city's survey will be live through Friday, Oct. 31, according to Vasilis. Residents can access it online in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog.
Residents can also complete the survey using public computers at any public library location in the city. Residents can ask for a printed survey to be mailed to them by emailing Hannah@CityFabrick.org or calling 562-901-2128.
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