Managing Urban Forests During Severe Drought
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The document summarizes the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department's efforts to manage its urban forest during a severe drought. It outlines the development of a strategic drought response plan to prioritize which trees receive water based on factors like age and species. The plan included actions to conserve water like installing slow watering devices and mulch. Monitoring water usage revealed inefficient practices, so devices like Gator bags and Irricades were implemented to reduce watering time and reach more trees. The department also engaged the community for financial support and volunteer assistance to help care for the urban forest during the drought.
Managing Urban Forests During Severe Drought
- 1. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT MANAGING URBAN FORESTS DURING SEVERE DROUGHT Partners in Community Forestry Conference November 19, 2015
- 2. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Learning Objectives How to develop strategic drought response plans Policy considerations Tools to achieve tree management efficiencies Community outreach methods Opportunities to raise funds to support tree preservation
- 5. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Santa Barbaras Urban Forest of the Past Circa 1800
- 7. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Species Diversity Introduced Early Photo circa 1900s
- 9. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Todays Urban Forest 23,000 street trees 10,000 park trees Native forests 456 different species Trees on private land Estimated 320,000 trees in urban forest
- 10. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Benefits of Trees Shade Habitat Air Quality Water Quality Color Neighborhood and street character Horticulture Culture & History Food Source Property Values Aesthetics Recreation Health & Well-being
- 11. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Urban Forest Management Parks and Recreation Department Forestry Program 8 staff Urban Forest Superintendent Street Tree Supervisor 6 field staff Operate on <$1 M budget
- 13. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Urban Forest Action Develop strategies to manage sensitive parkway trees during drought conditions
- 14. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec MANAGING SANTA BARBARAS URBAN FOREST DURING A SEVERE DROUGHT
- 15. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Drought Declarations Stage I- February 2014 Voluntary 20% conservation Stage II- May 2014 Drought Strategy Plan Required 20% conservation Stage III- May 2015 2013/2014 4th driest year on record 25% mandatory water conservation
- 16. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Strategic Drought Response Plan Assess the Departments tree assets and resources Short-term and longer-term impacts of reduced water Need to protect historic resources Programmatic changes which could conserve water use Modifications to irrigation practices
- 17. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Prioritize what trees get water Young trees- still establishing root system Historic trees and Notable specimens Rare trees Species drought intolerant Eucalyptus Pines Sycamores, Willows
- 18. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Actions to conserve water Postpone new plantings Change pruning practices Reduce removal of live tissue Focus on dead tissue Monitor trees in historically significant parks Develop Historic and Specimen Tree Action Plan
- 19. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Actions to conserve water Slow watering devices Gator Bags Irricades Mulch to reduce evaporation Implement water tracking Water meters installed on trucks and trailer
- 20. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Historic and Specimen Drought Action Plan
- 21. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec TOOLS TO ACHIEVE TREE MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCIES What do you achieve with the resources you have?
- 22. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Monitor to Manage June 2014- Institute aggressive monitoring Tree watering Tree maintenance Installed water meters on truck/trailer
- 24. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Results were Shocking 35 minutes to water young trees 2+ hours to water mature historic trees Reaction: Install slow watering devices Gator bags on young trees Irricades on historic and mature trees
- 25. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Time Reduced, More trees watered 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN (min.) Tree Gator Bag Installation Time increase reflects staff reduced use of side sprayer and hose and increase in probe
- 26. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec Time Reduced, More trees watered 0 50 100 150 200 250 JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN (min) Irricade Installation Start watering Stone Pines by hand Average time now 13 min.
- 28. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec What do you need? Financial support Purchase equipment Perform specialized treatments Volunteer support Adopt a street tree Bucket brigade
- 30. SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec THANK YOU! Mandy Burgess Administrative Analyst City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Deptartment aburgess@santabarbaraca.gov 805-564-5436