Item Coversheet
CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
FOREST AND BEACH COMMISSION
Staff Report 

March  14, 2024
ORDERS OF BUSINESS

TO:

Forest and Beach Commissioners
SUBMITTED BY:

Thomas C. Ford, Administrative Analyst 
SUBJECT:Receive a presentation regarding a component of the Urban Forest Master Plan: the Preliminary Tree Species List  
RECOMMENDATION:

Receive a presentation regarding a component of the Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP): the Proposed Tree Species List. The Forest and Beach Commission and Steering Committee are asked for guidance of the preliminary list before inclusion into the upcoming UFMP.
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:

 

Attachment 1 is the preliminary Recommended Tree Species list, prepared by City Forester Justin Ono alongside recommendations from Davey Resource Group, as part of the UFMP project.  For comparison, Attachment 2 is the Recommended Tree Species list from the current (2001) Forest Management Plan.

 

The Proposed Tree Species List is notably much more comprehensive in species diversity than the existing list, was developed with Climate Change impacts in mind, and is displayed in a tabular format, for easier, side-by-side comparisons, as compared to the more narrative format of the existing list.  The new list also includes more information including canopy spread, being utility friendly, native or adaptive, sun exposure, pest and disease concerns, and more.

 

The purpose of having a greater variety of recommended trees for residents (and the City) to choose from is also to avoid catastrophic loss of trees if there is a pest affecting any one tree species.

 

Following the presentation by the City Forester, the Forest and Beach Commission and Steering Committee are encouraged to provide feedback on the overall format for the new list, suggest modifications/additions/deletions to the list of trees, and other guidance. 

 

Additional reports will continue to be presented to the Forest and Beach Commission over the next few months leading up to the draft UFMP which will contain Tree Species List, previously-presented technical reports, and other upcoming reports and survey results. 

 

Environmental Evaluation

This action does not constitute a project within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act under Public Resources Code Section 21065. It has no potential to cause either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and, therefore, does not require environmental review.

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

Preparation of the Tree Species List was included in UFMP project account.

ATTACHMENTS:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Attachment 1 - Updated Tree Species List
Attachment 2 - Tree Species List from 2001 CBTS Forest Management Plan