>>> LET'S GET STARTED. GOOD
MORNING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE THAT. AND WE'LL GET
-- THAT'S RIGHT. GET THE REALLY
IMPORTANT PEOPLE BEHIND ME AND
THAT'S GOING TO GET EVERYONE'S
ATTENTION. GREAT. NOW WILL. IF
YOU'LL COME JOIN US AS WELL.
FANTASTIC. WELCOME EVERYONE ON
THIS BEAUTIFUL SPRING MORNING.
MY NAME IS CHAD DAILY AND
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF AMERICAN
FORESTS AND WE ARE SO EXCITED
TODAY BE HERE TODAY TO LAUNCH A
INCREDIBLE NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH
OUR FRIENDS AT THE WASHINGTON
STATE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
RESOURCES AND THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND WHOLE CONSTELLATION
OF OTHER PARTNERS. WHO ARE
RALLYING TOGETHER, A TRULY
UNPRECEDENTED STATEWIDE EFFORT
TO CREATE TREE EQUITY HERE IN
WASHINGTON STATE. SO I WANT TO
PUT THIS IN CONTEXT A LITTLE BI
AND I WANT TO TALK IS ABOUT WHA
DO WE MEAN BY TREE EQUITY? AND
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? AND HERE'S
THE DEAL. HERE IN WASHINGTON
STATE, AND ACROSS AMERICA, A MA
OF TREES IN OUR CITIES IS ALSO
MAP OF INCOME, AND IT'S A MAP O
RACE IN WAYS THAT TRANSCEND
INCOME. NOW WE PROVED THIS AND
AMERICAN FOREST CREATES
SOMETHING CALLED TREE EQUITY
SCORE AND WE MAPPED EVERY URBAN
NEIGHBORHOOD IN AMERICA. AND WE
SHOWED THESE SYSTEMIC INEQUITIE
OF TREES WITH TRULY DANGEROUS
CONSEQUENCES. FOR EXAMPLE,
NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE MAJORITY
OF PEOPLE OF POVERTY IN AMERICA
HAVE ON AVERAGE 41% LESS THREE
COVER. HERE IN WASHINGTON STATE
THERE ARE ABOUT 2 MILLION PEOPL
WHO LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
HAVE LESS THAN HALF OF THE
AMOUNT OF TREE COVER THAT WE
SHOULD EXPECT TO FIND THERE. SO
WE REALLY HAVE TO SOLVE THESE
SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES OF TREE
COVER BECAUSE THIS ISN'T JUST
SCENERY THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT, TREES ARE CRITICAL GREEN
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR
COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY IN THE
FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE. JUST
CONSIDER THAT A NEIGHBORHOOD
WITHOUT TREES CAN BE MORE THAN
20 DEGREES HOTTER AT PEAK. NOW
ON THOSE HOTTER DAYS THAT ARE
COMING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE LIKE
THE INCREDIBLE HEAT DOME EVENT
THAT WE SAW IN WASHINGTON STATE
IN 2021. IMAGINE THE LOW INCOME
PERSON LIVING IN A HOME WITHOUT
AIR-CONDITIONING, THAT'S A LIFE
OR DEATH ISSUE. TREES HAVE OTHE
CRITICAL HEALTH DEFTS AS WELL.
WE KNOW THAT RATES OF ASTHMA AN
OTHER RESPIRATORY DISEASES ARE
HIGHER IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
DON'T HAVE TREES. THIS ISN'T
JUST THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE OR
A CLIMATE CHANGE AND I WOULD
SUGGEST THIS IS A MORAL
IMPERATIVE FOR US AS A COUNTRY.
FOR US HERE IN WASHINGTON STATE
TO BRING THE HEALING BENEFITS O
TREES EQUITABLY TO EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD. NOW HERE'S SOME
GOOD NEWS. IN FIXING THIS WE CA
CREATE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY
AND BRING OUR COMMUNITIES CLOSE
TOGETHER. WE CAN CREATE 25.7
DIRECT AND INDIRECT AND INDUCED
JOBS FOR EVERY MILLION DOLLARS
THAT WE INVEST IN THIS WORK OF
GROWING AND PLANTING AND CARING
FOR TREES AND WE CAN MAKE SURE
THAT THOSE JOBS AND
OPPORTUNITIES ARE GOING TO THE
PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHO
NEED THEM THE MOST. AND THERE'S
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO
PARTICIPATE. THERE ARE WAYS THA
YOU KNOW, CITIZENS AND
VOLUNTEERS, EVEN YOUNG CHILDREN
CAN PARTICIPATE IN DOING THIS
WORK. SO IT'S A REAL OPPORTUNIT
TO BRING OUR COMMUNITIES
TOGETHER AND BRINGING THE
HEALING BENEFITS OF TREES TO
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT LOOK.
IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE GET THE
DETAILS RIGHT. THE DETAILS OF
COMMUNITY EDGE GAUGEMENT AND
WE'RE DOING THIS WITH
COMMUNITIES, NOT TO COMMUNITIES
THAT WE GET THE FORESTRY DETAIL
RIGHT. CLIMATE CHANGE IS PUTTIN
INCREDIBLE STRESS ON OUR TREES
AND FORESTS ALL ACROSS
WASHINGTON STATE AND ACROSS
AMERICA. AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE PLANTING THE
RIGHT SPECIES OF TREES AND WE'R
CARING FOR THEM IN THE RIGHT WA
SO THOSE TREES WILL BE RESILIEN
INTO THE FUTURE AND BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE THOSE BENEFITS FOR US
SUSTAINED OVER TIME. AND SO
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. TO
ANNOUNCE AGAIN, AN UNPRECEDENTE
PARTNERSHIP. THE WASHINGTON
STATE TREE EQUITY COLLABORATIVE
SO WE CAN BRING TOGETHER ALL TH
DIFFERENT ACTORS WHO NEED TO DO
THIS WORK. STATE AND CITY
LEADERS. COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SOME OF THE
ONES YOU WILL MEET HERE TODAY.
BUSINESSES OF ALL KINDS FROM
NATIONAL AND GLOBAL COMPANIES
BASED HERE IN WASHINGTON STATE
TO LOCAL BECAUSES AS WELL AND
AGAIN A ROLE FOR INDIVIDUAL
CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
WORK. BRING ALL THE FOLKS
TOGETHER TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE
BEST TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR
DOING THIS WORK. TO FIND MORE
EFFECTIVE WAYS TO PARTNER
TOGETHER. TO BETTER ACCESS
FUNDING. TO SCALE UP THIS WORK.
AND SO LET'S JUST BE CLEAR. THI
IS NOT A DEBATING SOCIETY. THIS
IS NOT JUST PULLING OTHER PEOPL
TOGETHER TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.
THIS NEW WASHINGTON STATE TREE
EQUITY COLLABORATIVE IS GOING T
BE WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE
ROAD ULTIMATELY EXPANDING TREE
COVER IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
NEED IT THE MOST. THE ONES THAT
ARE SYSTEMICALLY UNDERSERVED AN
IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT MAKING
SURE THAT WE HAVE THE MOST
OUTSTANDING TECHNIQUES AND THAT
WE'RE MAINTAINING THE TREES AND
FORESTS AND HEALTHY STATE INTO
THE FUTURE. SO ONE OF THE THING
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO DO AS
PART OF THE SUPPORTING THE
WASHINGTON STATE TREE EQUITY
COLLABORATIVE IS TAKING OUR TRE
EQUITY SCORE. YOU SEE SOME
VISUALS FOR TREE EQUITY SCORE
HERE. IN THE DATA THAT I TALKED
ABOUT THAT TELLS US WHERE WE
NEED TO DO THE WORK THE MOST.
WE'RE GOING TO BE PROVIDING AN
EXTENSION OF THAT TREE EQUITY
SCORE HERE IN WASHINGTON SATE S
WE CAN APPLY THAT DATA ALL THE
WAY DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF
INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES. MAKING
SURE THAT AS DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS AND CITY LEADERS
ARE DOING THIS WORK ACROSS
WASHINGTON STATE, WE CAN BE AS
PRECISE AS POSSIBLE IN THE
EXPANDING TREE COVER AND MAKING
SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF
OUR TREES AND PRIORITIZING THOS
EFFORTS TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AN
EVEN THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES
THAT NEED THEM THE MOST. AND SO
ULTIMATELY, COUPLE OF GOALS TO
KEEP IN MIND. IF -- WITH JUST
ANOTHER 2.6 MILLION TREES, WE
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING
EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD
ACROSSWASHINGTON STATE UP TO A
STANDARD OF -- A TREE EQUITY
SCORE OF 75 WITH AN ADDITIONAL
13 MILLION TREES, WE CAN BRING
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN WASHINGTO
STATE UP TO A SCORE OF 100.
BRINGING INCREDIBLE BENEFITS,
HEALTH AND OTHER BENEFITS TO
PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE STATE. NO
LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR
QUARTERBACK FOR THE EFFORT. THE
AMAZING COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC
LANDS HERE IN WASHINGTON STATE
HILLARY FRANCE. NOW SHE NEEDS N
INTRODUCTION TO THIS GROUP. YOU
KNOW THAT SINCE SHE WAS ELECTED
IN 2017, SHE'S BEEN DOING AN
ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE JOB
DRIVING PROTECTION OF WASHINGTO
STATE'S FORESTS, DRIVING
RESTORATION AND STEWARDSHIP TO
TOTALLY NEW HEIGHTS INCLUDING
ACROSS THE 6 MILLION ACRES OF
STATE LANDS HERE IN WASHINGTON
STATE. AND EXPANDING TREE COVER
INCLUDING IN CITIES. SO INSTEAD
OF REMINDING YOU OF ALL THE
THINGS YOU HAVE PROBABLY ALREAD
KNOW THAT YOU HAVE SEEN HERE IN
ACTION IN WASHINGTON STATE. I
WANT TO JUST PUT HER LEAERSHIP
IN NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE. THE WA
SHE'S GONE ABOUT DOING THIS IS
REALLY WE THINK A MODEL FOR THE
COUNTRY. THE APPROACH WE HAVE
APPROACHED HAS LEFT NO COMMUNIT
OR FOREST BEHIND. BEEN
EVERYTHING FROM TREE EQUITY IN
CITIES TO DEALING WITH
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE -- THEY'RE
BEING -- CONFRONTED WITH THE
EFFECTS OF WILDFIRES IN RURAL
AREAS. THAT SHE'S BEEN
RELENTLESS IN FOLLOWING THE
SCIENCE AND INCLUDING CLIMATE
SCIENCE. NOT IN AN IDEOLOGICAL
WAY. BUT IN A FOCUSED AND
SCIENCE BASED WAY TO DEVELOP
STRATEGIES FOR HOW WE CAN GET I
RIGHT. THINGS LIKE HOW WE REDUC
WILDFIRE RISK AND WHATEVER THE
SCIENCE LEADS US TO DO, TO HELP
THOSE FORESTS BECOME MORE
RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND
NOW TAKING THE URBAN FORESTRY
EFFORTS HERE IN WASHINGTON STAT
IS USING DATA SCIENCE TO DRIVE
TREE EQUITY FORWARD IN UP
PRECEDENTED NEW WAYS AND I THIN
ONE THING THAT'S BEEN
PARTICULARLY NOTABLE AND HER
ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE THE
COMPLICATED ISSUES IN WAYS THAT
LOT OF PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND. S
WE CAN BUILD UNPRECEDENTED
PUBLIC AND POLITICAL COALITIONS
TO COME TOGETHER AND TAKE
ACTION. WHETHER IT'S NEW
LEGISLATION IN FUNDING THROUGH
WASHINGTON STATE, OR WHETHER
IT'S A GALVANIZING LOCAL ACTION
AND COLLABORATION AT
UNPRECEDENTED SCALES. AND SO
THAT'S WHY WHEN I STARTED AS CE
OF AMERICAN FORESTS AND WE
LAUNCHED A NEW FOREST RESILIENC
CHAMPION AWARD, AND WE LOOKED
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WE
SAID WE NEED TO PICK ONE LEADER
TO BE YOU KNOW, OUR PARADIGM FO
HOLISTIC SCIENCE BASED FOREST
LEADERSHIP IN AMERICA, WE CHOSE
COMMISSIONER FRANCE TO BE OUR
FIRST HONOREE. OF THAT -- OF OU
FOREST RESILIENCE CHAMPION
AWARD. THAT WHEN WE WERE WORKIN
WITH HE U.S. CLIMATE ALLIANCE,
WITH STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
THAT ARE TRYING TO EMPLOY THOSE
KINDS OF STRATEGIES, AGAIN WE
WENT TO WASHINGTON STATE AND
SAID PLEASE BE OUR MODEL THAT W
CAN USE TO SHOW OTHER STATES HO
TO TURN THEIR FORESTS INTO A
CLIMATE ACTION POWERHOUSE. AND
WHEN WE WORKED WITH THE WORLD
ECONOMIC FORUM TO LAUNCH A
GLOBAL PLATFORM TO HELP FOLKS
AROUND THE WORLD FIGURE OUT HOW
TO ADVANCE THESE KINDS OF
EFFORTS, AGAIN, WE CAME TO
WASHINGTON STATE AND BROUGHT
WASHINGTON STATE IN AS A PARTNE
TO MAKE A PLEDGE TO ONETREE.ORG
AND TO BE OUR MODEL FOR SCIENCE
BASED INCLUSIVE FOREST
LEADERSHIP IN THE STATE AND WIT
THAT SAID LET ME INTRODUCE
COMMISSIONER HILLARY FRANCE.
THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE TO
SAY, YOU HAVE BEEN A MENTOR AND
A ROLE MODEL IN YOUR
ORGANIZATION AND HOW YOU ARE
LEADING IT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND EVERY STATE AND EVERY CITY
AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS JUST
BEEN AN HONOR TO WATCH AND
WITNESS BUT ALSO LEARN AND I'M
SO EXCITED FOR THIS PARTNERSHIP
I'M HILLARY FRANCE AND THE
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC LANDS.
AND TODAY, WE ARE ANNOUNCING A
HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN
AMERICAN FORESTS AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
TO INCREASE THE PACE AND SCALE
OF EQUITABLE URBAN FORESTRY IN
EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD OF
WASHINGTON STATE. WE'VE SET AN
AMBITIOUS GOAL. ONE THAT'S NOTE
YET BEEN SET NATIONALLY THAT WE
WILL TRULY ENSURE THAT EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD IN WASHINGTON STAT
ACHIEVES TRUE TREE EQUITY. NOT
A SMALL TASK IN ANY WAY AND TAK
A BROAD SET OF PARTNERS AT EVER
LEVEL. A CORONER STONE OF THE
PARTNERSHIP AND I'M THRILLED TO
HAVE THE MAYOR HERE WHO ARE
TRULY MOVING THE NEEDLE HERE IN
SEATTLE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK
THE OTHER FOUNDING MEMBERS OF
THIS. MAYOR WOODARDS AND THE
CITY OF TACOMA. ALSO TRYING TO
TRULY BRING TREE EQUITY IN THE
CITY. THE KARL MAC SEE CENTER I
SPOKANE. THE 300 TREES
ORGANIZATION IN BELLEVUE AND TH
LIVE COALITION HERE IN SEATTLE.
NOW WASHINGTON STATE IS KNOWN A
EVERGREEN STATE. FOR ITS
ABUNDANCE OF TREES. YET OUR
TREES ARE TRULY IN TROUBLE.
THROUGHOUT OUR STATE, AND
EASTERN AND WESTERN WASHINGTON,
MILLIONS OF ACRES OF OUR FOREST
ARE DYING AS A RESULT OF
DROUGHT, INSECT INFESTATION, AN
DISEASE LEADING TO CATASTROPHIC
WILDFIRES. AND UNFORTUNATELY,
THE TREES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR
CITY AND OUR STATE ARE SIMILARL
FACING HUGE CHALLENGES.
THROUGHOUT OUR STATE AND OUR
CITIES, WE'RE SEEING A DECLINE
IN THE HEALTH AND THE NUMBER OF
TREES. THIS IS A RESULT OF
INCREASING HEAT AND DROUGHT AS
WELL AS INCREASING POPULATION
AND DEVELOPMENT. IT IS ALSO THE
RESULT OF DISCRIMINATORY
PRACTICES THAT STILL SHAPE OUR
CITIES TODAY. AND ALONG WITH
INCOME INEQUALITY, DEFINE WHO
HAS ACCESS TO HEALTHY TREE
CANOPY, AND WHO IS SURROUNDED B
CONCRETE. ACCESS TO CLEAN AIR,
TO SHADE, AND GREEN SPACE SHOUL
BE A BASIC FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT.
BUT THE FACT IS THROUGHOUT OUR
STATE, LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES
AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR MORE
OFTEN LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WIT
A HIGHER SHARE OF CONCRETE
SURFACES. PARKING LOT. SHOPPING
MALLS. AND SIMPLY INDUSTRIAL
COMPLEXES. AMERICAN FOREST
ANALYSIS FOR PARTS OF WASHINGTO
STATE TRULY PROVE THIS. LOW
INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE 12%
LESS TREE CANOPY THAN THE STATE
AVERAGE. NEIGHBORHOODS WITH A
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OF COLOR HAV
18% LESS TREE CANOPY THAN WHITE
NEIGHBORHOODS. NEARLY 2 MILLION
PEOPLE AS YOU HEARD HIM SAY IN
WASHINGTON LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOOD
WITH INADEQUATE TREE CANOPY.
THESE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE MORE
PAVEED SURFACES LIKE PARKING
LOTS AND ROADWAYS AND HIGHWAYS
AND THEY HAVE GREATER OFFER
POLLUTION LEADING TO ASTHMA AND
OTHER HEALTH ISSUES AND THEY
ABSORB AND RADIATE MORE HEAT.
ANYONE WHO LIVED IN WASHINGTON
DURING THAT 2021 HEAT DOME THAT
SETTLED OVER THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST REMEMBERS THE
TEMPERATURES CLIMBING TO OVER
110 DEGREES. IN NEIGHBORHOODS
WITH LARGER COMMUNITIES OF COLO
AND MORE LOW INCOME, HAD A
13-DEGREE DIFFERENCE FROM MORE
WEALTHY WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS
RIGHT HERE IN THIS CITY. WHERE
THERE IS HEAT, THERE IS DEATH.
IT IS TRUE. DNR WE TALK A LOT
ABOUT WILDFIRE AND WE TALK A LO
ABOUT DROUGHT BUT THE FACT IS,
THAT HEAT KILLS MORE PEOPLE IN
THE UNITED STATES THAN ANY OTHE
EXTREME WEATHER DISASTER. AND
THE HEAT DOME CLAIMED MORE THAN
100 LIVES HERE IN WASHINGTON
STATE. MORE THAN 100 LIVES. MOS
OF THE PEOPLE WHO DIED LIVED IN
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT LACKED TREES
WE KNOW THAT WITH CLIMATE
CHANGE, IT IS ONLY GOING TO GET
WORSE. BUT WE CAN SOLVE THIS.
AND THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. IT IS
SIMPLY PLANTING MORE TREES AND
PLANTING THEM IN THE RIGHT
PLACES WHERE SO MANY PEOPLE HAV
SO FEW. WE ALL EXPERIENCED
DURING COVID WHEN WE WERE ALL
SHELTERED INSIDE. AND WE LOOKED
TO THE OUTDOORS FOR OUR MENTAL,
EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH.
WE KNOW THAT TREES TRULY
DECREASE THE TEMPERATURES ON HO
SUMMER DAYS. CONSERVING ENERGY
AND ABSOLUTELY SAVING LIVES. WE
KNOW THAT TREES ENSURE THAT THE
AIR WE BREATHE REMAINS SAFE. AN
THAT THE WATER WE DRINK IS
CLEAN. AND WE KNOW THAT TREES
STOP POLLUTION FROM ENTERING OU
STREAMS AND OUR WATERWAYS THAT
ARE TRULY GOING TO IMPROVE
OUENDANGERED SALMON AND OTHER
AQUATIC SPECIES. TREES STORE
CARBON POLLUTION AS WELL. AND A
WE SEE A RAPIDLY CHANGING
CLIMATE, WE CAN PLANT MORE OF
THE TOOLS THAT ARE GOING TO
SEQUESTER THAT CARBON AND STORE
IT. SO TO ACHIEVE OUR GOAL OF
TREE EQUITY ON EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD OF THIS STATE, OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH AMERICAN FORES
IS HUGE. BRINGING THE DATA AND
THE SCIENCE TO EVERY SINGLE
NEIGHBORHOOD IN SEATTLE, AND
ACROSS THE STATE, SO WE CAN
UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'VE GOT TO B
PLANTING MORE TREES. AND HOW
IMPERATIVE IT IS THAT WE DO. AN
ALSO SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE
WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE TREES W
ALREADY HAVE HERE. IT'S NOT
ENOUGH TO JUST PLANT MORE TREES
IF AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE
LOSING THE PACE AND SCALE OF TH
TREES WE HAVE. SO I'M THRILLED
AND SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS
PARTNERSHIP. WHAT I CAME INTO
THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
RESOURCES WE HAD TWO PEOPLE IN
URBAN FORESTRY FOR THE ENTIRE
STATE OF WASHINGTON. THAT'S --
LESS THAN THE CITY OF TACOMA HA
IN THE AREA OF URBAN FORESTRY
AND WE RUN THE URBAN FORESTRY
PROGRAM FOR THE STATE. WE HAVE
BEEN RAPIDLY WORKING TO SECURE
MORE INVESTMENTS EVERY SINGLE
YEAR. INCLUDING LAST YEAR WHERE
WE SECURED SEVERAL MILLION
DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
MORE GRANTS AND FUNDING TO OUR
LOCAL CITIES. THIS YEAR, WE HAV
AN UNPRECEDENTED REQUEST IN
FRONT OF THE LEGISLATURE OF $8
MILLION WHICH WILL HELP US
ACTUALLY MEET THE NEEDS THAT WE
HAVE RIGHT NOW IN THIS CITY AND
ACROSS THE STATE. AND
FORTUNATELY, WITH THAT, WE HAVE
SECURED $6 MILLION FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HELP US
RAPIDLY ACCELERATE AND DOUBLE
DOWN. AS I WOULD SAY, THAT IS
JUST A SUBSTANTIAL DOWN PAYMENT
ON THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE
ALREADY BEEN FACING FOR OVER 30
TO 50 YEARS IN OUR STATE. WE
NEED TO PLANT AS YOU HEARD, 13
MILLION TREES TO REACH A SCORE
OF 100 TREE EQUITY IN EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IN THE EMERAL
CITY OF OUR STATE, AND THE
EVERGREEN STATE, WE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO GET THERE. BUT IT WILL
TAKE ALL HANDS ON-DECK. NOW I
HAVE THE GREAT FORTUNE OF
GROWING UP IN A NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT HAD TREES. THE BEAUTIFUL
HORSE CHESTNUT TREES. AND I
SPENT EVERY DAY OUTSIDE IN THE
SUMMER UNDER THOSE TREES.
CLIMBING UP INTO THEM, BUT TO B
HONEST, MOST OF US WERE PLAYING
HORSE CHESTNUT WARS AND WE GREW
-- EVERY MORNING WAS BRINGING
OUT TO THE TREES AND WE STOOD
UNDERNEATH AND WE COLLECTED AS
MUCH HORSE CHESTNUTS AS WE COUL
AND PUT THEM IN OUR BUCKETS AND
WE PELTED EACH OTHER ACROSS THE
STREET. I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT
THAT'S MADE ME MORE ADAPTIVE TO
POLITICS AND THE WARS WE
SOMETIMES FACE INOLYMPIA. BUT
MADE ME APPRECIATE THE
IMPORTANCE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
OUR NATURAL RESOURCES. AND
SIMPLY A TREE. AND I'M HERE
TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE TRULY MAKING
THE EVERGREEN STATE EVERGREEN.
NOT JUST FOR THE CHILDREN HERE,
BUT IN THE FUTURE EVEN WITH ALL
THE CHALLENGES WE FACE AROUND
ECONOMICS AND AROUND HOUSING AN
AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE. AND WITH
THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU
JAD AND SUPER EXCITED TO BE
PARTNERING WITH YOU. THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU
THANK YOU SO MUCH. BOY, ARE YOU
ALL LUCKY TO HAVE A LEADER LIKE
THAT FOR THE STATE OF WASHINGTO
AND AGAIN, SOMEONE WHO'S A REAL
LEADER FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY.
AND I WANT TO PUT A COUPLE OF
THINGS AGAIN IN THE BIG PICTURE
CONTEXT. COMMISSIONER FRANCE
SHARED THE INCREDIBLE NEWS THAT
WASHINGTON STATE WAS JUST
AWARDED MORE THAN $6 MILLION OF
NEW FEDERAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT
THE TREE EQUITY WORK HERE IN
WASHINGTON STATE. THAT IS PART
OF A NEW FUNDING ALLOCATION OF
$1.5 BILLION THAT WAS SECURED I
THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT
THROUGH THE U.S. FOREST
SERVICE'S URBAN AND COMMUNITY
FORESTRY PROGRAM THAT'S GOING T
BE HELPING TO ADVANCE TREE
EQUITY EFFORTS LIKE THIS ONE AL
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN FACT I
HAD THE PRIVILEGE YESTERDAY TO
BE IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY WITH
SENATOR CORY BOOKER WHO WAS A
REAL LEADER IN SECURING THAT
FUNDING AND REPRESENTATIVES FRO
THE WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCING A NE
OPPORTUNITY, FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY, OF $1 BILLION THAT
HAS JUST NOW OPENED UP AND SO
CITIES AND PARTNER ACROSS
WASHINGTON STATE WHO ARE GOING
TO BE PART OF THIS NEW TREE
EQUITY COLLABORATIVE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR
ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO AUGMENT THE
STATE FUNDS THAT COMMISSIONER
FRANCE SPOKE ABOUT AND TO BRING
THOSE DOLLARS INTO SUPERCHARGIN
WORK THAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN
THE STATE. INCLUDING RIGHT HERE
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE WHICH IS
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO IN A
MOMENT. SO REALLY, REALLY
EXCITING. NATIONAL GROUND SWELL
AROUND THIS WORK AND AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR WASHINGTON STAT
TO HAVE UNPRECEDENTED RESOURCES
AND DRIVING THAT WORK FORWARD.
SO AS A WAY OF MAYBE TO SEGUE T
SEATTLE. JUST TO NOTE YOU KNOW
THAT HEAT DOME EVENT MIGHT HAVE
FELT LIKE ON OUTLIER BUT IT'S
ACTUALLY UNFORTUNATELY A PREVIE
OF THE FUTURE. THERE WAS A STUD
FROM DUKE UNIVERSITY THAT
PROJECTS THAT HEAT RELATED
DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES
WHICH ARE OVER 12,000 PER YEAR
ALREADY TODAY, COULD RISE TO
NEARLY 100,000 PEOPLE PER YEAR
BY THE END OF THIS CENTURY. IF
WE DON'T DO SOMETHING. AND DON'
-- REMIND YOU, CREATING TREE
EQUITY IS A BIG PART OF DOING
SOMETHING. SO PLACE LIKE SEATTL
WHICH WE MIGHT THOUGHT MORE
ABOUT THE PUFFY JACKET IS GOING
TO SEE A LOT MORE EVENTS LIKE
THAT HEAT DOME INTO THE FUTURE.
AND OF COURSE WE KNOW FOLKS ON
THE EAST SIDE OF THE STATE IN
WASHINGTON STATE, HAVE LONG BEE
DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF
EXTREME HEAT AS A COURSE OF
BUSINESS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
THERE'S REAL URGENCY TO DOING
THIS WORK AND IT'S INCREDIBLY
EXCITING THAT THE CITY OF
SEATTLE HAS PROJECTED ITSELF AS
A NATIONAL LEADER NOW TO COMBAT
EXTREME HEAT AND USING TREES AS
WELL AS TO COMBAT INEQUITIES OF
AIR POLLUTION AND RESPIRATORY
DISEASE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SO
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO INTRODUCE
JUSTIN FERRELL. THE CITY OF
SEATTLE'S DIRECTOR OF THE OFFIC
OF ENVIRONMENT AND
SUSTAINABILITY. WHO PREVIOUSLY
SERVED AS A REPRESENTATIVE IN
THE STATE LEGISLATURE. AND SHE'
-- BEEN LEADING WORK ON A CANOP
COVER ASSESSMENT HERE IN SEATTL
TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE TREE
ARE MOST NEEDED. AND TO HELP
ORGANIZE COLLABORATION WITH
LOCAL PARTNERS AS WELL. SO WITH
THAT SAID, LET ME TURN IT OVER
TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> GOOD MORNING. IT'S WONDERFUL
TO BE HERE. I KNOW IT'S CHILLY.
SO MY REMARKS WILL BE SHORT. I
WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY A HUGE
THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER FRANC
FOR HER AMAZING LEADERSHIP BOTH
IN RURAL AREAS IN OUR STATE AND
IN URBAN AREAS. WE'RE SO LUCKY
TO HAVE HER VISION AND ENERGY A
WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO INCREAS
OUR CANOPY ACROSS THE STATE. AN
I ALSO WANTED TO THANK MAYOR
HARRELL FOR HIS LEADERSHIP. HE
RECENTLY TRANSMITTED THE
STRONGEST TREE PROTECTION
LEGISLATION OUR CITY HAS SEEN
AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWAR
TO THE COUNCIL PASSING IT. SO
THANK YOU TO MAYOR HARRELL FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL. SO I'M
JESS FERRELL AND I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE FOR
SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT.
WE RECENTLY COMPLETED OUR CITY'
TREE CANOPY ASSESSMENT. WE
UNDERTAKE THIS EVERY SIX YEARS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE
DISCOVERED THAT THE EMERALD CIT
IS SLOWLY LOSING GROUND. WE HAV
LOST 255 ACRES OF TREES IN THE
LAST SIX YEARS. THAT'S AN AREA
ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF GREEN LAKE.
AND OVERALL THAT'S A 1.7% CANOP
COVER LOSS. AND OUR GOAL IS TO
GET TO 30% CANOPY COVER LOSS
EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED ACROSS TH
CITY. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT A
COUPLE OF SPECIFIC FINDINGS
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
FOR OUR WORK GOING FORWARD.
NUMBER ONE, COMMISSIONER FRANCE
REFERENCED AND ALSO J AD FROM
AMERICAN FORESTS THAT OUR TREE
INFRASTRUCTURE IS INEQUITABLY
DISTRIBUTED AND WE SEE THAT IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. THE
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE
SOUTHEASTERNED STRUCTURAL
RACISM, THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED
ECONOMIC DISINVESTMENT WHICH
CLOSELY SCANS WITH RACE AND
ECONOMIC STATUS NOT ONLY STARTE
WITHLESS CANOPY, BUT LOST MORE
CANOPY IN THE LAST SIX YEARS. S
WHILE THE OVERALL CANOPY COVER
LOSS WAS 1.7%, SOME
NEIGHBORHOODS SAW EVEN GREATER
LOSS. LIKE RAINIER VALLEY. LIKE
SOME OF OUR INDUSTRIAL
NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE GEORGETOWN.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO TURN THAT
AROUND. THE SECOND THING OF
COURSE IS CLIMATE CHANGE IS A
BIG THEME. AND WE ALSO FOUND
THAT FOR EVERY INCREASE OF 5% O
CANOPY COVER, WE ALSO SAW A 1%
DEGREE OF COOLING. SO LITERALLY
WE SEE ON THE GROUND WHERE THER
IS MORE CANOPY COVER, IT IS
ACTUALLY COOLER. AND SO WE NEED
TO BE INVESTING IN CANOPY COVER
AS WE ARE STRUGGLING TO ADAPT
WITH THE INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. AND
NOT ONLY ARE TREES IMPORTANT TO
HELP US DEAL WITH CLIMATE
CHANGE, BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE
BETTER CARE OF OUR TREES IN THE
FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE. BECAUSE
THEY ARE STRESSED OUT. THEY ARE
STRESSED OUT FROM INCREASED
PESTS AND FROM -- FROM FLOODING
AND FROM THE INCREASED IMPACTS
OF HEAT. SO WE ARE REALLY
EXCITED TO JOIN THIS TREE EQUIT
COLLABORATIVE. THE CITY HAS
INVESTED IN THE OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT
TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE A TREE
EQUITY CANOPY PLAN. SO WE'RE
REALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO GUID
OUR INVESTMENTS AND WITH
PARTNERSHIP FROM THE STATE AND
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND
COMMUNITY LEADERS LIKE DNDA, AN
LIVE COALITION, WE'RE REALLY
LOOKING FORWARD TO BUILDING A
TRULY EMERALD CITY THAT EVERYON
CAN ENJOY. SO WITH THAT, I'M
GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MAYOR
HARRELL. THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN.
APPLAUSE ]
>> SHE DID ALL THAT WITHOUT
NOTES. I HAVE THE -- CITY HAS
THE BEST ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTOR
IN THE COUNTRY AND I STAND BY
THAT. JAD INTRODUCED
COMMISSIONER FRANCE OF SAYING
SHE'S THE QUARTERBACK. I LOVE
THAT. SHE HAS A STRONG GROUND
GAME. SHE KNOWS HOW TO SPREAD
OUT THE OFFENSE AND BRANCH THEM
OUT TO MOVE AHEAD. I CAN DO THI
ALL DAY WITH THE QUARTERBACK
STUFF.
>> LOVING IT. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> IN ALL SERIOUSNESS WE'RE VER
EXCITED TO JOIN THE LEADERSHIP
OF COMMISSIONER FRANZ AND I MET
JAD. WE TALKED SOME TIME AGO IN
A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT AND A
DIFFERENT STATE AND IT'S THE
KIND OF PASSION THAT'S GOING TO
GET THE STATE AND CITY TO WHERE
IT NEEDS TO BE WITH TREE EQUITY
WHICH I DON'T THINK WAS EVEN A
THING 20 YEARS AGO. AND AGAIN,
I'M JUST -- HEARTFELT WHEN I
LOOK AT THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE
COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS AND THE
EMPLOYEES THAT ARE DOING THIS
BECAUSE WE ARE UNASHAMEDLY TREE
HUGGERS AROUND THE STATE. WE
ALSO LIKE TO HUG PEOPLE TOO. AN
THERE'S REALLY NOTHING MORE
BEAUTIFUL WHEN YOU SEE CHILDREN
PLAYING AROUND HEALTHY TREE
CANOPY. OUR MOST RECENT TREE
CANOPY COVER ASSESSMENT THAT
JUSTIN SPOKE ABOUT SHOWED THAT
WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO TO
PROTECT AND GROW OUR CANOPY. WE
START WITH THE DATA. WE'RE NOT
AFRAID AND THIS STATE IN THIS
CITY TO OPEN UP WITH OUR DATA.
FOLLOWING THAT DATA AND LEADING
WITH EQUITY IS JAD SO ELOQUENTL
SPOKE ABOUT. WE QUICKLY ADVANCE
OUR EFFORTS TO REVERSE THAT
DECLINE ONCE WE DEFINED IT TO
OPEN IT UP THE DATA AND SUPPORT
OUR SEATTLE'S TREE CANOPY. LAST
MONTH OUR ADMINISTRATION ISSUED
AN EXECUTIVE ORDER AND MANY OF
JUSTIN'S TEAM MEMBERS ARE HERE.
WE ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO
PROTECT TREES ON PUBLIC PROPERT
WHILE ALSO ADDRESSING INEQUITIE
IN CANOPY DISTRIBUTION THAT ARE
IMPACTING HISTORICALLY
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ACROSS
OUR CITY. SOME KEY COMPONENTING
INCLUDING CREATING WHAT WE CALL
A ONE SEATTLE TREE FUND WHICH
WILL FUND NEW TREE PLANTINGS IN
AREAS WITH LOW CANOPY COVER. NO
THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT WE
ISSUED WILL ALSO EXPAND
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO
SUPPORT NEW INNOVATIVE FUNDING
MECHANISMS. TO MAINTAIN AND GRO
SEATTLE'S URBAN FORESTS ON
PUBLIC LANDS AND AGAIN I WANT T
THANK J AD FOR YOUR ADVOCACY
NATIONWIDE. OUR COMMISSIONER
FRANZ'S LEADERSHIP BECAUSE IT
TAKES RESOURCES, THAT'S A FANCY
WAY TO SAY IT TAKES MONEY. BUT
ENSURE THAT IS ANY HEALTHY TREE
REMOVED FROM THE CITY PROPERTY
UNDER OUR EXECUTIVE ORDER IS
REPLACED WITH THREE NEW TREES.
THAT'S THE DATA THAT'S GOING TO
DRIVE THIS EQUITY WORK. THIS
LEGISLATION WE PROPOSED THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY
COUNCIL WILL STRENGTHEN OUR
CITY'S TREE ORDINANCE AND
PROTECT OVER 150,000 ADDITIONAL
TREES. NOW WE KNOW IT'S GOING T
TAKE MANY YEARS TO SEE GAINS IN
OUR CANOPY COVER. WHEN I TALK
ABOUT LOOKING AT ALL THE ISSUES
IN THE ECOSYSTEM. I SAY YES,
SHORT-TERM WINS. WE'LL TAKE THE
SHORT VICTORIES, QUARTERBACK.
BUT WE ALSO REALIZE THAT THIS I
A JOURNEY. AND IT'S GOING TO
TAKE THESE KIND OF PARTNERSHIPS
BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
ACTION. OUR URGENCY TODAY
REFLECTS THE HEALTHIER GREENER
EMERALD CITY TOMORROW. AND IF W
DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY, THESE
KIDS THAT WE SEE PLAYING WILL B
BEHIND THIS PODIUM CARRYING ON
THIS LEGACY OF WORK THAT WE'RE
DOING. I'M VERY PROUD TO PARTNE
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
RESOURCES AND AMERICAN FORESTS
AND COMMUNITY GROUPS HERE TO
JOIN THE WASHINGTON TREE EQUITY
COLLABORATIVE AND SIGN OUR CITY
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. ON TO THIS
PLEDGE. SO OVER THE NEXT FIVE
YEARS, THE CITY IS GOING TO BE
PLANTING 8,000 TREES ON BOTH
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTIES
AND OVER 40,000 TREES IN PARKS
AND NATURAL AREAS. AND I NEED
YOU TO APPLAUD ON THAT BECAUSE
THAT'S SOME SERIOUS WORK. [
APPLAUSE ] NOT AFRAID TO ASK FO
APPLAUSE IN THAT KIND OF DATA.
AND ALSO WANT TO THANK MAYOR OF
TACOMA VICTORIA WOODARDS FOR
ALSO SIGNING ON THE PLEDGE.
TOGETHER WE WILL GROW A HEALTHY
TREE CANOPY ACROSS WASHINGTON
LIVING UP TO OUR PROMISE OF
BEING THE EVERGREEN STATE. AND
AGAIN, FOR THOSE THAT HAVE COME
OUT, I CRACKED A BAD JOKE AND
I'M SORT OF KNOWN FOR DOING THA
IN MY LIFE. AND WHEN
COMMISSIONER FRANZ WITH YOU
TALKING ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING, I
SAID WE CAN USE A LITTLE BIT OF
THE GLOBAL WARMING TODAY BECAUS
IT'S LITTLE CHILLY. BUT IN ALL
SERIOUSNESS, EVEN THE WEATHER
FLUCTUATIONS WE KNOW IS A DIREC
RESULT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO
OUR PLANET. WE KNOW THAT. IN TH
WORK WE'RE DOING TO NOT ONLY HU
OUR TREES AND OUR PEOPLE IT'S
GOING TO TAKE THIS KIND OF
COMMITMENT. FEDERAL, STATE,
LOCALITIES WORKING TOGETHER AND
MOST IMPORTANTLY, COMMUNITIES.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND NOW
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR -- I BELIEV
FROM A COMMUNITY LEADER.
WILLARD I BELIEVE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH MAYOR
HARRELL. [ APPLAUSE ] AGAIN,
ANOTHER TRUE NATIONAL LEADER WE
MET EACH OTHER AT THE SOUTHWEST
BY SOUTHWEST EVENT WHERE HE WAS
SHARING SEATTLE'S INCREDIBLE
CLIMATE LEADERSHIP WITH A
NATIONAL AND ACTUALLY EVEN
GLOBAL AUDIENCE. SO JUST SO
GRATEFUL FOR THE INCREDIBLE WOR
THAT YOU ARE DOING AND I REALLY
WANT TO UNDERSCORE THIS. REALLY
HOLISTIC VISION THAT YOU LAID
OUT AROUND TREE PROTECTION
MAINTENANCE AND PLANTING. ISN'T
ANY ONE OF THOSE THINGS, IT'S
ALL OF THE ABOVE. SO JUST TO
HAVE CITY THAT'S TAKING THAT
KIND OF COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
AND DOING IT IN SUCH A SCIENCE
BASED AND DATA-DRIVEN WAY IS AN
INCREDIBLE MODEL. AGAIN THIS
COLLABORATIVE IS A CHANCE FOR
ALL OF US TO LEARN FROM EACH
OTHER. AND REALLY GET THIS KIND
OF BEST PRACTICES AND APPROACH
TO BE THE NEW NORMAL FOR HOW WE
GO ABOUT DOING THIS KIND OF
WORK. WELL, I LIKE TO OFTEN SAY
I THINK REALLY THE FOUNDATION O
THE WHOLE TREE EQUITY MOVEMENT
IS COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. SO IT'S FRONT
LINE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE OUT
THERE AT THE ABSOLUTE GROUND
LEVEL MAKING THIS HAPPEN EVERY
SINGLE DAY. AND MAKING SURE THA
WE'RE DOING IT IN A WAY THAT'S
REALLY ROOTED WITH COMMUNITY.
AND SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO
INTRODUCE WILLARD BROWN WITH DU
AMISH ALIVE. WILLARD IS A LEADE
IN THE ALIVE COALITION. HE'S
BEEN PART OF THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT TEAM WITH THE
COALITION. FOR A NUMBER OF YEAR
NOW. AND WILLARD HAS AN
INCREDIBLY DEEP HISTORY IN
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP HERE IN
SEATTLE. HE WORKED AT THE DELL
RIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DEVELOPMENT
ASSOCIATION WHERE HE WAS THE
DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND
ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS AND
SUPPORTED THE RESTORATION OF TH
DELL RIDGE WETLANDS. WORKED FOR
OVER 30 YEARS AT THE SEATTLE
HOUSING AUTHORITY AND SERVED ON
THE BOARD OF THE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE WHERE HE
FIGHTS FOR INVESTMENTS IN
INFRASTRUCTURE IN ALL
NEIGHBORHOODS EXPERIENCING THE
DISPLACEMENT OF CULTURAL,
STRUCTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSETS. AND HE'S HAD A REALLY
KEY ROLE IN CREATING A DIALOGUE
IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE
BENEFITS OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTUR
AND FOCUS ON WETLAND RESTORATIO
AS A MEANS OF ENHANCING
COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP AND MAKIN
CONNECTIONS TO ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS. AND SO TH
COALITION HAS A SPECIAL EVENT
THAT'S GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE
THIS SATURDAY. THE FOLLOW ON TO
TODAY'S DISSERTATION IS HOW YOU
CAN THINK OF IT. VOLUNTEER EVEN
HERE AT THE OX HILL BOG AND I'M
SURE A LITTLE TEASER ABOUT. BUT
WE'RE JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT THI
EFFORT INCLUDES PARTNERS LIKE
THE COALITION AND MANY OTHER
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
AND THAT'S REALLY GOING TO BE
THE FOUNDATION OF HOW WE'RE
GOING TO MAKE PROGRESS TOGETHER
SO WILLARD.
>> OH. [ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU.
AND I WANT TO WELCOME ALL OF YO
TO DELL RIDGE. THIS LOCATION
HERE IS A PROJECT IN PROCESS. W
ARE WORKING ON THE RESTORATION
OF THE ROCKS HILL BOG WHICH IF
YOU CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS
DRYING OUT. I CAN REMEMBER WHEN
I FIRST MOVED HERE TO WEST
SEATTLE. I USED TO BRING MY
TWINS TO THE WESTWOOD VILLAGE
AND I WOULD HAVE THEM COME OVER
HERE AND PLAY IN THE PARK WHILE
I DID MY SHOPPING, WHATEVER. AN
THEN WHEN THEY GOT BACK TO THE
CAR I WOULD TELL THEM. OH NO YO
CANNOT GET IN THE CAR UNTIL YOU
TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF. OKAY, YOU
ARE NOT MUDDYING UP MY MATS AND
YOU ARE NOT MAKING MY CAR A
MUDDY MESS. THAT IS NO LONGER
THE CONDITION HERE. THE
SITUATION HAS CHANGED SO MUCH
DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER
FACTORS THAT WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING TO RESTORE AND BRING
ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF THIS
COMMUNITY. AND THE NEEDS OF THI
SPECIFIC LOCATION FOR THE
PURPOSE OF REVITALIZING IT AND
RESTORING IT FOR THE FUTURE AND
FOR OTHERS COMING ALONG IN THE
FUTURE. THE ROCKS HILL BOG IS
THE HEAD WATERS OF LONG FELLOW
CREEK. RIGHT OVER HERE. LONG
FELLOW CREEK IS DELL RIDGE'S
CREEK. IT HAS ONE LITTLE
TRIBUTARY PINE IT CREEK. AND
THOSE TWO WATERWAYS RUN THROUGH
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND RUN
THROUGH OUR BACKYARDS. AND IT I
VITAL THAT THE CREEK ITSELF
REMAINS HEALTHY AND THAT THE
WATER LEVELS WITHIN THE CREEK
RISE BECAUSE THE CREEK LEVEL IS
LOWERING. AND ONE OF THE WAYS W
CAN DO THAT IS TO ACTUALLY
INCREASE TREE CANOPY WHETHER IT
IS IN THE PARKS, IN
NEIGHBORHOODS, ANYWHERE ALONG
THE ROUTE OF THE CREEK WOULD BE
GREAT -- WOULD BE A WONDERFUL
OUTCOME. SO WITH THAT I WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU TO A NUMBER OF
FOLKS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE
SEATTLE GREEN SPACE'S COALITION
ON LET THE FIGHT FOR RESTORATIO
AND PRESERVATION OF GREEN SPACE
ALL OVER DISTRICT 1. IN
GEORGETOWN, IN SOUTH PARK, HERE
IN DELL RIDGE. SEATTLE GREEN
SPACES COALITION ALSO CHAMPIONE
THE TRANSITION OF THE MYERS
PARCELS FROM TO THE PUBLIC
SECTOR SO IT COULD BE PRESERVED
AS GREEN SPACE AND THAT WAS DON
IN 2016 AND ITLANGUISHES, IT'S
NOT YET BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE
PARKS DEPARTMENT. WE WENT TO
WORK AND SUPPORTED THE WETLANDS
DELL RIDGE WETLANDS PROJECT.
THAT WAS MY PROJECT. LAST
PROJECT I LED WHILE I WAS AT
DELL RIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS'
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION. AND
WE'RE MOVING FORWARD THIS YEAR
WITH AN AGGRESSIVE PLAN TO
ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
AND THE DELL RIDGE WETLAND IS
CRITICAL BECAUSE IT'S THERE
WHERE COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER
ON A NUMBER OF FRONTS. IT HAS
THE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR, IT HA
THE EDUCATION FACTOR, IT HAS
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE S.T.E.M.
SCHOOL RIGHT DOWN THE STREET, I
HAS THE SUPPORT OF ALL THE
COMMUNITY, THE NEIGHBORS AND TH
LIKE, AND SO IT IS A VERY
IMPORTANT PROJECT AS THEY ALL
ARE HERE IN THE DELL RIDGE
CORRIDOR. THE OTHER PROJECT I
WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT IS
OF VITAL IMPORTANCE IS WHAT IS
HAPPENING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THIS PROJECT. THERE IS
CONSTRUCTION WORK PLANNED FOR
THIS YEAR. AND THIS PROJECT
CONSTRUCTION BUDGET HAS BEEN
PROVIDED THROUGH THE KING COUNT
WATER WORKS PROGRAM AS WELL AS
THROUGH THE BOEING FOUNDATION.
SO WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES,
SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION,
KING COUNTY GOVERNMENT, WATER
WORKS, WE ALSO HAVE PARTNERSHIP
WITH DELL RIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, WHO
BRINGS VOLUNTEERS AND
COORDINATES ACTIVITIES WITH
STUDENTS IN THE AREA. WITH THE
ROCKS HILL ELEMENTARY AND WITH
KING -- WITH SEATTLE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS IN THAT EFFORT. HAVE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH ALIVE AND A
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY
ITSELF. SO THIS COMMUNITY IS
COMPOSED OF PEOPLE OF COLOR
PRIMARILY. LOW INCOME PEOPLE OF
COLOR AND YET THEY COME OUT HER
AND THEY VOLUNTEER HERE. THEY
LIVE IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS
HERE. AND THEY SUPPORT THIS
PROJECT WHOLEHEARTEDLY. SO WE
ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE
INVESTMENT IN THIS PROJECT AND
IN FUTURE PROJECTS THAT WILL
ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF CLIMATE
CHANGE, THE HEALTH OF LONG
FELLOW CREEK, AND THE HEALTH OF
OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. [
APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. SUCH GRATITUDE FOR
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS AND
VOLUNTEER LED EFFORTS ALL ACROS
THE COUNTRY THAT AGAIN ARE JUST
REALLY THE FOUNDATION OF THIS
WORK. AND I WANT TO REALLY NOTE
THAT WHEN THAT INCREDIBLE NEW
ALLOCATION OF FEDERAL FUNDING
THAT I DESCRIBED WAS MADE, THER
WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND
THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE
THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTE
EQUITABLY AND DEEPLY ACROSS THE
FIELD. TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE VOLUNTEER LED OR
PARTIALLY VOLUNTEER LED AND
MAKING SURE THAT MORE PEOPLE AR
GETTING FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED T
DO THIS KIND OF WORK. SO WE CAN
HAVE EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION IN
DRIVING IT FORWARD. SO I WANT T
CLOSE BY JUST -- I WANT TO
RECOGNIZE A FEW SPECIAL FRIENDS
AND PARTNER SUPPORTERS WHO ARE
HERE TODAY. THE REI DIRECTOR OF
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS IS IN THE
CROWD WITH US AS WELL AS THE RE
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
AFFAIRS MANAGER TOM. SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DAN
STRAWSMAN WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN
US BUT THE MAYOR I BELIEVE
MENTIONED HIM AS A KEY PARTNER
IN THIS WORK. FRIENDS OF
SEATTLE'S URBAN FORESTS. A KEY
PARTNER TREE PACK. THE LAST
6,000. CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS
DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF PARKS
FOR CITY OF SEATTLE CRITICAL
PARTNER IN DOING THIS WORK. YOU
HAVE HEARD A FEW OF THE OTHER
COMMITMENTS TO THE WASHINGTON
STATE TREE EQUITY COLLABORATIVE
MENTIONED AND I WANT TO JUST
MENTION THEM AGAIN IN ADDITION
TO CITY OF SEATTLE. THE CITY OF
TACOMA, THANK YOU MAYOR
WOODARDS. THE KARL MACSIE CENTE
IN SPOKANE. 300 TREES
ORGANIZATION IN BELLEVUE AND
AGAIN THE ALIVE COALITION WHICH
WE JUST HEARD FROM. A CRITICAL
FOLKS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT
HAVE MADE COMMITMENTS TO THIS
NEW TREE EQUITY COLLABORATIVE.
AND LASTLY I WOULD JUST LIKE TO
GIVE REALLY PROFOUND THANKS TO
OUR FRIENDS AT WASHINGTON STATE
DNR. WHO HAVE JUST BEEN
INCREDIBLE PARTNERS TO THE
AMERICAN FOREST AND
ORCHESTRATING THIS NEW
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS
COLLABORATIVE AND JUST SO
GRATEFUL. IT'S A CITY OF SEATTL
FOR KIND OF COMING IN AS THE
ANCHOR PARTNER TO HELP US GET
THIS STARTED. REALLY IMPORTANT
WORK AHEAD OF US, I MAY NEED TO
ASK IN CLOSING, JUST THINK FOR
MINUTE ABOUT EVERYTHING WE HAVE
TALKED ABOUT AND THE PROFOUND
IMPORTANCE OF TREES AND JUST
GIVE YOURSELF A MOMENT TO
IMAGINE THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
RIGHT NOW DON'T HAVE THIS
HEALING BENEFIT THAT DON'T HAVE
THAT COOLING SHADE. THAT DON'T
HAVE THAT IMPROVED IR QUALITY
THAT DON'T HAVE JUST THE MENTAL
HEALTH AND PEACE SERENITY THAT
COMES FROM JUST LOOKING UP AT A
TREE ON A SPRING DAY. AND JUST
ALLOW YOURSELF TO IMAGINE EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD HAVING THIS BLANKE
OF BEAUTIFUL HEALTHY TREES.
SPREADING OUT. SO THAT WE CAN
ALL ENJOY THAT. WE CAN ALL HAVE
THE LIFE GIVING BENEFITS ON A
DAILY BASIS. THAT'S WHAT'S AT
STAKE HERE AND WE'RE GOING TO
MAKE IT HAPPEN IN WASHINGTON
STATE AND WE'RE GOING TO LEAD
THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD ON HO
TO GET THIS DONE WITH THE RIGHT
KINDS OF PARTNERSHIPS. REALLY
GRATEFUL HERE TODAY AND WE'RE
GOING TO PUT OUR SWEAT EQUITY
INTO TREE EQUITY AND GO DO SOME
MULCHING OVER THERE IN A LITTLE
BIT IF YOU WANT TO COME JOIN US
THANK YOU SO MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE SOME
QUESTIONS IF PEOPLE WANT TO OR
YOU GUYS CAN GO GET WARM. IT'S
UP TO. WE'LL DO THAT AND JUST G
AHEAD SIR, I HAVE YOU RIGHT
HERE. I WON'T ANSWER ALL OF
THEM.
>> I HOPE YOU WILL ACTUALLY. SO
RIGHT NOW IN THE -- CITY'S LAND
USE, COUNCIL MEETING -- OF CITY
COUNCIL, THERE'S A PROPOSAL TO
INCREASE CONSTRUCTION AREA TO
85% PER AREA SURFACE AND THAT
WILL KILL ALL OF THE LARGE TREE
IF THIS PROPOSAL COMES FORWARD.
TODAY IN OLYMPIA THERE'S
APROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE ALL
SINGLE FAMILY ZONING WHICH WILL
ALLOW SIX COMPLEXES ON ALL
SINGLE LOTS WHICH WILL REDUCE
ALL LARGE TREE HABITAT IN THE
STATE. SO YOU ARE CONGRATULATIN
EACH OTHER RIGHT NOW BUT YOU
HAVE THIS KILLER PROCESS THAT I
WORKING AGAINST YOU BASED ON
PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS' RIGHTS
JUST LOVE TO GET SOME COMMENTS
BACK FROM YOU ON THAT.
>> SURE. I'M GOING TO
REINTRODUCE DIRECTOR FERRELL ON
THIS ISSUE AND FOR THOSE THAT
DIDN'T HEAR THE QUESTION. ONE O
THE PARTS THAT RESONATED WAS
THIS -- SOME CONSIDERATIONS THA
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL ARE
CONSIDERING WITH RESPECT TO
SURFACES AND HOW THIS ALIGNS OR
MISALIGNS WITH OUR TREE CANOPY.
PERHAPS DIRECTOR FERRELL COULD
ANSWER THAT COMPONENT OF THE
QUESTION.
>> YEP. I'M HAPPY TO ROOT THE
ANSWER IN DATA. YOU KNOW, AND
ALSO START BY JUST TALKING A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR VALUES IN
SEATTLE. AND I THINK MAYOR
HARRELL STATED THIS REALLY
CLEARLY IN HIS REMARKS. THAT
THERE IS NO CONFLICT. THERE'S N
INHERENT CONFLICT BETWEEN
INCREASING OUR TREE CANOPY AND
INCREASING OUR HOUSING. FULL
STOP. WE NEED TO DO BOTH. RIGHT
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT THE
LEGISLATION THAT WAS TRANSMITTE
TO THE COUNCIL IS THAT IT IS
RESPONSIVE IN THE DATA IN THE
TREE CANOPY ASSESSMENT. THERE
WERE TWO AREAS WHERE TREE CANOP
LOSS OCCURRED AT THE GREATEST
LEVELS. ONE WAS IN OUR PUBLIC
LANDS. THIS IS WHY MAYOR
HARRELL'S EXECUTIVE ORDER
INCREASES AN INVESTMENT THREE T
ONE PLANTINGS AND PROTECTING OU
TREES AND INCREASING INVESTMENT
ON PUBLIC LANDS. SO OUR PARKS'
NATURAL AREAS WHERE WE SAW
ACTUALLY THE GREAT E LOSS. THE
SECOND AREA WHERE WE SAW THE
GREATEST LOSS WAS IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
AND IT WASN'T AS MUCH DUE TO
DEVELOPMENT AS IT WAS BECAUSE O
TREES COMING DOWN BECAUSE OF AG
AND HEALTH. AND BECAUSE FOLKS
ARE TAKING TREES DOWN FOR A
WHOLE VARIETY OF REASONS. SO
WHERE THIS LEGISLATION REALLY I
GOING TO HAVE POSITIVE IMPACT I
BY TIGHTENING UP REGULATIONS
WHERE SOMEONE CAN TAKE DOWN TRE
-- TAKE DOWN A TREE. SO IT
TIGHTENS THAT FROM THE CURRENT
LOOSER REGULATIONS AND IT WILL
ACTUALLY INCREASE MORE -- THERE
WILL BE MORE INCREASED TREES
PROTECTED. SO THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT. AND THEN AS FAR AS
THE STATE LEGISLATION, WE
PROBABLY CAN HAVE SOMEONE
COMMENT ON THAT MORE THOROUGHLY
BUT THE LEGISLATION THAT'S
BEFORE THE COUNCIL I BELIEVE
REALLY THREADS THAT NEEDLE
BETWEEN INCREASING HOUSING WHIC
WE HAVE TO DO, IT FOCUSES ON
MULTIFAMILY ZONES, WHICH ARE A
TINY PORTION CURRENTLY OF OUR
CITY'S ZONED LAND AND THEN
REALLY FOCUSES AGAIN ON THOSE
AREAS WHERE THE DATA IS SHOWING
WHERE WE LOST THE MOST CANOPY
COVER. SO HAPPY TO TURN IT OVER
TO THE MAYOR IF YOU WANT TO ADD
TO THAT. BUT --
>> NO. THAT'S A GREAT ANSWER. I
THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE.
>> I OBVIOUSLY AM NOT INVOLVED
IN THE LEGISLATION THAT'S MOVIN
IN OLYMPIA BUT I CAN TALK TO
WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
RESOURCES IS DOING. AS I SAID W
HAVE WOEFULLY UNDERFUNDED URBAN
FORESTRY IN THE STATE FOR A LON
TIME. I HAVE THE BEN AND JEN
TEAM HERE WHO HAVE BEEN LEADING
THIS EFFORT TWO OF THEM IN ALL
OF OUR STATE TO BRING MORE
RESOURCES TO OUR CITIES. I THIN
WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS NOT ONL
LEVERAGING THE DATA, AND WHERE
ARE WE WOEFULLY MISSING THE MAR
WHEN IT COMES TO TREE EQUITY AN
EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD OF OU
STATE, BUT ALSO HOW DO WE HELP
BRING THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES T
OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHEN IT
COMES TO ORDINANCES AND POLICIE
AROUND MAINTAINING THE TREES WE
ALREADY ARE IN OUR COMMUNITIES?
COUPLED WITH ALSO BRINGING THE
FUNDING INVESTMENTS, THE FUNDIN
INVESTMENTS AT THE FEDERAL,
STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL TO THOSE
COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE THAT WE'R
GAINING AND GROWING MORE EVEN A
WE SEE A RAPIDLY CHANGING LAND
USE BECAUSE OF OUR HOUSING
CRISIS. AS I THINK JUSTIN SAID,
VERY -- WE HAVE TO ADDRESS BOTH
OUR HOUSING CRISIS AND OUR
CLIMATE CRISIS. OUR TREE CRISIS
AND WE BELIEVE THEY AREN'T
MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. BUT WE HAVE
TO BE FORWARD THINKING AND WE
HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW
SIGNIFICANT THE PROBLEM IS
ALREADY TODAY. AND PUT THE
POLICIES IN PLACE TO PROTECT
THEM WHILE PUTTING THE
SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS GOING
FORWARD IN EVERY CORNER OF THE
STATE.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> ANY MORE FRIENDLY QUESTIONS?
[ LAUGHTER ] OKAY. THREE, TWO,
ONE SEATTLE. WE'RE GOING TO DO
SOME WORK.
>> THANK YOU ALL. [ APPLAUSE ]