On Friday, March 3, 2023 at 8:30AM, I'm hoping you will join me at the BH Public Works Meeting (BH City Hall, Room 280A, 455 N. Rexford Drive) to make a public comment about the The Robertson Blvd Tree Project and voice your concern over the lack of consideration the City has failed to give the trees by not reviewing any alternatives, to the business owners by removing the healthy canopy protecting their business' from increased heat and flooding and to the residents by removing their beloved trees which provide shade and beauty which in turn reduces anxiety and depression. Not to mention, the City of BH failed to consider the environmental and ecological impacts of cutting down over 100 healthy, mature Ficus Trees that are incredibly valuable to our community.
Please join me in participating in-person, by email (comments due by 5pm tonight) or call-in for Public Comment tomorrow at 8:30am.
EMAIL: cityclerk@beverlyhills.org before 5pm tonight March 2nd. Subject line - "Public Comment - Public Work's Meeting”. Begin the email with "Please read at Friday 8:30AM meeting”. Please limit your email remarks to three (3:00) minutes in length or 350 words.
IN PERSON: Beverly Hills City Hall, Council Chamber, 455 North Rexford Dr. Beverly Hills 90210. Arrive by 8:30AM and submit a speaker card to the Clerk to request to comment/speak.
PHONE: (310) 288-2288 and press #1
Video During public comment only: http://beverlyhills.org/comment
Watch Video Live: http://beverlyhills.org/live
On-Demand: http://beverlyhills.org/citycouncilmeetings
Below is a link to the Beverly Hills Urban Forest Management Plan by Dudek, commissioned by The City of Beverly Hills. The report does have some very good information. However, typically these type of reports are skewed for the benefit of the City commissioning the report.
A few key statements:
- Page V. "Those who live and work in the City today enjoy the benefits of treelined streets because of the continual urban forest planning and assessment that began 120 years ago. The years of thoughtful tree species selection, installation of wide parkways, and adaptive City tree management has resulted in a City known for its large, healthy trees, and high canopy cover level. This Beverly Hills Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) is the next iteration of the City’s tree and urban forest commitment."
- Page vi. "...a wholesale removal of these species in an attempt to immediately prepare the City for climate change will subject residents and visitors to the negative impacts associated with a drastic reduction in canopy cover. A sustainable solution to this concern would be to enact a systematic and balanced approach of selectively removing and replacing a portion of the vulnerable tree species each year over a 20 year time frame, to ensure a sustainable and regionally appropriate canopy level is maintained as the new canopy continues to develop. In turn, the loss (and subsequent replacement) of City canopy cover is dispersed over a longer period of time to minimize the impact felt by any one generation of residents. Understanding the current conditions, and potential future urban forest impacts are aspects of how the UFMP will provide guidance and recommendations that allow City decision makers to prepare for the current and future challenges faced by the urban forest. Through careful planning, the City can create a resilient and sustainable urban forest and reduce the environmental ramifications associated with climate change.
- Page 1. A “sustainable urban forest” can be defined as “the naturally occurring and planted trees in cities which are managed to provide the inhabitants with a continuing level of economic, social, environmental and ecologic benefits today and into the future” (Clark et al. 1997). Where as previous Street Tree Plans have focused on specific tree species and street blocks, the Beverly Hills UFMP is a long-term planning document that will provide the framework to progress the City towards a sustainable urban forest resilient to climate change. It will do so by creating guiding principles, goals, objectives, and strategies aimed to improve the health of the urban forest and expand canopy cover, while meeting the safety and economic goals of the City.
As it relates to the new trees the City has selected. There is no credible science that supports the claim the Mexican Palm Fans and Crape Myrtles are anymore climate ready than Ficus Trees. The Crape Myrtle and Mexican Palm Fan are NOT shade trees, which is a very important point. What is supported by science...cities need more tree canopy to be over 40% to mitigate the adverse impacts of rising temperatures due to climate. BH has an outdated goal of some 20%. We need to educate the City quickly if we are to survive.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email SaveTheTreesBH@gmail.com
Again, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT of the healthy, mature trees on Robertson Blvd and for your support in helping to save the 1000+ trees the City is scheduled to kill this year. Your support really does make a difference!!!!
#TREESMATTER