TL;DR

Seattle is losing large trees at a rapid, unsustainable rate. Nearly half of these trees are managed by the city’s construction department (SDCI). Tree Action Seattle’s 2-year investigation has uncovered SDCI’s systemic failures to protect this critical green infrastructure. Tree protection must be moved out of SDCI’s jurisdiction.

We are therefore calling for the creation of a new, independent Department of Climate and the Environment with a focus on preserving Seattle’s urban forest. This is a proven solution that many cities already implement. Polls show that 72% of Seattlites already support this action.

❌ SDCI Is Overseeing The Destruction of Seattle's Forest 

Read the full report here.

The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) regulates nearly half of Seattle’s urban forest which grows on residential private property. Tasked with protecting this valuable resource, SDCI has instead overseen its removal.

We ask: why is the management of valuable climate infrastructure under the jurisdiction of the construction department? SDCI is funded almost entirely by building permit fees, creating a direct conflict of interest with tree preservation, which produces no revenue for the department. SDCI practices have resulted in significant loss of urban forest.

In early 2022, we began investigating reasons for current tree loss on residential property across the city. We found that SDCI routinely failed to follow the land use codes it is responsible for enforcing. Whether via questionable planning and permitting, or lax enforcement, SDCI’s lack of stewardship of the urban forest has tacitly encouraged the continued deforestation of Seattle.

We have compiled our evidence into a report. We found that SDCI:

• Routinely approves removal of groves and exceptional (legally protected) trees, disregarding public health and climate resilience impacts.
• Alters and contradicts records within its own files.
• Routinely approves the removal of exceptional trees during development without professional arborist reports or SDCI arborist review, both of which are required by Seattle Municipal Code.
• Closes complaints of illegal tree removals with no investigation, even in cases with abundant evidence and clear public documentation.
• Allows after-hours illegal tree removals through limited complaint line and office hours, slow response times, and refusal to cite illegal tree removals when stumps are ground, despite other evidence.
• Does not follow International Society of Arboriculture standards in measuring trees or assessing tree damage.
• Does not enforce maintenance of Tree Protection Areas around the critical root zones of trees on development cites, resulting in trees becoming severely damaged.
• Does not consider maximizing the retention of existing trees when approving lot subdivisions, contradicting Seattle Municipal Code SMC 23.24.040.

Poor enforcement is not new. In 2017, the City’s own Tree Regulations Research Project Report noted a high level of illegal tree removals in Environmentally Critical Areas (ECAs), which we also noted in our 2022 research. The 2017 report stated that illegal tree removal complaints resolved as “no violation” had increased from 27% in 2008 to 75% in 2015. 

As this trend has continued, we surmise that this percentage could now be even higher. Violations are continuing despite the new Tree Service Provider registry, and we have seen no signs that SDCI is improving its enforcement practices.

🔎 SDCI Audited for Unethical Processes and Nepotism 

SDCI was audited in 2023 by the City Auditor. It reveals unethical permitting processes and nepotism. SDCI’s unethical practices in this report are indicative of their careless treatment of Seattle’s urban forest. Read more from KUOW and the Seattle Times.

🌎 Trees are Essential Green Infrastructure in a Climate Emergency 

Care of Seattle’s urban forest is more important than many realize:

• Climate change: In the face of climate change, trees are the only scalable form of carbon sequestration we know. Removing one of our greatest defenses against climate change is shooting ourselves in the foot.
• Heat islands: Seattle is ranked in the top 5 nationally for urban heat islands. Heat islands are associated with poor air and water quality. Trees are critical for reducing the impact of heat islands in Seattle and must be retained.
• Human health: Trees in communities are strongly correlated with physical and mental health outcomes. SDCI’s reckless management of our urban forest reflects its commitment to developer profit over community wellbeing.
• Low-income/frontline communities: These issues are exacerbated in frontline communities that bear the brunt of climate change impacts, face rapid development due to gentrification, and are less likely to be able to afford air conditioning. Thoughtless removal of our urban forest is an affront to our most vulnerable communities.

⏩ We Need to Move Trees to a New Department, ASAP

We are calling for the creation of a new, independent Department of Climate and the Environment to oversee Seattle’s climate justice agenda, with a specific focus on preserving Seattle’s unique urban canopy via a newly established, science-based Urban Forestry Division. 

Many cities, such as Portland, Boston, Washington DC, New York City and Cleveland have urban forestry divisions entirely independent of the building department. They are staffed by forestry professionals whose sole mandate is to manage, protect and grow the urban forest for its public health and environmental value. In contrast, SDCI employs no urban forestry professionals and only two arborists, out of approximately 430 staff.

Recent polls from the Northwest Progressive Institute reveal 72% of Seattlites already support this action.

The Department of Climate and the Environment must have a direct reporting line to the Mayor, free of interference from corporate influence and the inherent conflicts of interest that plague Seattle’s canopy oversight today. The new Urban Forestry Division must be staffed by professional urban foresters and follow science-based guidelines for protecting Seattle’s canopy heritage for all, and for generations.

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