URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN - Laserfiche WebLink

Why the City Needs an Urban Forest Master Plan | INTRODUCTION Benefits of Trees The City of Pleasanton recognizes that trees offer numerous environmental, social, and economic benefits like providing shade and relief from hot weather, creating habitat for wildlife, improving air and water quality, enhancing mental health, supporting physically active communities, reducing energy costs, and increasing property values (O’Brien et al., 2022, Donovan and Butry 2009, Wolf 2007) (Figure 1-1 ). Pleasanton’s residents recognize the value that the urban forest brings to their community. Many attendees of the Urban Forest Summit, an event hosted to inform the community about the UFMP, cited Pleasanton’s “beautiful trees” as a primary reason they choose to make this city their home. Residents associate Pleasanton’s urban forest as part of their community character and identified the urban forest as a priority to preserve for future generations. Community outreach, engagement, and education of urban forestry benefits, value, and principles will be imperative in implementing the UFMP and fostering urban forest advocacy over time. Recognizing these benefits as a valuable public investment, the UFMP formalizes the City’s commitment to improving the urban forest and maximizing these benefits for Pleasanton’s community. Mitigating Impacts of a Hotter Future Climate Urban trees and the benefits they provide will be even more important to protect and enhance in the face of a predicted hotter future climate. Environmental stressors that currently impact the day-to-day activities of Pleasanton’s citizens include a variety of climate and health risks such as extreme heat, drought and water uncertainty, longer wildfire seasons, and flooding. These issues are only expected to increase in the future according to California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment (Cayan 2018). Trees will be vital in mitigating these impacts and protecting Pleasanton’s future community from these environmental stressors by providing shade and cooler temperatures on hot summer days, reducing the urban heat island effect (Figure 1-2), and by intercepting, slowing down, and infiltrating stormwater into the soil during winter months. Similar to residents, trees are also affected by these environmental stressors which can make them more vulnerable to pests and diseases. The UFMP will be a key resource for the City in promoting the long-term health and sustainability of the urban forest by addressing climate-related challenges through recommended management actions. CITY OF PLEASANTON URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN | 3 As trees grow, the benefits they provide increase.