Delivering “Forests and Your Community”actrees.org/files/Research/cnemo/forests.pdfDelivering “Forests and Your Community” The presentation is organized and ordered This is

Educational Presentations & Workshops

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Delivering “Forests and Your Community”

This is NEMO’s core forest conservation presentation. It provides an overview of the environmental, economic, and social benefits trees provide to communities and an introduction to five steps a community can take to conserve trees and forests. The complete presentation runs about 30 minutes. It can be delivered as a stand-alone presentation, but is usually more effective as part of a 90 minute workshop which includes time for discussion. While Forests and Your Community is a complete presentation, it can also be customized for particular communities and audiences. Options for this are described below. The Appropriate Audience This presentation is best suited for audiences without a deep background in tree and forest management. It would be beneficial for local officials, community organizations and citizens who are interested in learning more about the values trees and forests provide and how to manage them for public benefit. Audiences desiring an introduction to the basic relationship between natural resources, land use and growth might benefit from first participating in “Linking Land Water and Growth” or “Planning the Direction of Your Community.” Design of the Presentation “Forests and Your Community” consists of about 163 slides in a powerpoint file. Sound like a lot?

Not really. The slides are mostly images, with very few that include text. The accompanying script is designed to closely correlate with the slides – image by image – and most slides are only on the screen for a very short time. Typically, the presentation will take 30 minutes to deliver. The slides and narration are designed around several key presentation principles – audiences respond best to: (1) pictures, (2) a story, (3) issues and solutions presented in a way that relate to audience needs, and (4) clear, non-technical language. The presentation is organized and ordered around the following themes:

1. Why we care about trees. 2. The process of development which is vital

to our communities, can impact the trees, woods, and forests that help maintain our quality of life. Water pollution and other issues are often linked to how trees are managed.

3. The benefits trees provide are not solely environmental – there are economic and social benefits to preserving trees and conserving forests.

4. There are ways to grow – both trees and development – that sustain forests and support the wellbeing of our communities.

5. Communities can take five key steps to conserve forests and improve a community’s quality of life.

Delivering the Presentation Because of the design of “Forests and Your Community” – the lack of text on the slides and the close link between script and individual images – the audience will benefit from a presenter who is thoroughly familiar with the narration and its timing. The narration is included in the notes section of the slides, but a separate script with cues is also provided. Use of a remote device for manually advancing the images will be extremely helpful, facilitating the flow of narration and imagery.

Educational Presentations & Workshops

www.chesapeakenemo.net

As the powerpoint file is somewhat large, it is best to load the file onto the host computer rather than run it off a DVD or CD. Customizing the Presentation “Forests and Your Community” is designed using images and information that reflect the Chesapeake region and it should be relevant to many communities. The great majority of images should resonate with many audiences. However, it will be helpful to customize the presentation in a couple of areas. The “slide map” on the following page provides a guide for doing this: 1. The “issue” section (highlighted in green)

includes broad information on water quality issues. This section should be customized to the most relevant water quality and other issues related to trees for a particular community.

2. The “key steps” section includes a series of case study examples (highlighted in yellow). While many of these examples may be informative for most audiences, some may be less so. It is easy to simply substitute a different example in the same location.

3. In the “benefits” section, if there are benefits that are not particularly relevant to the community they can easily be dropped.

It is also possible to customize the presentation by shortening or separating into two parts: 1. “Value of Trees” focus: The first half of the

presentation – through the end of the benefits section – can work as a stand-alone shorter presentation. It would simply require appending the “closing” segment. In this format the presentation is making the case for conserving forests but saving the details about how to do it for another time.

2. “Conserving Forests” focus: Similarly, the second half of the presentation could be presented as a follow-up to a group that has already seen the first half in a prior session. This would require briefly reminding the audience of the prior content beforehand.

Finally, the discussion session following the presentation should always be designed to connect to local values and issues.

Desired Outcomes The optimal outcome of a “Forests and Your Community” workshop is a request by the community for a follow-up session on a more specific topic or aspect of the “five key steps” to forest conservation – or for technical assistance or advice on how to take further steps.

Discussion Questions Possible questions for stimulating discussion after the presentation include the following: • What images or themes from the

presentation stood out to you? • What are some of the benefits that trees

provide your specific community? • What opportunities do you see to increase

the tree canopy in your community? • The presentation touches on some steps for

conserving tress. Would it be valuable to explore one of these steps in more detail – through a follow-up workshop?

However, questions should always be tailored to the audience, context and specific issues relevant to the community.

Slide Map – Forests and Your Community

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75

91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105

121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135

136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150

151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163

46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90

106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120

Intro section (1-24): no changes needed for most locations

Issue section (25-42): requires local adaptations

. . . applicable in most locations, but could be modified to omit certain benefits or add in known local benefit data.

Key Steps section (83-163): applicable in most locations with examples

Benefits section (43-82):

tailored for the appropriate jurisdiction. Example slides are highlighted in yellow. Examples can be added or substituted in these locations.

This section can also be shortened to focus on one key step in more depth.

Closing (156-163): no changes needed for most locations

Narration for Forests and Your Community Page 1

Chesapeake NEMO July 2008

1.

We often celebrate trees

2.

… the biggest redwood,

3.

- the oldest oaks,

4.

- the most beautiful flowering dogwood or fall leaves.

5.

We plant them,

6.

- climb in them,

7.

- recreate among them,

8.

- we make products from them,

9.

- some people even live in them.

10.

The neighborhoods we tend to like the most are filled with them.

11.

But we also rely on trees in less visible ways – they help protect the air we breath,



12.

- the water we drink,

13.

- and streams we swim and fish in.

14.

The process of development – vital to our communities…

15.

– can also impact the trees, woods, and forests that help maintain our quality of life. Yet, there ARE ways to grow – both trees and development – that sustain forests and support the wellbeing of our communities.

16.

Getting there takes planning and decision-making that account for the valuable role trees have in our daily lives. But first, let’s take a look at some of the trends influencing our forests, our communities, and our waters.

17.

Let’s look back a bit…way back! Over 400 years ago, John Smith first explored the Chesapeake Bay.

18.

Smith found a very different environment than that of today. In 1607, the Chesapeake watershed was 95% forested. Here is a simulation of one of the Bay’s tributaries - and the same view today from a Google Earth image. Think of the changes over 400 years.

19.

We can actually chart the change in forest cover over 350 years. Many people don’t recognize that the low point in forest cover was actually late in the 19th century. We have more forests today, but there is a worrisome trend in the past 25 years.

20.

Since the mid-1980s we have lost forestland at a rate of about 100 acres/day – with development as the leading cause.

21.

About 1.5 million more people come to this region every decade. And we’re now using more land per person than ever before.



22.

1990s data shows that development – the amount of land converted from forest and farm land to developed uses - outpaced population growth by more than three times - and this rate appears to persist as we continue to move to less dense, more spread out communities.

23.

If current trends continue, 9.5 million acres of Chesapeake forests will be threatened by conversion to residential development by 2030 – including 31% of those most critical for water quality protection.

24.

So what does this mean for the health of the Chesapeake and our local rivers?

25.

The condition of the Bay and its tributaries has changed substantially over time. A recent Report Card that looks at 6 scientific indicators of Bay ecosystem health…

26.

gives the Bay a grade of C-

27.

And grades for the Bay’s major tributaries range from C- to F; not quite a clean bill of health. What’s causing these habitat and water quality problems?

28.

The main contributors are elevated levels of phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment.

29.

For example, average nitrogen loads flowing into the Bay are almost double the level they should be for healthy water.

30.

The same pattern holds for phosphorous.

31.

Nitrogen and phosphorus occur naturally in plant material,



32.

the atmosphere,

33.

and soil…

34.

but elevated levels come from sources like: - sewage treatment plants,

35.

- vehicle exhaust,

36.

- industry,

37.

- animal waste, - and runoff from agricultural,

38.

- urban,

39.

- and residential areas - bringing sediment and nutrients directly to our waters.

40.

High levels of these pollutants cause harmful algae blooms,

41.

deplete waters of oxygen, sometimes resulting in fish kills,



42.

and cloud the water blocking light from reaching grasses that provide vital habitat for fish, crabs and other creatures.

43.

So, what does this have to do with forests, and why are forests so important? Let’s look at the relationship of land cover and stream health. There are three simple elements – local waters are healthiest when…

44.

. . . forest and tree cover is maintained at close to half or more of the watershed,

. . .

.

45.

. . . and the areas adjacent to streams have close to 75% tree cover….

46.

. . . And pavement and other hard surfaces are a small proportion of the watershed.

47.

Why is that so? Rain is absorbed and slowed by trees and the forest floor before it reaches local streams, flows to rivers and ultimately the Bay.

48.

Paved, hardened surfaces associated with developed land generate high levels of polluted runoff that flows directly to our streams.

49.

In contrast, forests have very little runoff and help filter nutrients, sediments, and other pollutants out of runoff before it reaches our rivers and Bay.

50.

Forests essentially act as a living sponge – water gets absorbed, filtered, and released to the forest floor – ultimately refilling underground aquifers and helping to maintain stream flow.

51.

For example, 100 large trees intercept over a half million gallons of rainfall annually, reducing the need for stormwater controls and providing cleaner water.

52.

Pause.



53.

A 10% increase in forest cover can reduce the amount of nitrogen runoff by 40%.

54.

This capability has a direct impact on the quality of our drinking water supplies…

55.

For every 10% increase in forest cover – surface drinking water treatment costs decrease by 20%

56.

(Pause)

57.

Forests are also beneficial to air quality – they absorb pollutants and fine particulate matter and offer shade which helps reduce temperatures. 100 trees can remove 430 pounds of pollutants (like ozone and particulates) per year.

58.

Through their abilities to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, forests help mitigate potential impacts of climate change. It takes just over 100 trees, on average, to offset carbon dioxide emissions each year from a single household in Maryland.

59.

Forests also support vital habitats for many sensitive species in the watershed. This is not only important for their survival, but can impact our daily lives as well.

60.

The benefits trees provide are not solely environmental – there are many economic benefits to preserving trees and conserving forests. Trees pay us back!

61.

Residential subdivisions where trees are preserved cost less to develop, have a higher sales price and sell much quicker than conventional developments.

62.

Conserving trees during development can reduce storm water requirements and land clearing costs. At a 43 acre, 70 lot site in Emmitsburg, the developer saved $200K in construction costs by eliminating the construction of two stormwater ponds and reduced clearing and grading costs by $160K.



The conservation design also added 2 buildable lots for an additional $90K value.

63.

Home values are higher when mature trees are on the lot: • Each large front yard tree adds about 1% to the resale value of a home • Large specimen trees can add 10% or more to property values.

64.

One study found that as neighborhood tree canopy cover increases so too does the percentage of residents committed to remaining in that neighborhood.

65.

Trees also mean better business. Customers prefer retail shopping areas that are well landscaped with trees. Studies of public perception show that customers will spend more time and money (an average of 11% more) at the well treed area.

66.

Well placed trees on a residential property can also reduce energy costs. • Shade from two large trees on the west side of a house and one on the east side save 56% of a typical residence’s annual air conditioning costs. • Trees properly placed around buildings as windbreaks can save up to 25% on winter heating costs.

67.

Public trees in town centers have a positive return on investment. The typical benefits – energy savings, air quality, stormwater runoff/water quality, and real estate – from 100 trees over 40 years outweigh the costs – things like planting, pruning, removal and disposal, pest and disease control, infrastructure, liability and legal, – by over 2 to 1.

68.

Management of forests in rural areas also contributes to the forest products industry. Bay watershed-wide forest products generate $22 billion for the regional economy each year.

69.

Protecting forest land and natural areas and encouraging compact development saves on public services compared with low-density residential development.

70.

A study of Pennsylvania towns found that on average, for every dollar in tax revenue generated, public services cost only 0.18 cents on forest land.

71.

In residential areas, services actually cost more than the tax revenue generated.



72.

Why? One reason is the cost of public schools to serve its residents. Schools typically account for 60 to 70 percent of spending in communities.

73.

So conserving forests and trees does pay us back, but there are other benefits to the community that are more social than economic or environmental.

74.

Conserving forests and trees provides opportunities for recreation, fishing and hunting - experiences which not only bolster the quality of life for local residents but also draw ecotourists to the region for birding, biking, hiking and the like. In the United States, ecotourism is among the fastest growing travel trends, and are estimated to be a $77 billion market. This represents 5% of the overall U.S. travel and tourism market.

75.

Studies have shown that hospital patients with views of trees need less medication and have faster recovery times following surgery.

76.

Spending time among trees has been shown to lessen the symptoms of ADHD and improve self discipline for some children.

77.

In his book Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv uses the term “nature deficit disorder” to describe the culmulative effect of removing nature from children’s experiences - and he cites a growing body of scientific research that indicates that children who are given early and ongoing positive exposure to nature thrive in intellectual, spiritual and physical ways that their "shut-in" peers do not.

78.

A study of drivers found that they highly prefer seeing trees in the roadside - and that views of nature enhanced their ability to cope with the stresses of driving.

79.

A study by University of Illinois researchers found that domestic violence and other forms of crime are less in housing projects surrounded by trees and other greenery. Trees reduce mental fatigue, help people relax, and reduce aggression. They also bring people together outdoors, increasing surveillance and discouraging criminals.

80.

Green residential landscaping has also been shown to strengthen communities. Residents of buildings with more trees reported that they knew their neighbors better, socialized with them more often, had stronger feelings of community, and felt safer and better adjusted than did residents of barren, but otherwise identical buildings.



81.

And benefits to communities don’t stop there – better health and lower crime mean a reduced burden on emergency responders, hospitals, and other municipal services.

82.

So what’s the total value of benefits provided by our trees? Well, no one has actually been able to add up ALL the benefits, but in addition to generating $22 billion in forest products annually, trees and forests in the Bay watershed provide at least $24 billion in services such as flood control, wildlife habitat, carbon dioxide removal, and recreation.

83.

The desirability of communities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed - as places to live and work – has led to extensive growth in the past 20 years.

84.

The challenge is how to grow while maintaining the quality of our forest resources and all they do for us.

85.

Forest conservation will never again be as cost-effective as it is today. So what does it take? In short – five things.

86.

Assess your resources so you know what you have

87.

Conserve your valuable forest lands

88.

Minimize development impacts

89.

Plant trees

90.

And finally- manage trees and forests to keep them healthy.



91.

Before you know what to manage or protect, you have to know what you’ve got – so assessing your forest resources at a community level is a critical first step.

92.

Gather community stakeholders and resource experts to inventory forest resources on your community’s public and private lands by conducting surveys or compiling data from existing sources such as aerial photos, land use maps, and permit applications.

93.

Use the inventory to create a map of forest resources, identifying particularly important features

94.

Like forested wetlands

95.

Trees and wooded areas

96.

Forested corridors or large blocks that together provide important habitat for wildlife

97.

Forests that are economically important for their timber production value

98.

The areas along waterways that might function as forest buffers

99.

You can then apply your own ranking criteria to depict what’s most important to preserve, such as this example where the darkest colors are most important as they represent multiple values.

100.

You can then compare this with where growth can be expected to occur to understand potential threats to these resources. Under typical zoning such as this, where might future development be expected to impact forest resources? All but the green area are zoned for some type of development. Of these, even



the least dense – the yellow rural residential zone – would be at a density that when fully built out would be highly likely to move forests out of active any form of management – a dwelling on every 2 to 5 acres. If development occurred based on this plan, how might forest resource be affected?

101.

All of the valuable forest resources highlighted in red-orange would loose significant forest function. This analysis helps you compare areas of importance with areas of risk and can then inform your choices….

102.

Allowing you to plan how to conserve your important resources and think ahead to the future your community envisions.

103.

The assessment helps you answer questions like: Where to conserve? Where to grow? Where to plant?

104.

For example, some communities use similar assessment information as the basis for setting a forest cover or canopy goal, adding sufficient trees to cover a certain percentage of total area by a certain date.

105.

Other communities translate assessment findings into strategies for conserving certain priority forests

106.

Regardless, assessment information is a powerful tool for setting direction and then managing forests.

107.

Forests are resilient – they grow back as long as land is not converted to a permanent developed use.



108.

But what’s the way to ensure valuable forest resources are providing their services in the future – on a county or community-wide basis? Conserve valuable forest land, step 2.

109.

Some of the primary tools at your disposal for conserving forests and helping you create growth consistent with your community’s desired future include - Zoning and other development ordinances - Land conservation - Financial incentives - Supporting sustainable forestry

110.

Using zoning and development ordinances to guide development toward existing communities can be a huge help in conserving forest land and other natural resources like farms and wetlands.

111.

Baltimore County for example has used planning and zoning to guide development to concentrated urban areas with an urban growth boundary. Beyond this, low density agricultural and resource preservation areas help protect forests.

112.

The most valuable or sensitive forest lands benefit from permanent protection through donations or purchases of land or conservation easements.

113.

For example, in 1998, the State of Maryland, together with the Richard King Mellon Foundation and The Conservation Fund, bought 58,000 acres of forest land on the Eastern Shore to protect it for the future, and create a model of public/private sustainable forestry.

114.

Conservation easements can be designed to achieve different land owner and conservation goals. But typically, a landowner retains private ownership, continued forestry, and a residence, while donating or selling any further development rights in return for income from a purchase or a tax benefit from a donation.

115.

For example, the Cacapon and Lost Rivers Land Trust – has protected over 8,000 acres of forest, farms, and riverfront through voluntary permanent conservation easements in Hardy, Hampshire, and Morgan Counties, West Virginia and Frederick County, Virginia.



116.

Financial incentives form another key tool. All local governments tax land. Some provide an incentive for keeping land in forest use by reduced taxes – called current use or land use value taxation. Land is assessed and taxed based on its current use – forest – instead of market value, which is calculated as its highest and best use.

117.

For instance, Maryland’s Forest Conservation and Management Program offers a reduced or frozen property tax assessment on forest land of five or more acres in exchange for a 15-year commitment to forest use under a forest management plan.

118.

Conserving forests also means keeping working forests. Supporting a sustainable forest products industry help maintain forests since landowners often rely on income from their property to maintain it. If that income disappears then landowners may feel the pressure to seek other uses for the land – including putting new houses on it.

119.

Sustainable forestry practices – planting, nurturing, and harvesting forestland in an environmentally responsible way – are key to maintaining the industry and the benefits forests provide.

120.

The third step in managing forests is to minimize the impacts to forests and trees when land is developed.

121.

Some of the primary tools for minimizing the impacts to forests and trees when land is developed include -site design, and -management practices

122.

How can site design make a difference in minimizing the impact to existing trees?

123.

Consider a parcel of land with these features.



124.

Traditional, conventional site design would simply divide the parcel into the maximum number of permitted lots, producing a result like this.

125.

Here’s a different approach taking existing trees and other natural resources into account.

126.

Inventory existing trees and other resources on site

127.

Create a forest conservation plan

128.

Design lots to minimize impact on trees.

129.

In this case, the same number of new residences is allowed.

130.

The Maryland Forest Conservation Act - which applies to most construction sites of 40,000 square feet or larger - requires this essential process. Developers must: - Inventory forests onsite and - Develop a forest conservation plan to ensure certain percentages of forest exist onsite at the completion of the project. - These minimum requirements depend on the site’s zoning category.

131.

For example, let’s say you have a 100 acre parcel,



132.

… of which 70 acres is forested, and the parcel is zoned medium density residential (1 dwelling unit per 1-5 acres).

133.

A developer would need to retain at least 34 acres to avoid triggering a reforestation requirement under the Forest Conservation Act.

134.

The Maryland Critical Areas Act takes a similar but stricter approach. In “limited development areas,” any clearing of forest cover for new development or redevelopment beyond the 100 foot buffer, must be replaced to keep the original percentage acreage in forest cover. Up to 20 percent of forest acreage on a project site may be removed but must be replaced on an equal area basis.

135.

So for example, on this lot where a house will be built,

136.

the 20 percent area that will be cleared here, shaded in pink,

137.

Must be replaced here, shown in the shaded green.

138.

So once the land for the home is cleared and the house is built,

139.

Pause

140.

The trees must be replaced so ultimately the lot maintains the same percent coverage.



141.

Once a site’s design is complete, construction best management practices help ensure that trees designated for protection - get protected.

142.

In areas being developed, minimizing disturbance of existing trees or wooded areas is key to their survival.

143.

For example, the Maryland Forest Conservation Act requires that tree protection strategies are incorporated into the conservation plan – activities such as marking protected trees, root pruning and fertilizing, avoiding soil compaction, and monitoring for tree wounds. Local forest conservation ordinances as well as clearing, grading, and erosion control requirements can also specify these types of practices and further help protect trees on construction sites.

144.

The fourth prong of sustaining tree cover is to plant trees – both replacement trees that mitigate forest losses and “new” trees that increase forest coverage.

145.

Some planting is required by regulation.

146.

Such as the Maryland Critical Areas Act which requires that at least 15% of a newly developed site be planted to provide a forest or woodland cover.

147.

Other regulations such as local subdivision ordinances or clearing and grading requirements can also specify tree replacement.

148.

But much can be accomplished through voluntary tree planting efforts. Planting can help: - achieve canopy goals, - restore cover in sensitive areas (such as stream buffers), and - improve quality of life in urban areas.



149.

Many communities also take advantage of other planting sites like parks, school grounds, local roads rights-of-way, island and median strips, parking lots, and certain types of stormwater treatment areas.

150.

Regardless, tree planting initiatives provide a great opportunity for involving the public partnering with civic organizations and reaching out to educate the community on the value of trees.

151.

Finally, conservation requires active management of forest tracts and urban trees to enhance and maintain health and function. Optimal benefits of forest and tree cover cannot be realized if trees are unhealthy.

152.

And real risks to forest sustainability exist in the form of invasive plant species that take over. Over the next 15 years, 17% of Chesapeake forests will be at high risk from known pests, and pathogens like kudzu, the gypsy moth and beech bark disease - and from emerging threats - such as sudden oak death, the asian longhorned beetle, and the emerald ash borer.

153.

Although many activities to combat pest species need to take place at the state-level, communities have a role in working with businesses and landowners to detect and prevent threats. Communities can work with local nurseries to avoid invasive plants and educate landowners about using native plants.

154.

Municipalities can directly invest in tree management by planning and budgeting for the care of urban/municipal trees – and by putting a forester on staff whenever possible, or sharing a forester with another jurisdiction

155.

Indirectly, municipalities can encourage landowners to manage forests by tying stewardship plan requirements to local regulation or incentives and directing landowners to technical assistance programs such as Forestry for the Bay.

156.

Whether in a city or a rural area, these are the basic steps for managing trees and forests.



157.

It all starts from knowing what you have and setting out a vision of what trees and forests mean for your community.

158.

Engaging citizens in activities that celebrate trees can foster a broader community culture of caring for trees. Whether promoting “big tree registries,” becoming a National Arbor Day Foundation “Tree City,” or setting an urban tree canopy goal, civic activities spotlight the importance of trees and teach young and old, alike, to cherish them.

159.

Trees are long-lived, providing benefits over generations.

160.

But when lost to development, damage or disease

161.

trees take a long time to grow back

162.

Start planning now for our trees' future to ensure clean air and clean water today and for future generations

163.

Documents

Delivering “Forests and Your Community”actrees.org/files/Research/cnemo/forests.pdfDelivering “Forests and Your Community” The presentation is organized and ordered This is