Proposal: Urban forest plan to restore cover lost to development
By LISA STIFFLER
P-I REPORTER
About one new tree for every man, woman and child in Seattle.
That's what it will take to reach Mayor Greg Nickels' goal for regreening the city over the next three decades -- the planting of 649,000 trees, plus keeping the tree cover we already have.
Since the early 1970s, Seattle has lost more than half of its tree canopy as more businesses and people have moved into the city and smaller homes have given way to apartments and megahouses. Invasive ivy and blackberry bushes have smothered and killed native trees.
Nickels is looking to reverse that trend, to keep Seattle from becoming "the city formerly known as emerald." Today he is releasing the draft Urban Forest Management Plan for public comment. The strategy is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.
"It's going to be a huge undertaking," said Steve Nicholas, director of the city's Office of Sustainability and Environment. "You're going to see significant new investment."
The cost of all the new trees is estimated at more than $114 million, plus increased annual costs for maintenance.