Tree Equity Collaborative with Hilary Franz, Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands and Jad Daley, Executive Director, American Forests.

This event is to announce the partnership between DNR and American Forests (which includes formation of a Tree Equity Collaborative and statewide tree equity mapping and analysis), to highlight the One Seattle Tree strategy recently announced by Mayor Harrell, and to draw attention to the work of local organizations along the Duwamish Greenbelt ahead of Earth Week 

PARTICIPANTS:   

·         Hilary Franz, Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands 

·         Jad Daley, Executive Director, American Forests 

·         Beattra Wilson/Homer Wilkes, Assistant Director for Urban and Community Forestry, USFS; Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, USFS  

·        Bruce Harrell,  City of Seattle Mayor

·         Jessen Farrell, Director, Office of Sustainability and Environment 

BACKGROUND: Urban Forestry is an area of both concern and opportunity in Washington. Mapped disparities in urban tree canopy mirror similar data showing the intersection of income levels, ethnicity, and poor human health outcomes. This issue of environmental justice and equity came to a head in 2021, when a heat dome killed more than 100 Washington residents.  

The City of Seattle and Washington DNR have each put an increased emphasis on urban forestry in recent years, which is now coming to a head with One Seattle Tree and an agreement between DNR and American Forests to create the first statewide tree equity collaborative in the country. With a huge influx of funding from state and federal partners coming down the pike, now is the time to showcase not only the work that’s been done by DNR, Seattle, and our partners (particularly along the Duwamish Greenbelt), but the need to do more.  

Having the event at Roxhill Park allows us to spotlight the Roxhill Bog, the last of what were 26 peat bogs in Seattle. It sits at the headwaters of Longfellow Creek, which flows into Puget Sound. It’s also one of many work sites for the Duwamish Alive! Event on April 15th.  Volunteer opportunities available, for more information at Duwamishalive.org.