BOARD MATTER

Research and Implementation of
Urban Forestry Practices that will help Improve Fairfax County's Air Quality and Environment

June 20, 2005

Mr. Chairman:

I wanted to bring to the attention of the Board, and the public at large some motivating information that we obtained at the most recent MWAQC Strategic Planning Session. The focus of the meeting was a discussion of the various jurisdictional programs to improve air quality in the Washington Metropolitan Region. Multiple jurisdictions made presentations at the meeting. Each of the presenting jurisdictions had their own success story. Fairfax County staff reported on our County Diesel retrofits and wind power purchasing programs. Of particular note, Montgomery County made a presentation on their tree planting program. As we all know, trees are not only loved for their beauty but can play a crucial environmental role in protecting and improving our land, water and air quality. The intent of the MWAQC meeting was to share successful air quality improvement programs with the goal of encouraging replication of those successes throughout the region. Fairfax County presently has 42% tree cover and should aggressively pursue management practices that use existing and planted trees to improve our air quality.

Motion:
With that goal in mind, I therefore move that the Board direct the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services; Urban Forestry Management Division to prepare a report that delineates what urban forestry-related practices, including tree planting, that Fairfax County can use to improve our air quality and how these practices can be included in our air quality management plans, and to identify a set of best practices with the intent of creating a comprehensive urban forest management plan that will protect our community's trees and maximize the delivery of all the environmental, social and economic benefits that they provide.

I further move that the Board direct the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, the Department of Planning and Zoning and the County Attorney's office to investigate the possibility of creating a funding mechanism for a County wide tree planting program through the use of reparations obtained from violations of tree save commitments, cash proffers and in kind proffer commitments obtained during the land development process.