How We Began
Oakland City Council cut the 2009-'11 budget for the Tree Services Division (a part of Public Works) because of the recession.
Tree Services laid off half of their employees, including 2 of their 3 work crews. They stopped pruning trees and stopped planting trees.
This situation inspired the founding of a new volunteer tree-planting program that later came to be called the Sierra Club Tree Team (or SCTT), which in turn gave rise to this program (Trees for Oakland, a project of the Oakland Parks & Recreation Foundation (OPRF)).
With the recession behind us, the Oakland Urban Forestry Forum and a coalition of community groups in Oakland urged the City Council to do these 3 things:
On July 1, 2017 the City Council approved the next 2-year budget, for Fiscal Years 2017-'18 and 2018-'19. It included a restored 5-person crew (4 tree trimmers and 1 supervisor) for tree maintenance, under the Alameda County Measure BB sales tax for transportation projects.
Oakland City Council cut the 2009-'11 budget for the Tree Services Division (a part of Public Works) because of the recession.
Tree Services laid off half of their employees, including 2 of their 3 work crews. They stopped pruning trees and stopped planting trees.
This situation inspired the founding of a new volunteer tree-planting program that later came to be called the Sierra Club Tree Team (or SCTT), which in turn gave rise to this program (Trees for Oakland, a project of the Oakland Parks & Recreation Foundation (OPRF)).
With the recession behind us, the Oakland Urban Forestry Forum and a coalition of community groups in Oakland urged the City Council to do these 3 things:
- restore funding for the Tree Services Division (part of Public Works) to at least the 2007 level of 30 employees;
- fund an Urban Forestry Management Plan;
- establish an Urban Forestry Commission or Task Force.
On July 1, 2017 the City Council approved the next 2-year budget, for Fiscal Years 2017-'18 and 2018-'19. It included a restored 5-person crew (4 tree trimmers and 1 supervisor) for tree maintenance, under the Alameda County Measure BB sales tax for transportation projects.
California Climate Investments
The "Trees for the Oakland Flatlands" project began as part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap‑and‑Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California.
For more information, visit the California Climate Investments website:
www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov
The "Trees for the Oakland Flatlands" project began as part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap‑and‑Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California.
For more information, visit the California Climate Investments website:
www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov
