 SHB 1078 failed to get voted out of the Washington State Legislature this year. Below is the e-mail we sent Legislators. We will be working on this issue to get it passed next year. E-Mails Needed to support tree replanting by developers! We need your help. Substitute House Bill – SHB 1078 is stuck in the House Appropriations Committee in the Washington State Legislature. It would require the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to establish optional model ordinances and recommendations for the use of tree banks to replace trees removed during development, including criteria for siting tree banks to replant trees and providing best practices for maintaining newly planted trees. We continue to advocate that developers maximize the retention of existing trees during development. Increased density requirements, however, are making it more difficult to retain trees on building sites. This bill is urging cities to replant new trees to increase climate resiliency and environmental equity when trees cannot be saved on building sites. While SHB 1078 is an important step in pushing for tree replacement requirements, the use of the term “tree banks” is confusing and has different meanings, including trees in nursery situations and tree stock development. We urge the terminology change from “tree banks” to “tree replanting areas”. We are urging Legislators to replace the definition of “Tree Banks” in the bill with the following: “Tree Replanting Areas” can be designated by a community to replace trees removed that cannot be retained or replanted on site. To compensate for tree loss, tree replanting programs shall provide for the payment of a fee in lieu to cover the cost of buying, planting, maintaining, and watering replacement trees to ensure their survival.” Please send an email today to urge the House to add these changes and to pass SHB 1078 this session! Don’t Clearcut Seattle has a pre-written e-mail you can quickly sent them. Feel free to add your own comments. EMAIL STATE REPRESENTATIVES |
| Thank you for supporting our urban forests! |
Friends of Urban Forests
Protecting trees and our urban forest infrastructure
