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Thank you for including urban forestry in the scoping plan.  There
are additional measures that will move the state closer to the
reduction goals.

Urban forest trees providing shade on individual structures will
reduce the need for cooling energy.  

The use of trees to enhance a neighborhood's appearance and
cooling temperatures will encourage more walking or bike riding
and less vehicle use.

The use of individual solar panel units on homes is in direct
conflict with the use of trees to shade and reduce energy used for
cooling.  Instead of individual solar systems, group or farms could
be set in strategic locations such as urban parking structures
(where the shade will improve air quality), large or tall building
roofs that are not easily shaded and would doubly benefit from the
shade of the solar panels.

The sequestration of carbon will be increased.

There are great opportunities for urban wood utilization.  The
state could support this limited market by grouping or
coordinating between smaller markets and regions.

There are many environmental co-benefits to trees such as improved
air quality, reduced ambient air temperature and heat island
effects, enhanced community appeal, increasing the tree canopy in
underserved communities.  

The state could set models for creating ordinances or laws to
protect existing tree canopy and setting targets for new tree
canopy. There should be a direct requirement to include urban
trees with new development or re-development to offset the impacts
of human activities.

There are great opportunities to include trees along most state
routes to mitigate air quality and provide shade reducing the
ambient air temperature and heat island effect.

Many of the tree planting opportunities can be performed by
volunteers and nonprofits building community, civic pride, and
support for the state goals. Following the tree planting, young
tree maintenance can be performed by the same groups.  This
provides a large return on investment.

Another area the state could set parameters with is the leadership
with landscape architects and tree growing nurseries to use the
best tree species in designs and growing those trees.  Nurseries
continue to grow trees known to be high BVOC emitters and
Landscape Architects continue to specify high BVOC emitters,
infrastructure damaging species, and often don't provide the
necessary space for the plant to thrive.  With every landscape
design, a maintenance plan should be required to support the
design achieving the intended affect.