Team Documentation update

Team members: Carol Haywood, Lee Lawson, Linnea Lemon, Pat Murphy, Carolyn Palaima, Chad Phelan, and Harry Savio

Question
How can we foster positive communication and effective public policy that will enhance and sustain our urban forest in a way that will benefit all our constituencies?

Priority One
Review existing policies, programs, and regulations for consistency and revise them.

* Inventory all tree policies, programs, and regulations.
* Determine specific conflicts, obstacles, and duplication.
* Propose changes that fix problems and improve effectiveness to achieve vision of a "green" Austin.

Priority Two
Create a vision for the urban forest that has community-wide support.

Priority Three
Quantify benefits of urban forest to communicate value, and increase and coordinate public education.


Additional Responses to Question from Group Exercise:
Reevaluate penalties and incentives concerning tree removals
Coordinate interdepartmental activities
Provide clear, one-stop location and exhibits for permitting process
City of Austin should lead by example
Revive tree tour map
Gather data
Create management plan/maintenance
Exhibits online
Neighborhood tree planting programs
Create Friends of the Urban Forest group
Effective policy = open, fair, predictable
Coordination with City Manager
Coordination with developers
Develop urban forestry department
Communicate "lessons learned" from ineffective policies/problems
Elect ecology-conscious public officials