This Handbook is Striving to Change Green Stormwater Infrastructure for Cities
/Urban tree canopies offer cities an alternative solution to stormwater problems. We’re joining the effort to save urban trees and get more of them in the ground.
The Puget Sound region is one of the fastest growing urban population centers in the United States, and the added roads, roofs, and other impervious surfaces, coupled with tree loss, has increased stormwater runoff.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, stormwater runoff is excess rainwater that isn’t absorbed into the ground after a storm event. This water often gathers pollutants as it travels across impervious surfaces and can contribute to flooding and erosion.
Fortunately, there are multiple ways to address this issue. For densely-populated areas like cities, trees are a great option. Tree canopies and root systems reduce stormwater volume and filter water, while also providing wildlife habitat, shade, and improved air quality, human health, and livability.
Unfortunately, growth planning, management policies, and implementation practices rarely embrace trees as part of the stormwater solution.
In an effort to change this, urban forestry and stormwater management professionals were brought together by King Conservation District to create The Puget Sound Urban Tree Canopy and Stormwater Management Handbook. The Handbook sheds light on science-based proof of the multiple benefits of urban trees and the findings of a tree canopy/hydrology modeling study. It also demonstrates the advantages of collaboration across industries and municipalities when designing and implementing green stormwater infrastructure.
How Can I Get Involved?
This month, we’re offering several opportunities to see what these collaborative green stormwater infrastructure projects can look like with tours across the Puget Sound.
Puyallup
On May 12, we‘re touring Clark’s Creek Basin in Puyallup, a partnership between the City of Puyallup Water Resource Division and Pierce Conservation District, which relocated approximately 1,000 linear feet of a creek from an existing ditch into a natural meandering stream with an adjacent floodplain, wetlands, and riparian habitat. Register and learn more here.
Renton
On May 19, we‘re touring the Renton Green Stormwater project, a recently completed green stormwater infrastructure project in a residential neighborhood. Renton’s urban forester, project manager, and surface water utility staff will share the journey to this successful implementation with us and discuss the importance of embarking on green stormwater infrastructure with interdepartmental collaboration. Register and learn more here.
Arlington
On May 26, we‘re touring Arlington’s Old Town Wetland, the City of Arlington's 10+ acre wetland. Stormwater and water resources staff from the city will guide us through the ‘stormwater park’ to observe the numerous features and benefits provided by the wetland and its vegetation. Register and learn more here.
Coming Soon! Urban Tree and Forest Canopy Cover Toolkit
We’ll also be releasing a web-based Urban Tree and Forest Canopy Cover Toolkit this fall to help municipalities develop policies and implement community investment programs to enhance tree cover for stormwater management and habitat restoration, and to address equity disparities related to urban tree cover.
This project is a partnership between the Whatcom Conservation District, cities, state agencies, and nonprofit partners to build stormwater solutions through collaboration with urban forestry and stormwater management professionals, policy makers, implementers, developers, community stakeholders, and residents.
Are you interested in being a part of the solution? Learn more about The Puget Sound Urban Tree Canopy and Stormwater Management Handbook with this 40-minute webinar. It dives into the handbook’s information, incentives, tools, and other resources related to the many benefits of urban trees.
Thank you to the Department of Natural Resources for funding our green infrastructure city tours and the Handbook webinar.
