ABSTRACT: Tree Statistics were cited accompanying an article by Herald Correspondent Tom Karwin on Tuesday, September 25, 2007. The statistics cited include 10,000-12,000 trees on public land and 20,000+ trees on private land; a total of 30,000-32,000 public and private trees in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Yet, the City’s General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan Open Space cites 28,693 total trees in 1983-1986. Since Carmelites know by empirical observation that the number of trees have dramatically decreased since 1986 and the city is obligated to “complete a Citywide survey and database update every four years," questions concerning the most accurate and recent statistics on the number, size and species of public and private trees in Carmel-by-the-Sea are asked.
Last Tuesday, September 25, 2007, Herald Correspondent Tom Karwin cited statistics accompanying his article, “Carmel’s declining forest: Arbor groups hold forum to save urban canopy.” The statistics cited include 10,000-12,000 trees on public land and 20,000+ trees on private land; a total of 30,000-32,000 public and private trees in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Yet, the City’s General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan Open Space, Conservation & Scenic Highways Element, Table 7.2 Number of Public and Private Trees in Carmel’s Urban Forest, cites 28,693 total trees in 1983-1986. Note: The 1983-1986 statistics are over two decades old.
Carmelites know by empirical observation that the number and age diversity of trees have dramatically decreased since 1986.
The City’s General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan states “The City of Carmel maintains an ongoing survey of trees by species and size, started in 1971.” Yet the latest statistics for Carmel-by-the-Sea public and private trees are from 1983-1986, over two decades old. Moreover, P5-53 states “Complete a Citywide survey and database update every four years. Compile the data by size of tree and species in an electronic format.”
QUESTIONS:
• Since the number of trees in Carmel-by-the-Sea has decreased dramatically since 1986, how can there be a total of 30,000-32,000 total trees in Carmel-by-the-Sea, when in 1986 there were a total of 28,693?
• Since a “Citywide survey and database update” is supposed to be completed every four years, what are the most accurate and recent statistics on the number, size and species of public and private trees in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
REFERENCES:
General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan Open Space, Conservation & Scenic Highways Element
Supporting Information
Open Space
Carmel's Urban Forest. Table 7.2 summarizes the increase in the overall urban forest on both private and publicly owned property as of 1987.
Table 7.2: Number of Public and Private Trees in Carmel’s Urban Forest
Summary of Table 7.2:
Total Number of Public & Private Trees (1983-1986): 28,693
Total Number of Public & Private Trees (1976-1979): 27,403
Change: 1,290 more trees in 1983-1986 than 1976-1979.
Between 1976-1979 and 1983-1986, there were 288 more “Pine” trees, 1813 more “Oak” trees and 821 less “Other” trees.; a total of 1290 more trees.
Source: “A Guide to Management of Carmel’s Forests, Parks and Beaches”, 1981; City Forestry Department, 1987
General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan Coastal Resource Management Element
G5-4 Preserve and enhance the City's legacy of an urbanized forest of predominantly Monterey pine, coast live oak and Monterey Cypress. (LUP)
O5-10 Maintain a Citywide map and database of trees and landscaped areas to support tree planting and maintenance programs. (LUP)
P5-53 Complete a Citywide survey and database update every four years. Compile the data by size of tree and species in an electronic format. Also survey replacement trees required by permit conditions of approval. Report survey information and the status of replacement trees to the Forest and Beach Commission and Planning Commission at the conclusion of each yearly survey. Continue to monitor replacement trees for at least one survey cycle (i.e., 4 years). (LUP)
O5-14 Maintain a healthy forest.
P5-89 Provide the City Council, Planning Commission and Forest and Beach Commission with information on an annual basis from the ongoing tree survey regarding projected changes in the composition of the forest and recommendations for policy amendments. (LUP)
General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan Coastal Resource Management Element
Carmel-by-the-Sea Page 5-7
The City of Carmel maintains an ongoing survey of trees by species and size, started in 1971. Since that time, the numbers of Monterey pines on public property declined roughly 2%, while the decline on private property has reached 10%. It is unclear whether pine pitch canker is entirely responsible for the decline on private property; there are many other factors including disease, development impacts, and old age. Though many large mature trees can probably survive pitch canker, given the age of the City’s Monterey pine forest, coupled with the susceptibility of young trees to the disease, the overall health of the City’s pine forest may be in jeopardy. As the number of Monterey Pines declined since 1971, the number of Coast Live Oaks increased 17% on private property and 40% on public property. The increase in oaks, dramatic as it may be, cannot offset the loss of Monterey pines, which impart a very different sense of place for the village. (LUP)
Steps must be taken to minimize the threat to existing healthy Monterey pines and new seedlings to ensure continued diversity in species, age, and location. This document includes policies to respond to this issue. Disturbance and/or removal of mature and disease resistant trees during construction or other development activities should be avoided. Permit conditions requiring replacement trees for those removed from private land should be monitored and enforced to ensure that the trees are healthy and reach maturity. Replacements should also be in like kind. It is essential that these and other policy directives be carried out to ensure that the Monterey pine forest landscape is protected so that the forested character of this unique coastal village is preserved. (LUP)
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