Seattle, WA: The Last 6000
Program Title: The Last 6000
Year Adopted: 2015
City: Seattle, WA
Link: www.thelast6000.org
Description:
The Last 6000 initiative is a community-driven effort aimed at identifying, documenting, and protecting Seattle’s most significant trees with a trunk diameter of 30 inches or greater. This designation includes the remaining 6,338 trees in the city, identified through a LiDAR study conducted in 2015. These trees, known as "majestic trees," are vital for the city’s ecological health and the communities’ well-being, providing shade, reducing stormwater runoff, improving air quality, and serving as habitats for wildlife.
In response to the realization that these important trees are increasingly at risk due to urban development and climate change, The Last 6000 initiative seeks to create a comprehensive inventory of these trees to better understand their distribution, health, and ecological significance. A key challenge identified is the reliance on aerial canopy surveys, which often miss valuable details like species, tree health, and specific locations. To address this, the initiative emphasizes ground-level data collection and active participation from Seattle residents.
Community engagement is central to the initiative's success. Through the initiative’s online platform, residents are encouraged to take photos and provide information about trees they encounter in their neighborhoods. This grassroots effort creates an expansive tree census, helping to uncover trees that may not have been previously documented.
Beyond documentation, the initiative serves as a powerful advocacy tool, raising awareness of the critical role these trees play in Seattle's urban environment. As Seattle continues to grow, the Last 6000 aims to protect these trees from unnecessary removal or degradation, advocating for policy changes that prioritize the preservation of mature trees in urban spaces.
Impact:
The Last 6000 initiative effectively uses stakeholder engagement to protect Seattle’s mature trees through community-driven efforts. This grassroots tree census expands the scope of aerial surveys, providing a more comprehensive inventory of these vital trees. Through community engagement and advocacy, the initiative raises awareness of the ecological and cultural significance of these trees, advocating for policies that prioritize their protection amidst urban development and climate change.
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