PART 1 - Developing Effective Urban Tree Regulations on Private Property

Session 4D | Thursday | 9:15 AM – 10:30 AM (PT)

Urban forests in Washington State are critical natural resources that help make our communities green, vibrant, and livable! With the rising demands of housing and development - having clear and robust tree regulations is critical to balancing the needs of tree canopy and urban growth. Join this session to learn about the crucial role of robust tree regulations in safeguarding urban forests in Washington State. Facet, in collaboration with King County Land and Water Resources Division's Urban Forestry Program, presents a comprehensive guide for developing effective tree regulations on private property. This resource offers detailed guidance and illustrations for updating tree ordinances to balance tree canopy needs with urban growth. The session includes two parts: first an introduction to the Guide to Developing Effective Tree Regulations by project leaders, and second, a panel discussion with local planning and urban forestry experts sharing lessons from their recent code updates. Don't miss this opportunity to learn, engage, and contribute to better tree regulations.

Kim Frappier, ISA Certified Arborist

Kim is an environmental planner and urban forester with expertise in urban forest health and management and restoration ecology. She is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist, Qualified Tree Risk Assessor, and has a Master of Science degree from the University of Washington's College of Forest Resources. Kim is experienced in and passionate about supporting local communities to manage their urban forest resources through comprehensive tree inventories and assessments, management planning, tree regulation updates, and stewardship of forested natural areas. Kim brings her combined expertise in planning and arboriculture to support public and private clients across Western Washington to navigate the regulatory landscape.

Joanna J Nelson de Flores

Urban Forestry Program Manager, King County

Joanna leads King County's urban forestry program, including the countywide Urban Forestry Forum, fostering collaboration among jurisdictions to advance urban forestry initiatives and develop and share best practices, including tree regulations. With 17 years of prior nonprofit experience implementing community-based urban forestry programs across a network of 14 jurisdictions throughout the Puget Sound region, she's dedicated to enhancing urban forests for thriving communities.

PART 2 - Developing Effective Urban Tree Regulations on Private Property

Session 4D | Thursday | 9:15 AM – 10:30 AM (PT)

Urban forests in Washington State are critical natural resources that help make our communities green, vibrant, and livable! With the rising demands of housing and development - having clear and robust tree regulations is critical to balancing the needs of tree canopy and urban growth. Join this session to learn about the crucial role of robust tree regulations in safeguarding urban forests in Washington State. Facet, in collaboration with King County Land and Water Resources Division's Urban Forestry Program, presents a comprehensive guide for developing effective tree regulations on private property. This resource offers detailed guidance and illustrations for updating tree ordinances to balance tree canopy needs with urban growth. The session includes two parts: first an introduction to the Guide to Developing Effective Tree Regulations by project leaders, and second, a panel discussion with local planning and urban forestry experts sharing lessons from their recent code updates. Don't miss this opportunity to learn, engage, and contribute to better tree regulations.

Deb Powers, ISA Certified Arborist, Tree Risk (TRAQ) Assessor

Senior Arborist, Facet

Deb is a Senior Arborist at Facet with a background in a broad range of urban forest management for public and private sector clients. Prior to joining Facet, Deb worked as the Urban Forester for the cities of Kirkland and Edmonds, reviewing tree protection permits, resolving code enforcement issues, assessing tree canopy cover and working with diverse stakeholder and citizen groups on complex urban forestry issues. Deb led multiple tree ordinance updates, and her urban forestry policy guidance includes work on Kirkland's 2015 Comprehensive Plan/2020 Shoreline Master Program updates and 2020 Sustainability Master Plan and 2013 Urban Forestry Strategic Management Plan development. Deb began her career in arboriculture as one of the first female tree crew members with the SDOT and Seattle Parks tree crews.

Devin Melville, ISA Certified Arborist

Devin is an environmental planner and ISA Certified Arborist who has worked as a consultant in the greater Seattle area for more than eight years. Her experience lies in working with regulatory frameworks for subject matter such as shorelines, critical areas, trees, and building and development codes. Utilizing both her planning and arboricultural experience, Devin works on urban forestry related projects, including analyzing existing tree code regulations, updating and amending regulations, researching urban forestry trends, and evaluating best management practices.

Josh Petter

Urban Forest Planner, City of Burien

Josh is the Urban Forest Planner for the City of Burien. He helps the City and residents with tree policy, risk assessments, tree maintenance, and long-term planning. He grew up in Massachusetts and has been in the Pacific Northwest since 2016. After graduating from the University of Vermont with a B.S. in environmental studies he worked for four seasons at a tree nursery. He later moved to Oregon to pursue an M.S. in Forest Ecosystems and Society at Oregon State University, as well as certificates in GIS and Urban Forestry. He is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Board Certified Master Arborist, Qualified Tree Risk Assessor

Katie Hogan, ISA Certified Arborist, Qualified Tree Risk Assessor

Katie brings a decade of experience as an arborist and urban forester, having worked extensively on diverse public and private projects. Her expertise includes preparing arborist reports and applying technical knowledge to resolve complex tree-related challenges. Previously, she held a position at the City of Kirkland, where she conducted peer reviews of application materials spanning residential units to capital improvements. In her current role as founder of Cascara Tree Consulting, Katie collaborates closely with project engineers to evaluate tree protection strategies and ensure compliance with local regulations. Her dual background in both public and private sectors offers a distinctive perspective on integrating tree preservation practices into development processes.

Ian Gray, Grad. Cert. Urban Forestry, Board Certified Master Arborist (ISA), Municipal Specialist (ISA), TRAQ (ISA)

City of Renton, Urban Forestry and Natural Resources Manager. Ian Gray is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist with a Graduate Certificate in Urban Forestry from Oregon State University. He is also an ISA certified Municipal Specialist and a Tree Risk Assessor, with over 25 years of experience in both the private and public sectors. Having started his arboricultural career as a tree planter and then a climbing production arborist, he has worked as an urban forester for the city of Claremont in California, the City of Aspen in Colorado and currently for the City of Renton in Washington. He is the current Vice Chair of the Washington Community Forestry Council, an advisory body to the Washington DNR Urban & Community Forestry program.

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