Summary Response Statement:*

Environmental and economic benefits provided by urban forests have not been fully realized in Orange County cities identified in F10 and the unincorporated areas of Orange County. Response: Disagrees partially with the finding. Given the limited focus of the Grand Jury Report on street trees (rather than multiple categories of trees cited in the report including street trees, park trees, homeowner association trees and private trees) and on costs associated only with liability claims from street trees, it is difficult to assess the validity of the broad statement of Finding 6. Further evaluation, specific to Orange County, could be conducted by the University of California (UC) Cooperative Extension Orange County, a component of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The County of Orange does not coordinate a cohesive urban forest program with its cities. Response: Agrees with the finding. Rather than funding a County position related to urban forestry management, the County of Orange provides core funding to leverage the expertise of the University of California (UC) Cooperative Extension Orange County, a component of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, to address critical issues in areas where researchers and professional educators have extraordinary expertise. UC Cooperative Extension responds to these critical issues by placing academics in the County to serve the residents in collaboration with various County Departments. In April 2019, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources invested in an urban forestry advisor position placed in Orange County. Tasked with conducting an education and applied research program addressing high priority issues in urban forest management, Dr. Beatriz Nobua- Behrmann has already implemented an active research and extension program targeting invasive shot-hole borers; currently the most significant exotic invasive pest of urban trees. General tree health in urban and wildland interfaces will also be one of her focus areas. Other priorities she will address include the value of urban forests for ecological functions (habitat, climate mitigation goals and air pollution) and value to human communities (recreation and aesthetics). Extension of her research will be delivered to a variety of clientele including arborists, city and county staff managing tree inventories, and professionals contracted to maintain our urban forests. UC Cooperative Extension is looking forward to bringing high quality urban forest research and education to Orange County to assist end users with improved urban forestry management.

The County of Orange does not have an allocated street budget for unincorporated areas (Appendix B). Response: Disagrees wholly with the finding. The County of Orange annually budgets $1.5 million for tree maintenance ($1,050,000 for trees within County road right-of-way and $450,000 for trees within Orange County Flood Control District right-of-way). The budgeted funds are used for tree maintenance that includes tree trimming and removal, tree replacement and planting, emergency responses, pest/disease management, arborist evaluations, and GPS inventory, along County maintained roads in unincorporated areas and along Orange County Flood Control District facilities throughout all of Orange County. In addition, OC Parks is responsible for approximately 100 street trees. There is no specific line item budget for the street trees, which are maintained from OC Parks' $3 million annual tree maintenance budget.