Remarks by Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman "Building Cities of Green" 1999 National Urban Forest Conference Seattle, Washington September 1, 1999 Release No. 0353.99 Remarks As Prepared for Delivery by Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman "Building Cities of Green" 1999 National Urban Forest Conference Seattle, Washington September 1, 1999 "Thank you very much, Dr. Sansolo, for that kind introduction. I want to commend you and Eddie Bauer, as well as the other companies involved in sponsoring this forum. It wasn't so long ago that we believed that corporate interests and environmental goals were inevitably at loggerheads. Thank you for breaking us out of that mindset...for proving that profit and preservation can indeed co-exist as complementary forces for progress. "This is an extraordinary gathering, one that reflects a very broad and successful partnership on urban forestry issues. We have the private sector; state forestry agencies and representatives from all levels of government; non-profits, environmental groups and a strong volunteer presence; as well as urban planners, scholars and other experts. "If I can, I'd like also to acknowledge USDA's people: Jim Lyons, our Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment and the thousands upon thousands of public servants who work for NRE and the Forest Service around the country. They do an outstanding job and too often don't get the recognition they deserve. "And, of course, a special thanks to Debra Gangloff, Gary Moll, Jonathan Silver and everyone associated with American Forests. Thank you for bringing us all together. But, more importantly, thank you for your years of advocacy and leadership on behalf of our trees and natural resources. "I'm proud of the partnership that the Department of Agriculture and the Forest Service are building with American Forests. Although I can't promise that, on my watch, USDA and American Forests will be quite as closely linked as they were a century ago. In the 1890s, the man who was Secretary of Agriculture, J. Sterling Morton, simultaneously served as the President of the American Forestry Association, the precursor to American Forests. Of course, we have ethics laws to prevent that sort of thing right now. "Secretary Morton didn't exactly grow up under the shadows of redwoods and sawtimbers. He was from Nebraska City, Nebraska. But nonetheless, he was a champion of forestry. In fact, it was his vision that led to the annual recognition of National Arbor Day. Both USDA and American Forests have done well to follow his example. "We have the good fortune of living during a remarkable time. We are, today, enjoying growth and prosperity virtually unprecedented in our nation's history -- 19 million new jobs; unemployment below 5 percent; record homeownership; and so on. "But even as we celebrate this robust economy, it's important that we not equate prosperity with quality of life. Certainly, prosperity is one aspect of it. But quality of life amounts to more than the bulge in our wallets or the additions we build onto our homes. Trees, parks, gardens, recreation, open space all these factor into our quality of life as well. "The Clinton Administration understands this. With the livability agenda and the Lands Legacy Initiative, among other efforts, the President and Vice President clearly recognize the need to balance development and conservation to create a marriage between growth and sustainability. They understand that pursuit of prosperity does not have to come at the expense of livability. "The need to focus on smart growth has never been greater. Economic mobility and the arrival of the information age have changed the very character and texture of the American city. In Boston, historic Fenway Park could soon face the wrecking ball, while a new software mecca has emerged around Route 128. Chicago's Miracle Mile still bustles, but some of the most rapid growth is happening in the high-tech corridor out by O'Hare Airport. And Seattle is still the Emerald City, but it's been stamped on the American consciousness as the home of Microsoft. "Businesses no longer need to tie themselves to downtown because downtown no longer represents a major population center. Cities can now be planned, instead of evolving naturally around a port or waterway, because the "stuff" of today's economy is not manufactured goods that need to be shipped but bits and bytes that can be electronically transmitted halfway around the world in a matter of seconds. "Cities are expanding, stretching their perimeters, taking in more people and swallowing up more land. The impact on agriculture -- and especially the American small family farm tradition -- is devastating. Our farmers, many of whom are already coping with weak prices and a scorching drought, are also losing a staggering 50 acres of farmland every hour of every day to sprawl and urban growth. "And of course, sprawl has not been good for urban forestry. As American Forests has pointed out, around Puget Sound, decades of development has left the majority of the land with less than 20 percent tree-canopy coverage. It's the same in almost every high-growth city around the country. Atlanta may be the poster child. Its population has doubled over the last twenty years, which is startling enough. But then consider the city's 400- fold increase in urbanized land area over the same period. Metropolitan Atlanta, which used to be a haven for the tree-lover, has lost 60 percent of its trees over the last quarter century. "This de-greening of our cities has been something of a stealth phenomenon. It's a slow-moving, gradual menace, not a quick strike. As a result, it's harder to detect, and it doesn't get much attention. But using satellite images and computer mapping technology, we're now able to better identify lost tree cover. I know that American Forests has condensed this technique into an affordable software package, CITYgreen, which will allow cities and communities to assess ecosystem damage so they can work to repair it. And I know that many others in this audience are working on similar technologies. "We have many leaders around the country who understand the problem of urban deforestation and are committed to solving it. Here in this area, King County Executive Ron Sims is launching a new public-private partnership to plant 200,000 trees by the end of the year 2000 along the Mountains to Sound Greenway. "Mayor Richard Daley has told me that his proudest achievement is the planting of hundreds of thousands of new trees in Chicago. And that's saying a lot for a very innovative mayor with a strong overall record and a national reputation as a leader in education reform. "Governor Barnes of Georgia has taken the bold step of establishing a new anti-sprawl agency, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority. Joel Cowan, who heads the agency, is here to speak about plans to address the deforestation problem in the state, and especially in Atlanta. "But we still have plenty of work to do to make Americans take notice of the dwindling natural resource base in their cities. We need to help them understand the cost associated with lost trees. And we need to help them understand what urban forestry can mean for them and their communities. "It goes far beyond the aesthetic and the ornamental, although neither of those should be overlooked. There are critical environmental benefits. Trees act as buffers that keep pollutants out of our water stream. Trees act as carbon sinks, capturing greenhouse gases and emitting clean oxygen. While asphalt and buildings trap heat, trees are natural coolants, making them especially important as we grapple with the complexities of a global climate change solution. "And, of course, the ecological can't be separated from the economic. Cooler air means lower energy bills for families. Cleaner water not only cuts down on the considerable expense of distillation, it means healthier and more abundant fishing stocks, which are a critical source of income for so many people in this part of the country. And by slowing the pace of stormwater runoff, trees also help prevent flooding, which means millions saved in both flood-prevention infrastructure and post-disaster recovery. "There are still other ways in which urban forestry can be an economic asset. Competitive corporations and talented workers will naturally be drawn to an attractive, green community. Tree-lined bike paths and leafy parks are a tourism magnet. In many cities, trees and parks are also boosting real estate values, thus enhancing individual family wealth and generating more property tax revenue, which leads to better public schools. "Community forestry also contributes to the overall health of the society, as it encourages outdoor activity and exercise. Again, this translates into an economic benefit, because a more fit people means lower health insurance premiums for families and businesses alike. "Then there are social benefits less tangible, perhaps, but no less important. The fact is that community landscape affects community psyche. People will treat their neighborhood according to the way it looks. Vacant lots and boarded-up buildings invite anti-social behavior. The famous "Broken Windows" theory about crime holds that a single broken window sets a tone that can lead to a downward spiral of social decay. If that's true, then perhaps a single tree can send a positive message about community stewardship and give rise to a sense of hope and renewal. "Of course, I'm preaching to the proverbial choir here. We all know both the problems and the opportunities. The question is: what are we doing about it? The answer from us at USDA is: we're doing quite a bit. "We have been a dedicated and reliable community forestry partner. Last fiscal year, our Urban and Community Forestry Program was active in over 10,000 communities, providing planning help, technical assistance, community- based grants and more. That included nearly a million and a half training hours and 2.3 million hours of conservation assistance to local governments and grass roots organizations. "We did this on a budget of $26.8 million, and that doesn't even include the millions more in cash and in-kind services generated by leveraging the USDA investment. The President demonstrated his commitment with a year 2000 budget request of $40 million for USDA's Urban and Community Forestry Program. I can't promise that we'll get the full amount, but I am working with Congress to ensure that urban forestry gets priority treatment. "Thinking longer-term, we want to see some security and stability for both our Urban and Community Forest Program and the Interior Department's Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery Program. Today, I am sending a letter to Chairman Murkowski of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Chairman Young of the House Committee on Resources, urging them to include permanent authorization of Urban and Community Forestry in any Land and Water Conservation Fund bill they report out of their committees. This authorization would assure us of a reliable annual budget, no longer leaving our program at the mercy of the whims of the appropriations process. "But we have to do more, and we are. I am also sending a letter today to all 50 of our nation's governors and the Mayor of the District of Columbia, calling on them to establish Millennium Groves in their capital cities. As a symbolic gesture, USDA will contribute 100 trees to each of these groves, buying them from American Forests' collection of Famous & Historic Trees. When completed, these groves will stand both as reminders of our nation's rich urban forestry tradition and as standing symbols of a renewed commitment to urban regreening in the 21st century. "We're not simply going to parachute in, drop off some trees, help with the planting, and then never be heard from again. As with all of our community forestry efforts, we'll be there with the technical assistance needed to maintain these groves. We understand that a successful and lasting garden or grove requires consistent feeding and care. "We have to set our sights high. We must set more ambitious tree- planting goals. I'd like to see us work together to try to plant 50 million new trees in and around cities every year. Even as we are mindful of budget limitations and challenges, we must remember that planting trees is an investment that brings a substantial return. We should start seeing trees not just as decorations but as infrastructure, as important to the life of a community as roads, bridges and sewer systems. "At USDA, when we think about community forestry, we don't limit ourselves to the jurisdiction and capabilities of the Forest Service. We approach this as a multidisciplinary effort that cuts across our mission areas. "For example, our Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services guards our borders against the infiltration of invasive species like the Asian long- horned beetle, which has ravaged treasured hardwood trees in Chicago and New York City neighborhoods. Our researchers are exploring ways to control pests like White Pine Blister Rust, which does so much damage in urban forests and wildlands here in the pacific northwest. "With our Backyard Conservation campaign, we help homeowners practice sound environmental stewardship in their lawns and gardens. We also have farm programs that encourage farmers to idle sensitive land and minimize runoff into adjacent waterways. "We work with other cabinet departments, state agencies and local governments to develop innovative approaches to community forestry. In Seattle and a dozen other cities, we've formed the Urban Resources Partnership, which brings people and their governments together to solve environmental problems and improve quality of life. "The most heartening feature of the URP program is that it draws its strength from local ingenuity and enthusiasm. Here in Seattle, you've got local government working with inner city residents, community groups, non- profits, youth conservation corps and businesses like SeaFirst Bank and Ashgrove Cement on a number of projects, including an effort to re-green the banks of the Duwamish River and protect endangered salmon populations. "It is this kind of bottom-up energy that ultimately makes urban forestry efforts work. All the programs and legislation will be for naught unless people are engaged. Volunteers are the very heart and soul of community forestry. Federal support is critical, but our role is as catalyst, supporting the initiative that emanates from the grass roots. "In a society that threatens to become increasingly atomized -- everyone keeping to themselves and looking out for their interests -- tree-planting can be a force for community cohesion. When neighbors come together to re-green their streets and common areas, it strengthens the community fabric and enhances civic values and activism. "I want to close with this thought. I'm sure many of you are familiar with Shel Silverstein's classic children's book The Giving Tree. In it, a young boy befriends a tree, who gives of herself everything the boy needs to be happy throughout the stages of his life. She is a playmate when he is young. She gives him her apples to sell for money. As he grows into a man, the tree gives him her branches so he can build a house...and eventually her entire trunk so he can build a boat. At the story's end, they are reunited -- the boy weary and unfulfilled, the tree pared and diminished. Finally, all the tree has to offer the boy is her stump on which to sit. "The book has often been interpreted as a parable about parental indulgence and childish ingratitude. But I think it can be read as a cautionary tale about our treatment of our natural resources. Trees generously provide us with food, shade, shelter and transportation. They give. And too often, we take and take and take, with little regard for the consequences. Finally, the taking becomes a form of abuse, and there are no trees left to take from. "When we take from our trees without any reciprocity, we do get some short-term gratification. But ultimately, like the boy in the story, we end up taking away a little bit of ourselves. For us to be a strong people in the fullest sense -- socially, economically and environmentally -- we must show some restraint in dealing with nature. And we must put back and replace what we've taken away. "That's your vision, and I am committed to working with you to realize it. Thank you very much. #