Cascade Heights - 2013

By the year 2016, Cascade Heights will have a well maintained community forest that will provide recreational opportunities for its citizens to socialize and/or improve their health, abundant canopy cover to help reduce stormwater runoff and soil erosion, a sense of place and belonging by ensuring landmarks for the future, an attractive venue to improve business traffic and increase property value, aesthetic beauty to the city to soften the linearity of its structures, adequate shade to streets and buildings to help reduce energy costs, and adequate cover and nutrients to sustain a diverse wildlife population. The forest will have well-maintained trees to reduce hazards, a diverse species population with no one species comprising more than 10% of the population, a forest-like (or non-structured) feel, a planned and structured feel, a park-like feel, a good mix of age and size classes, Additional outdoor recreation facilities. Interpretive Trails Environmental Education Facility, low-maintenance trees to reduce operating costs, native tree species appropriate for the region, and adequate canopy cover in parking lots to provide shade. The trees that make up the forest will be a good mixture of small, medium, and large trees optimized for the available space, be predominantly medium-sized trees, be predominantly large-canopied trees, be strong-wooded, be wind resistant, be ice-resistant, provide beautiful seasonal flowers, and have aesthetically pleasing autumn colors. The citizens of Cascade Heights will help reduce labor costs by volunteering to inventory, plant and maintain trees, be educated on tree-related issues by attending workshops, Volunteer to provide training workshops. Volunteer to provide Tours and special events. , assist with developing tree ordinances and tree-related policies, and be motivated to maintain adequate tree canopy cover by planting trees on their property. Cascade Heights will Provide community based contract agreements to maintain, manage and organize the programs and activities of the urban forest for the community and for stakeholders., provide necessary funding to ensure the sustainability of the community forest, provide periodic tree maintenance training to its staff, contract arboricultural services to ISA certified arborists with appropriate experience, understand the importance of having healthy trees in the city, encourage cooperation and coordination among municipal departments where trees are involved, and have an ISA certified arborist on staff.