HomeMy WebLinkAboutAndy LipkisAndy Lipiks' comments on a Sustainable Urban Forestry Project in
Anchorage, Alaska.
Sounds like a great project and vision.
I remember walking along the bike path and seeing the lovely forested
lands along the river and creeks, and it seemed as if there was a lot of
down and broken trees and a need for maintenance and pruning to improve
the health and watershed functionality of the areas. For areas that are
wild or wilderness lands, of course you don't want to be harvesting or
pruning, but for heavy use areas throughout the urban area, from my very
short visit, it seemed like there was a huge opportunity to harvest the
surplus biomass. Of course, the forest needs some of it recycled as
mulch so the nutrients can recycle and help feed the trees...and ensure
there is a healthy soil habitat. I may have also mentioned that all the
biomass generated on private property as well as park lands, could be
utilized for energy and nutrients, and that because biomass makes up
such a large part of the solid waste stream in most cities, there is
probably an opportunity to create a program where urban youth, perhaps
in a conservation corps setting, can be employed helping to manage the
biomass and thereby save the city a lot of money in collection, trucking
and landfill costs.
I don't know all the systems in place in Anchorage, so I can't give you
the precise recommendations, but I suspect that there are some
interconnected urban infrastructure functions that can be most cost
effectively managed via the approach we call "functioning community
forest" wherein flood prevention, stormwater quality, water supply,
solid waste management and energy conservation amongst other functions,
are integrated into one system that saves funds and creates significant
employment opportunities (or Green Collar Jobs).
Andy Lipkis, President TreePeople
"Helping Nature Heal Our Cities"