Call to Action – Protect Sonoma Oak and Forests Lands
Tell the Board of Supervisors to Place a Temporary Moratorium on Tree Removal in Sonoma County
For decades Sonoma county’s iconic oak forests have been excessively cleared in the name of development without rigorous regard for the ecological importance of native oak and forest lands. Currently we do not know how many acres of Oak forests are being cut down every year.
We are urgently asking the Board of Supervisors to immediately enact a temporary ordinance prohibiting destruction of oak woodlands, pending study of climate, fire, watershed, and habitat impacts.
What You Can Do
Show up (Virtually) on May 18th to the BOS meeting and speak during public comments!
RSVP to our Facebook Event to be alerted when it’s time to comment!
or
Contact the Board of Supervisors
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Board-of-Supervisors/Contact-Board-of-Supervisors/
District 1 Susan Gorin – Susan.Gorin@sonoma-county.org
District 2 David Rabbitt – David.Rabbitt@sonoma-county.org
District 3 – Chris Coursey – Chris.Coursey@sonoma-county.org
District 4 – James Gore – district4@sonoma-county.org
District 5 – Lynda Hopkins – district5@sonoma-county.org
Please cc: scca@conservationaction.org
Hold Your Electeds to Their Word!
On September 17, 2019, the Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County Declared a Climate Emergency and pledged to support a county-wide framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to pursue local actions that support, among other goals, protecting and enhance the value of open and working lands and increasing carbon sequestration.
On January 26th the Board of Supervisors will meet to set the agenda for the year, it is vital we use the public comment time to ensure that the Board Of Supervisors places a Moratorium on Tree Removal on the upcoming agenda.
Trees play a major role in combating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and converting it into biomass through photosynthesis, Oak forests sequester carbon in the form of biomass, deadwood, litter and in forest soils. The sink of carbon sequestered in forests helps to offset other sources of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, such as deforestation, forest fires, and fossil fuel emissions.
Talking Points
- Currently Sonoma County is cutting down an unknown number of acres of Oaks and woodlands per year.
- The Oak is a keystone species which is a species that exerts great influence on an ecosystem relative to its abundance. There is more oak tree biomass in Northern America than any other tree group. Oaks are the backbone of many different forest communities and provide immeasurable ecosystem service
- Yes, we need to plant trees, but we also need to protect our existing forests.
- Natural forests store 50% more carbon than planted forests
- Mature forests store significantly more carbon than younger trees.
- We have nearly no protection currently and the trend is increasing.
- We don’t even track the numbers of acres lost, it’s all a one-off approval without an ecosystem-wide view of the situation.
