On June 19, the City of Colton Sustainability Team was awarded the prestigious Climate Protection Award by the U.S. Conference of Mayors via satellite transmission from Florida.
Several staff members, Directors, the City Manager and Elected Officials gathered in the Council Chambers to hear the presentation, which was awarded to Mayor Frank J Navarro, on behalf of the City of Colton Sustainability Team.
“The presentation of this award was truly an honor,” exclaimed Adrianne Rogers one of the senior members of the award-winning Sustainability Team. She went on to continue, “We’ve been working hard to bring to fruition the ‘City of Colton Urban Heat Resilience Program.’” This said program, is an initiative aimed at mitigating the urban heat island effect and enhancing community resilience to extreme heat events. The key component of this program is the Urban Forest Management Plan, which is a strategic blueprint to increase the city’s tree canopy from 7 percent to 30 percent, providing shade, improving air quality, and reducing surface temperatures.
Members of the Sustainability Team who were in attendance at the presentation were Starkisha Mason Ealy, Cecilia Griego, Adrianne Rogers, Irving Medina, and Nicole Munoz. Not in attendance was Jessica Sutorus, Environmental Conservation Supervisor who not only leads this team but spearheaded the city-wide Urban Forest Management Plan.
The Plan includes the planting of a sustainable and resilient mix of healthy trees throughout the city of Colton’s public parks, avenues, parkways, arroyos, rivers, and open space. Colton’s trees provide residents and the business community with beauty, shade, comfort, health and economic benefits. Colton’s trees are cared for, valued, and protected by the city and its citizens as a “treasured” community asset.
To launch the Management Plan the City partnered with the Robert Redford Conservancy to perform a Climate Vulnerability Assessment which found several conditions that needed to be targeted, such as, increasing temperatures, higher energy consumption, and health risks for at-risk populations. This assessment shaped the plan design and interventions to improve resilience and reduce emissions. Additionally, the City also partnered with Tree People and local utilities to plant over 500 trees in key areas, such as main street thoroughfares and walking routes to schools.
The City of Colton’s Urban Heat Resilience Program is more than tree planting – it’s a holistic climate strategy with proven benefits to public health, the environment, and the local economy. The program stands as a model for sustainable urban resilience.
All of the members of the Sustainability Team and Management Plan partners are to be congratulated for their efforts and success in designing and implementing the Urban Forest Management Plan. The City of Colton is certainly proud to recognize all of our employees, and whenever a special occasion arises, such as the prestigious Climate Protection Award, we can all celebrate our successes due to hard work, innovation, drive, enthusiasm and service to the community.