The Challenge

In 2018, the County confirmed impervious surface was increasing at the rate of 9 acres per year. The County has not offered more recent data on impervious surface, and the County refuses to update tree canopy data. Despite spending nearly $400,000 to update a combined Urban Forest and Natural Resources master plan, the County rebuffs requests for updated canopy data.

Could it be to avoid conceding extent of tree canopy decline?  Given the rapidly shrinking urban forest, the county could become one huge heat island! At a recent County Board meeting, one member responded to ATAG’s call for declaring a climate emergency as “a rhetorical device.”

The facts prove the contrary. Flooding, as seen in July 2018, is increased by tree removal and more impervious surfaces. (Arlington County estimated the land cover committed to impervious surfaces in 2018 as 45%, a serious increase over the 2001 when it was 40%.

The Arlington County Civic Federation passed a resolution on “Flood Mitigation and Stormwater Management for a Flood-Resilient Arlington” in November 2019 outlining the need to consider solutions that help control stormwater from all sources through better watershed management.

Natural Infrastructure Assessment, Snoqualimie WA (June 2020) - Quantitative valuation of green infrastructure alternatives using trees to control flooding at lower cost than traditional “gray infrastructure”.

Experts at the Green Infrastructure Center (Richmond, VA) have viewed Arlington’s tree canopy and demonstrated successful flood control services for use in multiple cities.

Air Quality

Trees are one of the most effective ways to prevent and reduce air pollution. Trees absorb tons of carbon dioxide,

The American Lung Association’s city rankings in its 2019 “State of the Air” report found that Arlington received an ozone grade of F and a 24-hour Particulate Pollution grade of only B. According to the EPA, ozone is a powerful oxidant that irritates airways especially for those with asthma, children, older adults and outdoor workers.