Lakewood To Form Committee For Tree Preservation

LAKEWOOD, WA — Love trees and the City of Lakewood? This might be the perfect opportunity for you. The City of Lakewood has announced plans to create a new, ad hoc committee to help review the city's tree preservation guidelines.

Earlier this year, the Lakewood City Council adopted a new energy and climate change chapter into the City's Comprehensive Plan, which calls for reduced energy consumption and increased preservation of local tree canopy and wetlands. But, as the city works to protect local foliage, they're hoping this new committee will help guide them towards smart, sustainable decisions.

“Trees are good neighbors," said Dave Bugher, Assistant City Manager for the City of Lakewood. "They capture carbon, improve air quality, and beautify neighborhoods. Through this balanced process, we hope to establish popular, workable, and effective protections for them.”

According to a release from the city, the Tree Advisory Ad Hoc Committee will meet six times between February and May, and will ideally be made up of 13 members, representing a diverse set of opinions. It will need to include:

• Two people with environmental expertise.
• Two with expertise in real estate or development.
• Two from CDBG-eligible Qualified Census Tracts
• One member from a local neighborhood homeowner association.
• A member of the Lakewood Youth Council.

If any of those sound like you, the city is encouraging you to apply to join the committee on its website. Applications must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2022.