Trees
On July 14, 2021, Climate Central published a report which analyzed 159 cities for the intensity of urban heat islands within their city limits. Bend was rated 14th. One of the deciding factors was Bend’s lack of vegetation coverage. The city council has ignored this report and any environmental consequences of development in Bend.
In 2019, I introduced an amendment to the Bend Development Code which would protect some of Bend’s mature trees. The city council has refused to discuss it, and our mature trees continue to fall.
There are practical solutions to save some of Bend’s iconic native trees and still achieve the density required by Oregon’s land use laws.
Trees are not just an indulgence for nature lovers; they are essential to our health and our quality of life. If I am elected, I will introduce a tree protection code to start a city-wide discussion on how better to preserve our iconic native trees.