Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘wind storm 2020’

Jan 5

2020 Year In Review

Read the full 2020 Year in Review here.

Happy New Year!

2021 is here! SLCgreen is excited to move forward. But as we prepare for the year to come, we’re also ready to incorporate what we’ve learned from 2020.

At the beginning of 2020, SLCgreen was eagerly preparing for a new administration and planning for a year of innovative sustainability projects. After a busy 2019 we were ready to take the next steps towards bringing net-100% renewable energy to our community. A new state-of-the-art recycling facility was near completion. And an innovative resident-led food equity program was convening to help improve food access in Salt Lake City. 

The challenges of the past year have been harrowing. Within the first months of 2020, Salt Lake City pivoted our work to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. We experienced an earthquake that damaged our homes and businesses. Hurricane-force winds toppled thousands of trees and left many members of our communities without power for several days.  

Despite it all, SLCgreen was able to accomplish many of our goals with the help of our dedicated crews and community members. The challenges our community faced in 2020 laid bare the deep connections between equity, resiliency, and  climate action. The year required us take more direct actions to improve our emergency response plans, to better support the voices of residents who have been excluded in the past, and to expand our communications to facilitate more collaborative work.  

SLCgreen is ready to build off of what we learned during the past year, but before we set our sights on 2021, here are a few highlights from 2020. 

Read more

Oct 21

Caring for SLC’s Trees

Salt Lake City’s urban forest suffered notable damage in the September 8 wind storm. The carefully maintained forest consists of nearly 85,000 public trees. 

Sadly, the City lost approximately 1,500 public trees from city parks, the cemetery, park strips, and medians. We estimate that another 3,000 public trees were damaged and are in need of repair– on top of the private trees from yards that were lost or damaged.

This is certainly a sad occurrence for our environment and community– especially if you lost a beloved tree.

However, as Urban Forester Tony Gliot describes in the video below, storms are a natural part of our ecosystem and we have the opportunity to come together and re-plant many of these trees that were lost.

Salt Lake City’s Urban Forestry Division works hard to care for our existing trees and to help plant more. Even before the storm, tree planting was a priority for our city. Not only do city trees help make our streets beautiful, they help make Salt Lake City more resilient.

Urban forests are critical parts of green infrastructure, providing natural air and water filtration, mitigating the Urban Heat Island effect, and helping with carbon drawdown. As a result, trees can help make Salt Lake City a pleasant and climate resilient community.

Want to learn more about Salt Lake City’s urban forest and how you can help support our trees? Read on!

Trees vs. Climate Change

The green infrastructure provided by trees provides something we all love in the summer: shade. According to the EPA, the maximum temperatures of shaded surfaces can be between 20–45°F cooler than unshaded areas. This is especially important in cities where buildings, roads, and city infrastructure absorb the daytime heat. The absorbed heat effectively warms the entire city, making cities warmer than surrounding areas resulting in what is called an Urban Heat Island.

By making cities a little cooler in the summer, trees and vegetation help us cut down on the energy we use to cool buildings – and the associated carbon use and pollution. Trees are also able to help filter the air pollutants and sequester the carbon dioxide that we do produce. The EPA also notes that trees absorb rainwater, which is an important part of protecting our stormwater.

Recognizing these benefits is one reason why Salt Lake City has a long-term Urban Forest Action Plan. Check out the video from last year’s Summer Planning Series, which discussed the benefits of trees and how the City is working to increase our canopy to serve our entire community.

Watch the video from the 2019 Summer Planning Series walking tour on our SLC Urban Forest.

​Caring for the Urban Forest 

Read more

Sep 11

What a Storm! Now Comes Community Clean Up

Hundreds of trees were damaged in the September 8, 2020 storm in Salt Lake City. Curbside collection was delayed, but caught up by Friday.

.

Following this week’s devastating windstorm that knocked out power to over 170,000 Utah residents and downed thousands of trees (SLTrib), Salt Lake City departments are working together alongside residents and volunteers from the community to take care of the clean up.

Please see the Mayor’s Frequently Asked Questions page for the most up-to-date information.

City Trees and Debris Clearing

This week, the City has been hard at work clearing roadways and helping with emergency response related to the wind damage and power outages. Here are a few things to keep in mind about debris removal:

  • City Trees: City trees are located along the parkstrips and medians throughout the city. If there are limbs and debris from these trees that you have collected, please place these materials at the curbside for cleanup.
  • Trees in Your Yard: If trees on your property have fallen and you’ve started the clean up process, please wait to put these materials at the curb. Residents have a few options for handling this yard waste. The City will be moving through neighborhoods to remove debris. However, this will take some time.
  • Salt Lake Valley Landfill: If you are eager to remove the waste from your property, we appreciate the help clearing our city. The Salt Lake Valley Landfill has waived the tipping fees for residential yard waste through September 23. Please note that commercial contractors will still be charged for green waste disposal. Also note that lines may be long, so consider going to the Landfill at an off-peak time.
  • Request extra brown compost containers: You can request up to two extra containers for free to clear debris from your property (while supplies last). Fill out the form or contact 801-535-6999 to request.
  • Need help clearing trees? The City has partnered with United Way 2-1-1 to help connect residents with volunteers to help clear heavy trees and branches. Those needing assistance should contact or call 2-1-1.

After not being able to service Tuesday’s routes, our Waste & Recycling teams are back on schedule, collecting waste, recycling, and compost. Make sure to have your containers out by 7 a.m. on your collection day so we can service your home.

Remember, branches and leaves can be placed in the brown yard waste bins. More information about which materials can go into your compost container is available here!

Volunteer!

Salt Lake City is lucky to have a community of residents who are eager to help. If you are interested in volunteering to help your neighbors clear and dispose of trees on their property, you can sign up to volunteer through Utah’s National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster program.

Additional Resources

As we collectively work to respond to the third emergency Salt Lake City has experienced since the beginning of the pandemic, we will continue to provide information about resources that are available in our community.

Find detailed updates on the Mayor’s Wind Damage FAQ page.

.

See the FAQ page for more disposal information on tree disposal.