Got trees? Want more? Tell the City of Mountlake Terrace all about it through a short online survey.

Mountlake Terrace recently launched its first ever Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP), thanks to a $120,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. The UFMP will help plan for a resilient urban forest that supports the community’s environmental, recreational, economic and aesthetic values and goals.

One of the UFMP’s first steps is to learn about residents’ attitudes and behaviors towards trees through the survey. It asks questions like “How many large trees can you see from where you live?” and “Where should Mountlake Terrace focus our efforts when it comes to managing existing trees and/or planting more trees on PRIVATE property?”

The survey is available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese “in order to make this process as equitable and inclusive as possible,” said Mountlake Terrace Stormwater Manager Laura Reed. The survey will be available through mid-September and the responses are anonymous. Contact Reed at lreed@mltwa.gov with questions or for information about taking the survey without internet access. 

All residents are encouraged to take the survey to ensure that their feedback is captured. “This community input will help serve as a roadmap and give us the tools to make decisions about how we should manage trees in both the public and private areas in the city,” Reed said. “We want to make sure that everyone has access to the benefits of trees.” 

The urban forest consists of all the trees, shrubs and vegetation within the City, including private residences, roadways, parks and natural areas. In addition to increasing property values and being aesthetically appealing, a robust urban forest delivers benefits like erosion control, sound buffering, air and water filtration, and shade that reduces summertime temperatures. Learn more about urban forests from the Trees for Terrace website and the U.S. Forest Service. 

— By Clare McLean