2022 AIA Communities by Design Reimagining Petaluma SDAT - Report - Page 21
Petaluma DAT
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Reduce Heat Using Trees as Infrastructure
• Managing land to improve carbon sequestration
and reduction of transportation related emissions
Trees within the public right-of-way are considered key
components of the infrastructure of many cities. Street
trees provide benefits that promote sustainability and
help alleviate environmental problems. They provide
shade and if properly placed can decrease building
energy use. Additionally, trees can help cities control
stormwater runoff given their leaves, stems, and roots
slow rain from reaching the ground and capture and
store rainfall to be released later. Street trees can
provide other benefits, such as improved air quality,
carbon storage, reduced noise, and aesthetic value.
Studies also have shown that the presence of trees can
have positive effects on mental health and cognitive
function.
• Managing land to improve water quality and
stormwater management
• Creating a cooler Petaluma through the addition of
more trees
• Restoring a sense of belonging and connection w
nature
Restore Natural Ecology through the
Creation of a Riverfront Park
Restoring the historic tidal marsh expands suitable
wetland habitat and creates increased flood protection
during the winter and store water during summer
droughts. Wetlands are a powerful nature-based
solution for climate mitigation, adaptation and
biodiversity. They have the capacity to sequester carbon
is double that of world forests. This strategy would create
a 20-acre park and restore 26 acres of tidal marsh.
Urban areas generally lack suitable places to plant larger
trees. Cities in the past have done a poor job in planting
and maintaining trees, causing the trees to become
hazards for houses, cars and infrastructure. In order to
provide healthy trees that can fully provide their span of
benefits, trees need the proper soil quality and volume.
In urban environments that may mean providing proper
infrastructure to support tree growth.
The restoration of these lost tidal marshes can provide
flood protection due to increased storage for water
capacity and groundwater recharge as well as providing
added water filtration benefits. Restoring tidal marshes
allow the reconnection of tidal conveyance of the
Petaluma River.
Trees in urban environments need uncompacted,
well aerated, and moist soil in order to thrive. These
conditions allow tree roots to obtain the essential
components they require for healthy growth - nutrients,
oxygen, and water. In addition, trees need an adequate
volume of root, oxygen-rich soil to thrive and develop the
roots to support their structure. Studies show that trees
in urban conditions need a minimum of 1,000 cubic feet
of soil per tree. Trees can become critical infrastructure,
and reduce flooding and pollution given that 1000
cubic feet of good soil can conservatively hold about
200 cubic feet of water. Current technologies such as
modular tree cells and structural soils make this volume
achievable for urban conditions.
In addition to the ecological benefits, this newly created
riverfront park would provide public access to the water,
create more nature-based recreational opportunities,
that would allow for public education and awareness
of the need to protect nature, provide flexible spaces
for community interaction and multicultural recreation.
The 20-acre park area could be floodable during storm
conditions for added protection to the developed areas
of the City.
A Riverfront Park adds 20 acres of park land for the city as well as 26 acres of restored wetlands for flood protection.
Recently, tree canopy has been recognized as an equity
issue. American Forests, a nonprofit conservation
