City Of Albany: Update On Albany Hill Landscape

Albany CA

18 December, 2021

10:40 AM

Description

Press release from the City of Albany: 12/17/2021 10:15 AM Albany Hill is a precious natural resource at the heart of Albany, both as a recreational area for residents to enjoy, and as an essential part of our City's ecological landscape. As a result of statewide drought and climate change, we are seeing that many of the eucalyptus trees on Albany Hill are dead and dying. This poses a long-term serious risk to residents and structures in the area. This issue is not unique to Albany Hill, as many agencies have found similar conditions in eucalyptus groves all over the region and state. Albany staff, Parks Recreation & Open Space Commission, and City Council are working together to plan a solution for hazard mitigation that also protects our Monarch and other wildlife habitat and preserves Albany Hill as a place for everyone to safely enjoy.  The City has partnered with UC Berkeley, the US Forest Service, independent arborists, and East Bay Regional Park District to objectively analyze the condition of Albany Hill and to get preliminary recommendations for action. At the October 18th Albany City Council meeting, Albany's Public Works Department presented the results of several studies looking into the decline of the trees on Albany Hill. These studies include an independent arborist's report, as well as a scientific study of the pathogenic decay that has set in as a result of drought conditions. At that meeting, the City Council received the presentation and took action to establish a Capital Improvement Project to address the dead and declining trees while also protecting sensitive Monarch habitat. Staff are currently in the process of engaging an experienced consultant to develop a plan that would incorporate both careful tree removal and deliberate, thoughtful site restoration. Once drafted, this plan will be presented at the City's Parks Recreation and Open Space Commission for public comments and City Council for approval. The plan will also be subject to CEQA review. The City anticipates this planning process taking 1-2 years to complete, which is required before on-the-ground work can begin. The City is investigating grants to fund the project long-term. In the meantime, staff from Public Works and the Fire Department are continuing to conduct ongoing analyses on fire load, tree condition and Monarch Habitat, as well as monitoring the Hill for any removal issues that become more urgent while a plan is developed. Additionally, as requested by Friends of Albany Hill, the City is working on enhancements to the Oak Woodland Trail, including installing hand rails on steeper sections of trail. The trail work is estimated to be completed in spring or summer after the rainy season. The City would like to thank you for your patience and will continue to provide updates throughout this process. Please contact Albany Public Works Department at 1(510) 524-9543  with any urgent concerns. This press release was produced by the City of Albany. The views expressed here are the author's own.