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Students, Sierra Club push Cupertino to prioritize urban forest and Climate Action Plan measures
Summary
At the March 3 workshop, youth and conservation groups urged Cupertino to prioritize tree canopy, biodiversity and Climate Action Plan (CAP2) implementation; staff said many CAP2 actions are already being implemented through ongoing operational programs.
Cupertino — Students and conservation advocates spoke at the March 3 council workshop urging the City Council to prioritize urban forest expansion, biodiversity and Climate Action Plan implementation as part of the two‑year work program.
High school student Eric Zang told the council he was speaking on behalf of youth and asked the council to prioritize sustainability measures that directly lower greenhouse gas emissions. “I sincerely hope that the council will prioritize sustainability actions such as urban forest planning,” Zang said, calling for native species planting, water conservation and electrification work the city considered in prior plans.
Dashiell Leeds, conservation coordinator for the Sierra Club Loma Prieta chapter, urged the council to add explicit bullet points for protecting and restoring biodiversity and for implementing Climate Action Plan 2 measures under the environmental sustainability goal.
Several council members and staff responded that many climate and sustainability measures are already part of ongoing operations. Staff said routine implementation work lives in the operational portion of the city’s work (which staff characterized as roughly 85% of annual activity), and that staff will continue to incorporate the council’s strategic direction into those operational programs. Staff also said that projects specifically identified by council for the two‑year work program can be elevated for additional staffing and funding if council so directs.
Requests from the public included volunteer tree planting, a recycled‑water feasibility study and an electrification study; speakers asked staff to include those items among the prioritized projects or to note them as ongoing operational efforts. Council members asked staff to report back on which CAP2 measures will be implemented this year and whether any require separate budget or staffing requests.
