Press release

BISHOP, CA — The City of Bishop is partnering with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to provide shade trees around businesses located in downtown Bishop.

The program, made possible through a generous donation from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, makes trees available to commercial property owners in downtown Bishop on a first-come, first-serve basis as long as funding is available.

The tree planting program is intended to implement one of the strategic goals described in the City’s 2015 General Plan Economic Development Element goal to enhance the community and make downtown an attractive destination.

The tree program is anticipated to provide numerous benefits to Bishop, including downtown beautification, increasing the pedestrian friendliness of downtown, providing shade for parking, providing traffic calming benefits along Highway 395, reducing stormwater runoff, replenishing groundwater aquifers, and reducing energy use associated with cooling.

The City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power provided the City of Bishop with $20,000 to purchase trees and materials associated with planting and ensuring they become and remain established, while the City of Bishop is contributing staff and materials to put the trees in the ground.

Although potential program participants have several tree options to choose from, all the trees selected as part of the program are drought tolerant, appropriate for the unique Bishop climate, and cause minimal damage to sidewalks over their lifespan.

“These trees will make a significant difference in increasing the quality of life and improving downtown Bishop’s character as a beautiful destination for residents and visitors,” said City Administrator Jim Tatum. “The City is proud to be able to provide these trees to the business community, and appreciates LADWP’s generous and lasting contribution towards improving the environment of our downtown.”

“Promoting sustainability is a key objective of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power,” LADWP General Manager David Wright said. “That’s why this program is a home run for the City of Bishop and for LADWP, a huge partner in the Owens Valley community for over a century. It allows us to assist in the beautification of the City where our Northern District Headquarters is located, and increase the energy and water efficiency of local business owners. We couldn’t be more proud to provide this
support.”

The tree planting program is available to all commercial property owners in the City of Bishop. Preference will be given to applicants where trees and shrubs would have the greatest impact on be increasing shade for parking and to improve walkability, traffic calming, where irrigation could be provided most efficiently, and where landscaping would provide the greatest return on investment in enhancing the attractiveness of the community overall.

Property owners interested in participating in the program are encouraged to contact Elaine Kabala at the City of Bishop to learn more about the project and obtain an application at [email protected] or (760)873-8458.

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