SLIDE 1 Urban Forestry Public Hearing
B a c k g r o u n d & F r a m i n g
Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone
Michael F. Glavin, OSPCD Executive Director
B r a d R a w s o n , D i r e c t o r o f T r a n s p o r t a t i o n & I n f r a s t r u c t u r e
V a n e s s a B o u k i l i , P h . D / M C A , U r b a n F o r e s t r y & L a n d s c a p e P l a n n e r
October 3, 20 18
SLIDE 2 Urban Forestry is Important to Somerville for Many Diverse Reasons
https:/ / w w w .som ervillem a.gov/ urbanforestry
1. Stormwater Management 2. Residential Heating & Cooling 3. Air Pollution Mitigation 4. Traffic Calming 5. Wildlife Habitat 6. Carbon Sequestration 7. Noise Attenuation
9. Merchant Revenues
- 10. Property Values
- 11. Resident Happiness
SLIDE 3
Our Open Space & Recreation Plan Directs City to Develop Urban Forestry Plan
http:/ / ifa.som ervillem a.gov.s3.am azonaw s.com / docum ents/ OSRP_Final-BOOK.pdf
SLIDE 4 City’s Forestry Program Can Be Compared with Peer Cities Using 2016 DCR Data
Note: graph show s m unicipal forestry spending per capita $5.79 $18.58 $10.33 $9.88 $5.45 $9.82 $‐ $2.00 $4.00 $6.00 $8.00 $10.00 $12.00 $14.00 $16.00 $18.00
Somerville Cambridge Arlington Neighbors Average (Arlington, Boston, Cambridge, Medford) Cities (Worcester, Lowell, Framingham) MA Tree City Average
- Source: DCR, Tree City USA, 2016
- Caveat: different spending methodologies in each city. For example, some cities include
volunteer hours, utility pruning as part of overall program cost
SLIDE 5 Somerville Tree Canopy Can Be Compared with Peer Cities Using 2014 MAPC Data
Note: data include all public and private trees
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
SOMERVILLE Winthrop Everett Chelsea Revere Cambridge Boston Malden Quincy Medford Melrose Braintree Newton Brookline
Percent Canopy Cover
SLIDE 6
City Tree Inventory Update Allows Comparison of Our Urban Forest Over Time
Note: data include only public street trees 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 Tree Count 2009 Tree Count 2017 Size 2009 (DBH Inches) Size 2017 (DBH Inches)
Ward 1 (East Somerville) 2009‐2017 Change in Street Tree Inventory
SLIDE 7 Large Capital Projects Have Created Challenges for Net Caliper Change
Note: data include only public trees
100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Count Removed Count Planted Size Removed (DBH inches) Size Planted (caliper inches)
Beacon Street Reconstruction Project, 2016‐2019 Tree Removal vs. Tree Planting
Trees Planted Trees Removed (dead) Trees Removed (alive)
Almost three times as many trees are being planting along the street compared to the number of trees
- removed. The combined caliper inches of the planted trees is over 75% of the diameter of trees that were
- removed. After just a few years of growth we predict the combined caliper size of these newly planted
trees will be greater than the combined size of the removed trees.
SLIDE 8
City’s Street Tree Planting Program Shows Rapid Improvement Since 2015
Note: new staff arrived late 2016
SLIDE 9
City’s Street Tree Planting Program Has Improved Quality Control Since 2015
Note: new staff arrived late 2016
SLIDE 10
City Website Overhaul Has Improved Public Information, Education & Advocacy
https:/ / w w w .som ervillem a.gov/ urbanforestry
SLIDE 11 Fall 2018 Activities Include Community Engagement, Operations & Policy Work
1. Complete citywide public tree inventory
- Manage consultant data collection for ~6,000 trees
2. Form City Urban Forestry Committee 3. Young Tree Management
- Inspect 300 trees from 2017 and 2018 planting cycles
- Enforce warranty for any dead / dying young trees
4. Fall 2018 Street Tree Planting
- Inspect and mark sites for ~80 trees
- Manage contractor and supervise plantings
- Plan and manage volunteer tree plantings for ~50 trees
5. Emerald Ash Borer Management
- Continue monitoring and public outreach / education
6. Citywide Tree Operations
- Respond to daily 311 workflow for inspections, pruning, removal and storm response
