Forestry reports ramped pruning and planting, apprenticeship and gravel‑bed nursery trials

City Forester Shane McQuillan told the council he is leading an expanded tree‑care program that includes proactive pruning, annual plantings and workforce development. McQuillan said the department recently completed a citywide pruning cycle for 5–10‑inch trees and is now addressing younger stock; the city plants roughly 1,000 to 2,000 trees per year and has an inventory of about 50,000 public trees. McQuillan described a Homegrown DSM tree‑foster program in which 28 residents are growing 153 trees for later planting (27 have been planted into the city's canopy to date), an arborist apprenticeship designed to recruit new workers without prior tree experience, and a gravel‑bed nursery trial intended to produce vigorous trees at lower cost. He also noted losses from emerald ash borer (about 8,000 trees lost) and said grant funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (reported in the update) supports continued planting. The presentation was informational; staff requested continued council support for funding and noted ongoing urban‑canopy goals tied to the city's urban forestry master plan.