Commission hears warnings about park plantings, mulching and staff capacity

Commissioners and the city forester on July 24 raised concerns about the health and future of several recently planted or preserved trees, saying improper planting and lack of follow-up maintenance risk tree loss. Eric Bush, city forester, said the contractor-installed trees at Traverse Park have suffered from improper planting and summer heat; the contract remains open and he said warranty work is available but he also warned the trees are in poor condition. “If I were to go there and do an assessment, I would say you need to throw them all away and start over,” Bush said, adding that the issue should have been remedied in spring, not summer. Commissioners and staff also noted a downtown parking-lot preservation project where trees that were retained have no irrigation and lacked mulch after construction. Parks staff said crews are stretched thin; the parks superintendent confirmed limited crew capacity. Bush recommended adding a 3–5 inch layer of mulch around preserved trees to improve water retention and moderating soil temperatures, and suggested ChipDrop (a community wood-chip donation service) or contracting an arborist to deliver and apply mulch. Why it matters: newly planted or disturbed trees are vulnerable during hot, dry months; without warranty enforcement, mulching and irrigation they may fail, nullifying prior preservation efforts. Commissioners urged staff to follow up with contractors on warranty obligations and to prioritize simple protective steps such as mulching.