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Tumwater Tree Board to distribute Garry oak saplings at Arbor Day; launches filterable "right‑tree" tool
Summary
The board and parks department will split about 50 Davis‑Meeker Garry oak saplings between parks, Wolf Haven and community recipients; staff also previewed a new online street‑tree selector that removes Garry oak from street planting options.
Tumwater city staff and Tree Board members outlined distribution plans Monday for roughly 50 Davis‑Meeker Garry oak saplings and previewed a new filterable online tool to help residents choose street and right‑of‑way trees.
Alyssa (city staff) told the board the Parks Department and the Tree Board will split the approximately 50 saplings “in half” so the board can recommend homes for about 25 of them. Parks will likely keep four saplings for eventual plantings at the golf course and Trails End Park; about 21 of Parks’ share are proposed as a donation to Wolf Haven for oak prairie restoration. Staff gave an initial breakdown that included about 10 saplings for the Capital Campus, approximately 10 for Cascadia Prairie Oak Partnership projects, and a handful reserved for community members who commit to long‑term care. “Any saplings that would be distributed would be given with the understanding that the recipient would ensure that they would protect the saplings and give them adequate care,” Alyssa said.
Board members asked that at most two board members meet with staff to prepare planting and care instructions to accompany sapling distributions; staff requested volunteers to draft guidance the board could review. Tanya (board member) suggested offering at least one sapling to the tribes that were involved earlier in the Garry oak conversation; staff identified the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis, Nisqually, Squaxin Island and Cowlitz as regional tribal contacts referenced in the meeting.
Staff also demonstrated a new online “select the right tree for the right place” tool that lets users filter recommended trees by planting‑strip width, overhead wiring, native status, drought tolerance and other attributes. Alyssa said the working version removes Garry oak from practical street‑tree options because planting would only be appropriate in unimproved right‑of‑way; the board had recommended Garry oak as a species but staff said it is “a more protected species” and not appropriate as a typical street tree.
The Tree Board and Parks also briefed members on the city’s Arbor Day event planned for Saturday. Staff said the event will begin at 10 a.m. (set‑up at 9 a.m.) and run until about 1 p.m.; volunteers were asked to help with tent set‑up and distribution of roughly 25 plants of several species purchased with the Tree Board budget. Staff noted donated native plants and larger volunteers and equipment (including a new water trailer) are available to support planting and early-season watering.
The meeting included operational updates: Alex Chacon resigned from the Tree Board after moving out of Tumwater; staff said the board’s proposed name change to “Urban Forest Advisory Board” remains under legal review by the city attorney; and staff said the city's GIS team will be asked to begin a tree canopy assessment and help make the tree inventory publicly available when capacity allows.
Alyssa asked which board members could represent the Tree Board at the council’s Arbor Day proclamation; Trent (chair) and at least one other member said they would attend. The board will debrief Arbor Day after the event and resume regular business in June, when the new urban forester is expected to attend.
