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Port Washington outlines fall tree planting, grants and biochar trial for street trees
Summary
Staff described a multi‑part fall forestry plan that includes native plantings on Whitefish Hill, street‑tree removals and replacements funded in part by a Wisconsin Urban Forestry grant and a 45‑tree biochar trial to test establishment in parkways.
At the Nov. 12 meeting, John, parks and recreation staff, briefed the committee on a fall forestry push that mixes native plantings, street‑tree removals and an experimental biochar treatment for new street trees.
John said the city worked with Great Lakes Bird Observatory on a grant to plant native trees and wildflowers on Whitefish Hill — a previously overgrown sledding hill — and expects to install roughly 60–70 native trees along the walking path and mountain bike trail there.
On street trees, John reported the city received a Wisconsin Urban Forestry Grant of $25,000 to help remove declining Norway maples and fund new species plantings and pruning. He said Norway maples are in significant decline in town and pose repeated maintenance burdens from broken branches.
Staff also described a biochar experiment in which 45 newly planted street trees will be part of a controlled trial: 23 trees will receive a biochar soil amendment and 22 will serve as controls. Biochar is a charcoal‑like product created by incomplete burning of wood; staff said the test will gauge whether treated trees better tolerate parkway stressors such as salt and compaction.
John said the work will be staged over the winter and into spring and that the forestry program is grant‑driven and intended to be a multi‑year effort to establish native species and reduce invasive plants.
