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City forester asks council to restore two forestry positions, highlights 85,000 public trees
Summary
The city forester described the scope of Boise’s urban canopy, the division’s workloads and a request to add one tree inspector and one field arborist to restore staffing to prior levels; staff said the division manages about 85,000 public trees and runs a nursery and tree‑planting initiatives.
Boise’s city forester told the City Council on Tuesday that the forestry division manages roughly 85,000 public trees, operates a municipal nursery, and is seeking two positions — a tree inspector and a field arborist — to restore staffing and expand proactive tree care.
"We're a small division in the parks and rec department," City Forester Mike Andrews said at the start of his presentation. Andrews said the 85,000‑tree figure comes from a 2024 LiDAR canopy assessment that counted woody plants of a specified size and height across the city.
Andrews described the division's work: plan review for development, a seven‑year pruning cycle for public right‑of‑way trees, reactive work on the Boise River Greenbelt and parks, public outreach, a municipal nursery that produces saplings, and wood‑product sales of processed chips. He described the Elaine Clague City of Trees Challenge (a separate tree‑planting initiative) and said the city had planted nearly 20,000 trees so far toward a 100,000‑tree goal.
On staffing, Andrews said the forestry team currently has 10 full‑time staff (five field arborists, one crew chief, two tree inspectors, a nursery manager and others) and that the division lost two positions about eight years ago. He said adding one tree inspector and one field arborist would return the division to its prior staffing level and would allow more proactive inspections and safer, more efficient in‑house crew work.
Andrews and councilmembers discussed continuing to contract for some work (he said contracted work would still be necessary) and how the division coordinates with partners including Ada County Parks, ACHD and Idaho Power. Councilmembers thanked staff and asked for follow‑up about best practices for greening commercial properties and potential additional resources for the Greenbelt and parks.
Andrews closed by noting the division’s Tree City USA recognition and outreach awards and said he was available for follow‑up presentations or briefings on contacts and commercial‑property guidance.
