Carbondale Tree Board forwards two member applications to trustees and reviews inventory, EAB response and outreach events

The Carbondale Tree Board voted unanimously to forward two new member applications to the Town Board of Trustees and spent the remainder of its meeting reviewing the town tree inventory, emerald ash borer planning and recent public outreach events.

The actions moved Joshua (Josh) Crawford and Noah Sakamoto’s applications to the trustees for confirmation at the next Board of Trustees meeting; board members said staff will submit the applications to the trustees and expect the appointments to be considered later this month. The board also discussed gaps in the town’s tree inventory, possibilities for volunteer updating, and plans for a June tree walk and continued outreach following Arbor Day and Dandelion Day events.

The two applicants introduced themselves to the board before the vote. Joshua Crawford described his background as a landscape architect in Basalt and said he hoped to help the board with species selection and right‑of‑way design: “I’m a landscape architect at Basalt with Design Workshop,” he told the board. Noah Sakamoto said he works on trees both as an arborist and as an educator at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School and described outreach he has done with students: “I have a tree business of my own … and I have 2 boys and a wife in town,” he said, adding that working with students on tree projects has been part of his local involvement.

Board members and staff outlined the tree board’s advisory role and the limits of its authority. Carl, the town arborist, described the town’s existing inventory system and the need to update it: “We use the co tree view or a tree plotter … it’s on the website,” he said, and added that the inventory is more than 10 years old and requires updating. The board discussed recruiting volunteers and noted that the state urban forester, Cammie (Cammy) Long, has offered help with the tree‑plotter system so volunteers can contribute updates.

Board members reported recent community outreach. Dan, who led the Arbor Day planting, said about 15 people attended that event and that the planted trees were beginning to leaf out. The board also staffed a booth at Dandelion Day and collected roughly 20 signups for the tree drawing and tree‑walk interest list.

Other operational items discussed included a concern reported about a construction trailer placed close to a street tree near the Aquatic Center; board members said they raised the observation with Carl, and Carl said the director of public works will investigate and address any tree protection measures within the town’s authority. The board also previewed a planned June 19 tree walk focused on Main Street, tree grates and the conceptual design area near Chaco’s Park (referred to in the meeting as Jacobs/Chaco’s Park), and Carl said he will begin a “deep dive assessment” of trees at that park in June to match tree space needs to the conceptual drawings.

Votes at a glance: the board made two formal motions to forward the applications of Joshua Crawford and Noah Sakamoto to the Board of Trustees for consideration. Staff said the applications will be submitted to the trustees for review at their next meeting later this month.

The meeting closed with housekeeping items including a reminder that boards must elect a chair and vice chair annually; the board decided to defer nominations and the June election to allow the two incoming applicants to participate if appointed.

Next steps: staff will forward the two applications to the Board of Trustees, Carl will continue the inventory and Machakos/Chaco’s Park assessment in June, and the board will advertise and lead a public tree walk on June 19.