City forester updates council on 2024 work, citywide tree survey and Oak Grove arboretum designation

Hunter Smith, the city forester, briefed Delaware City Council on Arbor Day and summarized the Shade Tree Commission’s 2024 work, including a citywide tree survey, plantings and removals and a new arboretum designation for Oak Grove Cemetery.

Why it matters: The citywide survey gives public‑works planners and the Shade Tree Commission an inventory to prioritize removals, plantings and maintenance. The Oak Grove arboretum designation formally recognizes the cemetery’s tree resource and provides documentation that can guide management and public education.

Key points from the presentation

- Inventory and conditions: Staff surveyed more than 23,000 public trees across rights‑of‑way, parks and public lots, documenting species, diameter at breast height (DBH) and a condition rating (dead, poor, fair or good). The urban forest includes about 135 species; five of the top 10 species are maples, prompting staff to reduce maple plantings to avoid species clustering risk.

- 2024 work numbers: The Shade Tree program planted 82 trees citywide; removed 148 (84 removed by city staff and 64 contracted out); completed about 2,000 in‑house pruning operations and contracted about 1,100 additional pruning jobs; completed 33 stump removals and fulfilled 273 citizen service requests.

- Canopy coverage: Recent aerial imagery shows citywide canopy at roughly 22–23% (approximately 29–37 million square feet; roughly 3,000 acres) with about 15% coverage in the right of way. The forester said a gradual age distribution of trees is desirable to avoid a large cohort aging out simultaneously.

- Oak Grove Cemetery arboretum: Oak Grove was designated a Level‑1 ArbNet arboretum, with 603 trees, 66 species and roughly 38% canopy coverage within the cemetery. The Shade Tree Commission will serve as the governing body for arboretum oversight; volunteers (Delaware County Master Gardeners) created species signage with QR‑linked species profiles.

- Prioritization & budget: With the new condition ratings, staff can triage and target removals and maintenance. Smith said funds available in the tree fund (collected from developer tree replacement fees and other sources) are being used to replant right‑of‑way trees and to replace removed trees.

Council questions and follow up

- Safety triage: Council members asked whether the dead or dying trees (Smith referenced roughly 318 in a list) would be evaluated from a pedestrian/public‑safety perspective. Smith said staff will triage by occupancy and traffic level and prioritize removals accordingly.

- Funding and responsibility: Council asked whether funds exist to replant after removals. Smith said the tree fund has sufficient funds and that developer contributions for replaced trees also supplement the program.

- Implementation and next steps: The inventory will guide targeted removals, pruning and replanting; staff will continue to use interns and volunteers for mapping and species signage work. Smith noted the city achieved its 44th consecutive Tree City USA designation and a fifth growth award.

Context: urban canopy and street lighting

City staff noted that new subdivision standards are being considered to use pedestrian‑scale post lamps at properties rather than continuous street lights between intersections — a design choice intended to lessen conflicts between maturing tree canopy and public street‑lamp efficacy while keeping intersections well‑lit for safety.

What to watch: The inventory enables a prioritized removal and replant plan; implementations will appear in public‑works scheduling and future budget items for tree replacement and longer‑term planting goals.