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Bellevue Tree Board reports inventory updates, Emerald Ash Borer response and volunteer work
Summary
The Bellevue Tree Board reported planting and maintenance activities, completion of an updated city tree inventory, continued Emerald Ash Borer monitoring, grant-funded plantings and 549 volunteer hours valued at roughly $19,215 in 2024.
Members of the Bellevue Tree Board presented a February board report to the City Council on March 4 that summarized tree-planting activity, inventory work, volunteer projects and ongoing Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) monitoring.
Nancy Scott reported the tree board recertified Bellevue as a Tree City USA community for the thirteenth year and earned the Arbor Day Foundation’s growth award. The board said it completed an updated inventory of city trees in a new TreePlotter program and provided the inventory to parks staff; the city’s total inventoried trees on city property is 3,126 (including annexations).
Scott said tree-planting in 2024 included eight trees planted on city property (two for Arbor Day and six at the Eastern Nebraska Veterans Home), plus 11,184 volunteer-planted trees over time (note: the board reported a cumulative total of 11,192 when adding city plantings). The board said drought limited plantings in 2024 and that some watering grant support may be needed. The EAB response status: 179 ash trees have been inventoried and 105 remaining ash trees on city parks and land are being monitored; EAB has been identified in Bellevue.
Board members described volunteer work (pollinator gardens, rain-garden maintenance, veteran-tree carvings in Washington Park), coordination with UNL Extension and other regional partners, and donation of mulch with an estimated in-kind value. The board reported 549 volunteer hours in 2024 valued at approximately $19,215 and 2,764 volunteer miles driven (reimbursements at $0.58 per mile noted in the report).
Why it matters: Bellevue’s inventory, EAB monitoring and volunteer programs inform park planning, tree-planting priorities and potential maintenance funding needs. The council thanked the tree board and noted plans for additional memorial plantings when Banner Park is returned to city control.
Next steps: The tree board will continue EAB monitoring, seek grant support for watering and pursue the Banner Park memorial planting program for fallen heroes when the park becomes available.
