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Baldwin City tree board reports 3,367 street trees, 92 species and $11.7M estimated value
Summary
The Baldwin City Tree Board reported a volunteer survey of 3,367 street trees across the public right-of-way, documenting 92 species — up from 83 in 2003 — but a 22% decline in total street-tree count since 2003 and an estimated street-tree value of about $11.7 million.
Roger Boyd, chair of the Baldwin City Tree Board, presented the results of a volunteer inventory of the city’s street trees to the Baldwin City Council, reporting 3,367 trees in public right-of-way and 92 species, up from 83 species in 2003. Boyd said the count represented street trees only, defined as trees between the curb and sidewalk or, where no sidewalk exists, about 25 feet from the road.
“We measured all of the trees within the city right of way, so these would be called street trees,” Boyd said during the presentation. The board recorded diameter at breast height, estimated condition (good, fair, poor, dead), and categorized heights in 15‑foot intervals. Boyd said the board used a standard appraisal method (Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers) and a per‑square‑inch valuation factor to estimate economic value.
The board found a 22% decline in street-tree counts versus the 2003 inventory (4,355 trees in 2003 versus 3,367 in 2024), with notable species‑level shifts: sugar maple fell from 835 trees in 2003 to 537 in the recent count, a roughly 36% drop, while red maple showed a small increase. Boyd cautioned that the decline applies to street trees only and does not measure private‑yard plantings.
Using the appraisal formula Boyd described, the survey estimated the combined value of all street trees at about $11.7 million, with the top six species accounting for roughly $7.7 million of that total. Boyd said some of the decline reflects utility pruning and fewer plantings in the right of way, and noted that volunteer or naturally seeded trees (hackberry, black walnut) are less likely to be replaced when removed.
The presentation included a photo and a volunteer roster; Boyd credited several volunteers and tree board members who conducted the counting. Council members thanked the board for the work and asked follow-up questions about species diversity and the data’s value for planning sidewalk and utility decisions.
The council did not take formal action on the tree inventory at the meeting; the presentation was accepted and will inform future maintenance and planting discussions.
