City forester: IRA grant will cover far fewer trees than planned; board previews tree-protection overhaul

Michigan City’s forester told the Tree Board on Feb. 4 that rising nursery and labor costs and heavy nationwide demand have reduced how many trees the city can plant under its IRA grant and that the board should consider a new compensation mechanism for trees removed during development.

Phil Graff reported that earlier estimates used in the grant did not account for the run-up in tree prices and watering costs. A board member recalled a Dec. 17 balance of about $230,000 (stated from memory); Graff said his current estimate of remaining available funds and obligations is in the low six figures and that the original planting target in the grant application is no longer feasible. He said contractors’ install prices and watering obligations significantly increase per-tree costs.

To address gaps between trees removed and trees planted, Graff proposed creating a ‘‘canopy restoration bank’’—a city-managed compensation fund similar to wetland mitigation banks—where developers who remove trees would pay fees or credits that the city would use to prioritize planting and long-term care in under-canopied neighborhoods. He argued the bank could allow the city to direct plantings to areas identified by the lidar canopy-cover study and to pay for ongoing watering and maintenance.

Graff also recommended simplifying the protected-species list in the draft tree protection ordinance and using tree diameter (diameter-inch) rather than headcount as the main metric for compensation, because large trees provide more ecosystem services than many small trees. He urged the board to develop a reliable ‘‘trigger mechanism’’ so foresters and planning staff can inspect sites before trees are removed—suggesting integration with MS4 or building-permit workflows—and said enforcement and fines should be considered where developers remove trees ahead of review.

Graff said the board should prepare specific questions for Wendy Vache, who is expected to present the ordinance update at the March meeting, and asked members to submit questions in advance. The forester said the city will issue an RFP to all tree-care services registered with the city and that the city will prioritize native and appropriate species in its planting program.

Board members expressed concern about watering capacity, equitable placement of new trees and ensuring developers or responsible parties cover both planting and maintenance costs.

Next step: the board will collect questions for the March ordinance discussion and the forester will finalize an RFP draft and the list of proposed planting sites for the current grant cycle.