Committee weighs tree-inventory software and readies Tree Talk, Localscape and Arbor Day planting

Draper City Tree Committee members reviewed progress on a GIS-based tree inventory and considered whether committee funds should pay for a commercial tree-management program or support the in-house Esri-based system already in development.

Staff described the current system: recent aerial imagery overlaid on a decade-old volunteer inventory, with layers to record disease, risk findings and interventions. Staff said the GIS team can add notes such as disease type, mitigation steps and maintenance effort to help prioritize removals and replacements.

A committee member suggested volunteers could help with nontechnical data collection and offered to research three commercial programs for cost and features to compare against the in-house solution. Staff noted the in-house system fits the current budget and they prefer to test it more before deciding whether to migrate to a paid system.

On outreach, the committee confirmed Localscape (March 18) and Tree Talk (March 25) and said Tree Talk will be held in the City Council chambers if the library is unavailable. Members proposed combining an Arbor Day planting with a national elms program and recommended subcommittee field visits with the new arborist to prepare planting proposals for the next meeting.

Action items recorded included: staff to demonstrate the in-house program at the next meeting, a committee member to compare commercial programs and costs, engineering to provide the street-planting spec for the tree-guide amendment effort, and the committee to schedule field visits ahead of planting proposals.