Iowa City forestry staff outline tree strategy, budgets and Root for Trees voucher program

Tyler, a member of Iowa City’s parks/forestry staff, told the commission that the city’s forestry decisions are guided by urban-forest and natural-area management plans created with consultants and public engagement. “We have ten certified arborists,” Tyler said, noting additional urban-forest professionals and tree-risk-assessment–trained staff on the team.

Tyler said the forestry crew focuses primarily on right-of-way trees (the space between sidewalk and curb) and supports specialized requests across the city. He listed staffing experience and certifications as a key asset: “That translates to the work they do for the community,” he said.

Why it matters: City-managed trees reduce heat, improve stormwater outcomes and provide neighborhood shade. Tyler described the city’s canopy goal—about 40% coverage, depending on the study used—and said growing outward onto former farmland makes reaching that goal harder.

City funding and scale: Tyler said the 2026 operating budget for new-tree planting is roughly $70,000, with about $30,000 in the current capital improvement plan for planting projects (down from earlier years that reached about $100,000). He added the broader forestry budget is about $1.25 million and supports work that has averaged roughly 800 trees planted per year and about 2,800 trees pruned annually since 2020. “We average around 800 on average,” he said.

Grants, partnerships and volunteer efforts extend that capacity. Tyler said the city has a $30,000 state grant made available through federal Rescue Plan Act pass-through funds, local grants around $12,000, and annual contributions from MidAmerican Energy of about $5,000. He emphasized volunteer labor’s value for both planting capacity and community engagement.

Planting, removal and risk management: The city averages about 375 tree removals each year; Tyler said roughly half of recent removals have been ash trees affected by Emerald Ash Borer, with other removals for storm damage, failed young plantings or infrastructure work such as water-main repairs. “We try to keep as much canopy that’s already established as we can,” he said. Arborists on staff perform tree-risk assessments to guide removal decisions.

Root for Trees voucher program: Tyler described the Root for Trees cost-share program, launched during the COVID period and administered with the climate action office and local garden centers. Since 2020 the program has supported roughly 1,700 community trees. Standard cost-share is 50% up to $125 per tree; qualifying households may receive up to a 90% subsidy. Residents request a voucher, redeem it at participating garden centers and the city reimburses the sellers.

Community questions and planning constraints: Commissioners and attendees asked whether developers can remove trees after acquiring land. Tyler said limited protections exist through planning-code tools such as sensitive-area ordinances and replacement requirements; for detailed code questions he directed the commission to planning staff. On canopy measurement he explained coverage is calculated by the area covered when trees are leafed out relative to total land area.

Next steps: Tyler said the city will continue using its management plans, monitoring pests and climate impacts, pursuing grants, and leveraging volunteers and partnerships to expand canopy while prioritizing tree risk assessments and replacement strategies.