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Orono parks staff present tree‑inventory and management plan; consultants estimate $300,000 per year for ash‑borer response
Summary
The Park Commission and parks staff presented a tree inventory funded by grant dollars and recommended a management plan to address a heavy concentration of ash trees and emerald ash borer, with a consultant estimate of about $300,000 per year spread over five years for removal and replanting.
The Park Commission and city parks staff presented a tree inventory and draft maintenance strategy developed from a grant-funded assessment by Davie Resource Group and recommended the city adopt a management plan to address tree health and species diversity.
Parks presenter Joe (speaker S9) said the study focuses primarily on park property and some right-of-way areas and that it provides a useful baseline for grant applications and planning. The presentation noted Orono has a disproportionate number of green ash trees and that emerald ash borer infestation is advanced in parts of the city.
Cost and timeline: the consultant’s recommendation included a planning-level figure of about $300,000 per year to address diseased trees and fund replanting. Council members asked whether that figure included replanting; staff confirmed the estimate covered removal and planting and that the study’s timeline recommended phased work. S9 said the recommendation was “like $300,000 a year,” and staff later clarified the consultant proposed roughly $300,000 per year over five years.
Funding and next steps: staff and council discussed grant opportunities at the county and state level and emphasized that having a formal plan and inventory improves grant eligibility. Council members suggested the study be used to inform the 2026 budget; staff said they would include priorities from the report in budget proposals and pursue applicable grants.
Other parks items: the parks update also covered seasonal staffing, golf-course revenue gains, progress on docks and playground inspections, a planned fix for a heaved boardwalk on the East Long Lake Trail and a Mayor’s Monarch pledge planting to add pollinator habitat at select parks.
What happens next: staff will refine the action plan, pursue grants that list a plan as a prerequisite, and return to council with budget requests and options for program staging.
