Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Urban Forest topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tree Board outlines canopy goals, $100,000 ODF grant and plans for planting and code work
Summary
Milwaukie’s Tree Board reported receiving a $100,000 ODF grant to update the urban‑forest management plan with an equity focus, celebrated Arbor Day plantings (50 trees with 100 volunteers), and set 2026 goals including replanting after emerald ash borer losses and exploring commercial/heritage tree‑code options.
Tree Board members presented a year‑in‑review and goals for 2026 at the March 10 study session. They highlighted milestones: Milwaukee received a Tree City USA designation for the tenth consecutive year; an Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) grant of $100,000 will support an update to the urban‑forest management plan with an emphasis on equity; and an Arbor Day planting engaged more than 100 volunteers and resulted in 50 trees planted.
The board described technical work completed in 2025: consolidation of several species lists into a single consolidated tree list (adding certain invasive species and creating a rare/threatened species list), approval of a programmatic tree permit to streamline routine maintenance and updated permit/fee recommendations for development contexts. The board said the consolidated list and permit language are published on the city site.
Looking ahead, the Tree Board set priorities for 2026: support replanting to mitigate ash‑tree loss, expand planting funding and programs (including potential Arbor Day expansion), update the urban‑forest management plan and improve data tracking to model canopy trajectories and species diversity. The board flagged capacity constraints for staff and noted commercial tree‑code and heritage‑tree programs require feasibility assessment before major policy proposals.
Board members said staff and consultants are preparing a technical memo that compiles permit and planting data, species lists and modeling to estimate what it will take to reach the city’s canopy goals; the board expects to bring coordinated recommendations to council in the coming months.
