Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Urban Forestry topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Oxford approves post-storm tree inventory and canopy study using tree-mitigation escrow funds
Summary
The board authorized a city tree inventory with risk assessments and a separate canopy/data analysis contract (combined discussed total ~$102,950) to guide replanting after the winter storm; staff will use tree escrow funds to pay the contractors.
The Oxford Board of Aldermen approved two contracts March 17 to guide recovery of the city's tree canopy after a damaging winter storm: a risk-assessed inventory by a local arborist and a data-driven canopy study by a technology provider.
Cowen Hunter, chair of the tree board, told the board the immediate priority is a full inventory of city-owned trees (rights-of-way, parks, city property) that includes first- and second-level risk assessments; the board heard recommendations to hire a local firm (referred to in the packet as Green Grove or Green Groves, led by Matt Nielsen) to perform that inventory. "We want Matt to do the actual inventory specifically for the assessments," Cowen said. A second firm (referred to in the meeting as Eocene and as EcoScene in the packet) offered technology and data analysis for a canopy study; the data work was described as smaller in cost and complementary to the field inventory.
Tree-board member Mark summarized the staff recommendation: a not-to-exceed amount for the inventory of about $67,950 and a not-to-exceed $35,000 for the data-analysis/canopy work, for a combined figure discussed in the meeting of $102,950 for phase 1 and phase 2. The board approved both contracts and instructed staff to use the tree-mitigation escrow fund to pay for the work.
Why it matters: Council members said the projects will identify which species fared better in the storm, where to plant replacements and where larger trees may be appropriate. The tree board described a multi-year replanting plan that would follow the inventory and canopy analysis and said some state planting programs may cover up to 80% of tree costs.
Next steps: Staff expects the analysis to conclude in summer (staff estimated completion by June–July for data/plan) with replanting to begin in the fall and a five-year implementation schedule to follow.
