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Forestry proposes harvest-first approach to fund ongoing tree management
Summary
Forestry staff said the management plan will seek timber-harvesting contractors to complete larger, income-generating harvests first, then use proceeds to finance expense-based maintenance; staff said current work fits within existing forestry budget parameters.
Forestry staff told the committee the management plan will distinguish between expense-based management (work that costs the city) and income-producing harvests. Staff said they plan to pursue larger, income-yielding harvests first and “see where we are as far as cash flow” before expanding expense-based removals, and that all subcontractor work is being managed to remain within existing forestry budget parameters.
Staff said contracted removals operate on a roughly 30-day timeline from notification for contracted work, and that in-house individual removals aim for a similar 30-day completion window when staffing allows. The division noted staffing shortages—currently a limited crew and one heavy-equipment operator—mean some work moves more slowly than ideal; the committee asked whether additional direction or resources were needed, and staff said none beyond monitoring and implementation at this stage.
