Commissioners push broader street‑tree palette to protect urban forest

Tom Smigel, a member of the park commission’s street‑tree subcommittee, told the commission the group’s goal is to increase the diversity of street trees to guard against pest and disease losses. "One of the goals is to increase the diversity of different kinds of street trees that we have in the city and not to continue just to plant the few that we've used in the last few years," he said.

The subcommittee presented a long list of candidate species and site‑specific guidance, citing the arrival of a new ash borer in other regions as an example of why monocultures are risky. The list included trident maple (Acer bregianum), several arbutus species, Persian ironwood, Catalina ironwood (a California native), black tupelo (Nyssa), canyon live oak and native forms of London plane (Platanus racemosa). The presenters emphasized that some species are better suited to parks than narrow street strips and that the final decision will rely on soil conditions and park staff input.

Commissioners and staff said the subcommittee intends to produce a public‑facing map or address list so residents can see local examples. Tom Smigel said the list is a recommendation rather than a mandate and that the parks department may have preferences among the suggested species. The subcommittee expects to meet one or two more times to refine soil guidance and a checklist of site factors before returning with more detailed recommendations.

The meeting did not include any vote on the list; staff and the commission will continue refinement and outreach before any changes are adopted.