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Review existing tree management policies, responsibilities, and practices

Almost all processes needed to sustain the urban forest - establishment, growth, decline, death, and degradation of trees - require some level of active management. Urban forest managers typically:

plan and implement tree plantings
maintain existing trees
manage hazards associated with declining trees
remove trees that have reached the end of their useful life span
recycle or dispose of green waste and wood from pruning and removals.

Urban forest managers must also deal with problems related to the urban environment. These may include:

utility line clearance
damage to sidewalks and other hardscape due to tree roots
construction damage to tree roots
exotic species invading natural areas
fire hazards at the urban-wildland interface

In most cities and other large organizations, tree management may be divided up among several departments. For instance, street trees may be under the care of public works while the parks department may manage park and open space trees. Planning departments may issue permits or approve plans that affect tree management on private properties. Planning and building inspectors may monitor compliance with tree protection measures during construction.

Other units or contractors that may affect trees through their activities should also be considered when you assess your overall tree management system. These may include:

crews that repair and maintain streets and parking lots
utility crews that maintain clearance or maintain overhead or underground lines
crews that clear vegetation to maintain flow in creeks for flood control
fire safety personnel that inspect sites for defensible space

These units may need guidance, training, and standards to help them protect trees as they perform their tasks.

Below is a list of possible questions and topics that may be included in the assessment of the existing tree management program.

Activities of departments/units that affect trees

Which departments/units have direct tree care responsibilities and what portions of the urban forest do they manage?
Which departments/units regulate or otherwise affect segments of the urban forest?
Which entities (within or outside of the organization) perform activities that affect the urban forest in terms of tree health, growing space, or other factors?
How are activities of these different entities monitored and coordinated?
Are all units that affect the urban forest supporting the overall management goals through their activities?
Are notification, design consultation, and oversight adequate to protect existing trees from harm?
Can we improve efficiency by combining units, shifting responsibilities, sharing equipment, or making other changes?

Regulatory measures

What classes of trees are subject to regulation?
Which documents (e.g., city code, general plan, specific plans, improvement standards, etc.) include tree-related regulations and guidelines? Are these consistent across all the documents?
What is the impact of existing ordinances and regulations on targeted tree populations (e.g., heritage trees)?
To what degree are ordinances/regulations enforced? Possible measurements include numbers of permits, violations, and citations issued, penalties and fines collected.

Tree management

For each unit that has direct tree care responsibilities -

inventory and work scheduling systems - What is used? How well does it work?
internal planning framework - How are decisions made relative to tree selection, placement, maintenance, removal?
practices and standards used, including inspection, maintenance, notification
numbers of trees planted, maintained/pruned, and removed on a scheduled basis and unscheduled (e.g. due to calls, weather events, etc.)
in-house vs. contracted work
budget and funding source - Is it adequate to accomplish responsibilities? Change over time - up or down?
staff - Are levels adequate? Is training needed or available? Does retention rate affect program capabilities?
equipment - condition, maintenance issues, expected service life

Example

The City of Portland's urban forest management plan (pages 19 through 44) documents the various roles and responsibilities of all agencies that affect the urban forest. Responsible agencies and brief descriptions of their programs are included in this section of the Portland plan.

Portland Parks and Recreation

Parks superintendent
Urban Forestry Commission
Heritage Tree Program
PP&R Urban Forestry Program (text excerpted below)
Neighborhood Tree Liaison Program
PP&R Horticultural Services
Integrated Pest Management
PP&R Natural Resources Program<
Ecosystem Management Planning
Riparian Assessments

Portland Bureau of Planning

River Renaissance Program
Healthy Portland Streams (River Renaissance project)
The River Plan (River Renaissance project)

Bureau of Development Services

Code Enforcement
Environmental Zones
Review of Site Development Processes

Bureau of Environmental Services

Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Program: Clean River Plan
Comprehensive Watershed Planning and Management
Environmental Education and Stewardship
Erosion Control Manual
Property Acquisition Program
Superfund Response
Stormwater Management Manual
Street Trees and Canopy Assessment Program
Watershed Revegetation Program
Willamette River Design Notebook
Stormwater Advisory Committee

Office of Transportation

PDOT Bureau of Engineering and Development
PDOT Bureau of Maintenance
PDOT Bureau of Transportation System Management

Office of Sustainable Development

Local Action Plan on Global Warming
Green Building Policy

Portland Fire and Rescue

Portland Development Commission

The Port of Portland

The complex relationships are also shown in a chart and diagram. Just a small portion of this section of their plan is excerpted below.

PP&R Urban Forestry Program.

Over the years, the Urban Forestry Program has grown or shrunk depending on the economy and funding. At its maximum in 1983-84, a full-time crew of 29 did large-scale tree planting projects — planting, pruning and spraying individual street trees at the request of property owners. When funding reductions forced layoffs, Urban Forestry discontinued most of these activities. Although the City regulates public trees, the care and maintenance of the street trees is the responsibility of the adjacent property owners. Urban Forestry currently employs 25 full-time staff with responsibility for the public trees in parks, along streets and around public buildings as mandated by City Code. Their responsibilities include:

Coordinating the planning, planting and maintenance of public trees.
Maintaining, planting and replacing trees in parks and on City property.
Advising and educating property owners about the planting, care and preservation of street trees.
Permitting and inspecting all street tree plantings, pruning and removals.
Providing 24-hour emergency response services for storm and tree related emergencies.
Enforcing City Code to preserve significant trees.
Working with other City bureaus on tree-related issues.

By City Code, the City Forester supervises all tree maintenance services including cutting, pruning, spraying, planting and tree removal required by or performed by City bureaus. The Forester may plant or cause trees to be planted in the streets, parks and other property of the City. Other responsibilities include:

Reviewing development plans to preserve trees.
Working with the Urban Forestry Commission to resolve conflicts related to trees.
Providing information and clerical support to the Urban Forestry Commission.
Providing support to Friends of Trees and other nonprofit organizations to promote tree planting and enhance the urban forest.
Maintaining an experimental planting of ornamental trees for possible use on streets and in parks.
Educating the public through the Neighborhood Tree Liaison Program, Arbor Day Celebration, brochures, flyers, workshops and other presentations.
Educating park employees and recreation leaders about hazard trees and tree care in parks.
Assisting neighborhoods in their efforts to save mature elms in neighborhoods.
Developing and updating recommended street tree lists.

City of Portland 2004 Urban Forest Management Plan

Management planning questions

Below are some additional questions to consider regarding assessment of tree management.

What tools and programs have been implemented to date and how effective have they been?
Are our standards and practices up to date and based on the best available information and research?
Do we have adequate staff, budget, and training to cover our tree care needs?
How will tree care needs change over time and how will that affect management needs?
Are the various entities that affect trees working with the same vision and towards the same end?
Is our regulatory framework adequate or does it need to be updated or expanded?

Work plan

Fill in the tables below to record how you plan to gather information

Activities of departments/units that affect trees-Who does what? How do they manage the urban forest?
	Collected/written up by	Target completion date
Street trees
Park trees
Facility trees
Heritage trees
Parking lot trees
Other-specify

Save to work plan

Elements of the regulatory framework that affect the urban forest
	Information collected/written up by	Target completion date
Ordinances
General plan
Specific plans
Improvement standards
Specifications
Hazard program
Street tree master plan
Approved planting list
Other-specify
Other-specify
Other-specify

Save to work plan

Outline

The table below can be used as an aid in recording responsibilities for trees in a community

Who does what for which trees?
		Indicate who is responsible for each tree category (streets, parks, facility, open space, heritage, etc.)
Activity	Activity subclass	Arborist	Public Works	Parks	Planning	Other-specify
Planting	new sites
	replacement plantings
Pruning	scheduled
	storm/emergency
	utility clearance
	street/equipment clearance
Tree removal	Hazard trees
	Clearance (for flood control, fire safety, etc)
Root system work	Sidewalk/curb repair and replacement
	Excavation for utilities
	Construction
Permitting	planting
	pruning
	removal
Outreach/ education	Property owners/public
	Contractors
Other-specify

Save to outline-goes to Status of the Urban Forest-Management-Summary of management responsibilities

Elements of the regulatory framework can be recorded in the work plan below.

Management tools in use
Tool	Street trees	Park trees	Facility trees	Heritage trees	Parking lot trees	Other specify
Ordinance
General plan
Specific plans
Improvement standards
Specifications - planting
Specifications - pruning
Hazard program
Street tree master plan
Approved planting list
Other-specify

Save to outline-goes to Status of the Urban Forest-Management-Summary of ordinance, policies, and plans already in place

Add content related to management:

Save to outline-goes to Status of the Urban Forest-Management-Summary of current tree management practices/programs

Next-Review stakeholder attitudes