Executive Summary BACKGROUND: Wake Forest is recognized for its continuing commitment to maintaining an at- tractive and productive urban forest. The town currently is responsible for 14,700 street trees, 630 acres of forests, and more than 1,100 maintained trees in parks and town property. There are approximately 5,400 sites where additional trees may be planted in the future. Currently, the town’s street trees provide annual benefits valued at approximately $389,000 and have an estimated replacement value of $16.9 million. VISION: “Wake Forest’s Urban Forestry Program develops and maintains the health, beauty, and value of the town’s urban forest as a key feature that draws residents, businesses, visitors, and recognition to our community.”
GOALS: The following goals are recommended to achieve this vision:
• maintain a town-wide canopy cover of at least 40%, • maintain at least 90% of public trees in “good” condition (defined as 75%-100% of perfect condition) • maintain living trees in at least 95% of available public planting spaces • ensure that no species, genus, or family of trees comprise more than 10%/20%/30%, respectively, of the town’s street tree population RECOMMENDED ACTIONS, FY2013-2014: Current staff and funding levels are inadequate to pro- vide the recommended level of service in maintaining the town’s tree resources. These mainte- nance demands are increasing as a result of both continued development within the town, and the increasing size of the individual trees that comprise the urban forest. To meet the goals and vision outlined above, we recommend that the town: • Hire, train, and equip 2 Arborist Technicians to plant, maintain, and remove trees. If all currently needed street tree maintenance activities were performed by staff, the town would save approximately 39% to 66% versus contractors. The difference in total costs over the next 5 years is estimated at between $498,000 to $859,000, depending on staff salaries. • Hire and train 2 seasonal interns to complete the street tree inventory. It is estimated that this will save about $100,000 compared to the quote given by the town’s previous tree maintenance contractor. A complete inventory will reduce the town’s liability for deaths or injuries caused by hazardous trees and allow for efficient maintenance of this resource. • Continue to contract out work for hazardous tree removal, large tree pruning, and insect and disease treatment until the necessary skills and equipment can be developed to perform this work in-house. • Continue to provide adequate funding levels for tree maintenance, planting, and education programs, maintenance, planting, and education programs. • Update the Official Planting List using knowledge gained from the 2012 inventory.
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