Agenda - Public Works Committee - 04/18/2023

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Money Does Grow on Trees! 4#9 Investing in Ramsey's Streetside Urban Forest Good planting fora growing city starts with putting the right trees in the right places Diversity A tree inventory will provide the City of Ramsey with valuable information to guide future tree planting initiatives. It is crucial cities undertake tree planting programs to maximize the ecosystem services trees provide and prevent economic losses. However, it is equally important to assess the diversity of a city's Urban Forest to select tree species that can adapt and bring benefits to their surroundings. Cities, businesses, and community members can determine the best trees for planting based on tree qualities (e.g. shading, ornamentation) as well as restrictions on planting conditions (e.g. soil type, limited space). Below we show the Tree species in Ramsey. Catalpa (genus Catalpa) Traits: • Bean -like seed pods • Large leaves • Irregular crown • Height: 60' • Canopy: 25' Benefits: • Fast growth rate • Adapts to urban stress • Tolerates air pollution and drought • Shading canopy • Fragrant blossoms Weaknesses: • Weak structure • Falling flowers and fruit need clean-up • Threatened by verticillium wilt, leaf spots, and powdery mildew Catalpas are resilient, but they require cleanup. 40 Benefits: • Native species • Adapts to urban stress • Tolerates drought • Grows in alkaline and anaerobic soil • Shading canopy • Colorful fall foliage Weaknesses: Traits: 1 • Limited tolerance to • 5-lobed leaves compaction, salt, and • Round/oval growth confined spaces • Height: 50'-90' • Branch loss • Canopy: 35'-40' • Weakened by the Asian Longhorned Beetle • Maples are attractive shading trees, but they: are sensitive to site conditions. Elm (genus U/ Benefits: • Native species • Moderate to fast growth rate • Adapts to urban stress • Tolerates salt, moisture, drought, and wind • Shading canopy Traits: • Toothed leaves • Umbrella -like crown • Height: 70' • Canopy: 40' Weaknesses: • Requires full sun • Susceptible to Dutch Elm Disease Crabapple (genus Ma/us) Benefits: • Low maintenance • Adapts to urban stress • Tolerates salt, alkaline soil,: and drought • Profuse spring flowering : Weaknesses: • Susceptible to disease Traits: 1 and fungus, including • Dense, rounded tree fireblight and scab • Grows small fruit • Requires full sun • Height: 30' • Canopy: 20' Crabapples fare well in urban condition! and are low -maintenance. Trees in Ramsey Cities should follow the 10-20-30 guide for tree planting: no more than 10% any species, no more than 20% of any genus, and no more than 30% of any family. This is crucial for urban forest resilience against disease and invading insects. Ash trees (bottom right) are not recommended for new planting due to the prevalence of Emerald Ash Borers. Consider planting Elm varieties that are resistant to Dutch Elm Disease. Oak (genus Quercus • • • • • • Traits: • Narrow crown • Large acorns • Height: 80'-100' : • Canopy: 40'-60' Benefits: • Native species • Fast growth rate • Adapts to urban stress • Tolerates pollution • Grows in most soil textures • Colorful fall leaves Weaknesses: • Intolerant of salt • Requires full sun • Susceptible to Oak Wilt • • Traits: • • Short branches • Fan -shaped leaves • Height: 80' • Canopy: 30' :Oaks need space and should be planted® apart to prevent the spread of Oak Wilt. Ginkgo (genus Ginkgo) Benefits: • Low Maintenance • Adapts to urban stress • Tolerates air pollution, salt, confined spaces • Grows in alkaline, acidic, and compacted soil • Shading canopy • Leaves turn bright yellow in fall Weaknesses: • Slow growth rate • Requires full sun Ginkgos adapt well to the city, although they are slow -growing. Traits: • Compound leaves • Height: 70' • Canopy: 40' Benefits: • Native species • Fast growth rate • Adapts to urban stress • Tolerates salt and drought • Grows in alkaline soil • Strong branches • Colorful fall foliage Weaknesses: • Susceptible to insect attacks • Pods require clean-up Honey Locusts are fast-growing and adaptable, but require clean-up. h (genus fraxinus ) Benefits: • Native species • Fast growth rate • Tolerates salt • Grows in compacted and alkaline soil • Shading canopy • Tough, elastic wood Traits: 1 Weaknesses: • Compound leaves • Lower tolerance for • Rounded crown drought conditions • Height: 65'-90' • Requires full sun • Canopy: 20'-40' • Threatened by the Emerald Ash Borer Ash trees should not be newly planted due to the threat of Emerald Ash Borers. Tree Diversity Matters No two trees are alike, and cities that respect these differences will achieve successful street planting projects. Planting diverse trees that are appropriate for site conditions ensures a resilient urban forest yielding diverse benef ts. In the following poster, we will assess and evaluate the population of street trees in The COR along Sunwood Dr. in Ramsey. PA 5211 Land Use Planning • TEAM: Ada Moreno Gomez, Nick Kieser, Victoria Dan • INSTRUCTOR: Fernando Burga, Ph.D. C1NwexsrroFMNKasoT I le M/ i,opolrc�n free Imgo�emenl Nlian�. lule,l_ 2 er/hees�Fiutu/Intlerhhrl