Forestry Update 2015Meridian Forestry 2015
Elroy Huff, City Arborist
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Urban Forestry Structure
City Arborist
6 month seasonal help this year
Forestry part of the Parks Department
Maintenance responsibilities include:
Park trees
Downtown street trees
Contracted sites
Kleiner arboretum
Response
to calls from citizens
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Forestry Highlights in 2015
Trees planted - 146
New trees in arboretum - 30
Downtown tree boxes replaced – 6
Meridian qualifies as a Tree City USA
Shade tree project
Christmas tree moved to Generations Plaza
Forestry
Chapter incorporated into Parks Master Plan
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City & Idaho Power Partnership
Started in 2013
205 trees were given to Meridian residents
Average no-show rate of 10%
To date, 965 trees have been given to Meridian residents
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Program Success
312 homes were visited and 442 trees were looked at this summer
Mortality rate was 17% to 22%
17% dead and 5% not located
64% still had staking
20% were planted too shallow or too deep
60%
were planted for optimum energy savings
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Forestry in the Community
UTC assessment (Urban Tree Canopy) in 2013
7% tree canopy cover in Meridian
Stormwater 8.6 million gallons, a value of 76 in mitigated stormwater infrastructure costs
Air Quality 40
tons for value of 513,000 in reduced adverse human health impacts
Energy Conservation 140,000 in reduced summer cooling costs from shading homes
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A Tree Moves to Generations Plaza
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A Tree Moves to Generations Plaza (cont’d)
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Forestry Chapter in Master Plan – An Overview
Opportunity to show what is happening
Stakeholders
Management plan
Strategic goals
Establish a vision for Forestry
Kleiner arboretum management plan
Urban Forestry Master Plan
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