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• 2004 Urban Forestry Program <br />Year End Report <br />Introduction <br />The City of Falcon Heights has continued the long tradition of maintaining an <br />urban forest on private and public lands within the city. A staff person who can <br />address forestry issues as a City Forester is made available at no cost to city <br />residents. In addition, the City of Falcon Heights is committed to replanting and <br />maintaining trees on public property. This program is acost-effective public <br />investment that adds value to the community. <br />The main emphasis of the forestry program is Forestry Extension/Public <br />Assistance and Tree Disease Management. The following report highlights the <br />forestry program activities for the year 2004. This report also identifies <br />recommendations to further enhance the program. <br />Forestry Extension/Public Assistance <br />The City Forester responded to over 235 (compared to130 in 2003) inquiries <br />from Falcon Heights' residents requesting information and advice. The majority <br />• of the calls were questions and concerns about Dutch Elm Disease (DED). DED <br />rose to epidemic proportions in the entire Metro Area this year. DED has greatly <br />impacted the budgets of many cities as well as private citizens. <br />Tree Disease Management <br />The emphasis of the tree disease management portion of the forestry program is <br />to survey for diseased, dying or hazardous trees on public or private property, as <br />required by MN Statute Chapter 18 and MN Rules Chapter 1505. <br />As part of this program, trees may require removal or trimming. The City <br />contracts with a private tree removal company to complete this work. This year <br />the contract was awarded to S & S Tree and Horticultural Specialists, Inc. from <br />South St. Paul, MN (S & S). <br />S & S removed 24 trees, ranging from 53" diameter to 3" diameter on public <br />property. Fifteen of the 24 trees removed were elms with DED. In addition, the <br />City Forester identified 16 situations in which limbs and/or broken branches <br />needed to be trimmed on public property. <br />The budget for tree removal was $6000. It is anticipated that the forestry budget <br />will have cost overruns due to the rising cost of removing trees and due to the <br />increase in DED. <br />L~ <br />C4 <br />