Is The “Tree City” Managing its Urban Forest?

This article will explain the history of a taxpayer-funded Urban Forest Management Plan process for Shorewood, and how it has evolved to current day.

In 2024, the City seems to be facing the “perfect storm” for tree management on its properties:

• Emerald Ash Borer, oak wilt, lingering Dutch elm, buckthorn and other woody invasives, several years of drought and a winter without enough snow to blanket tree roots exacerbate the situation. A walk through Freeman Park shows that the current removal of buckthorn has now exposed an epidemic of infected ash trees.
  
  
• Limbs are on power lines or trees leaning dangerously onto the wires over roadways.
  
  
  Above: This tree, located on city property (ROW) at Country Club and Mary Lake Trail, has completely grown around the utility wire.
  
  
• Roadways and trails/sidewalks have not been trimmed to comply with city standards. Sight lines at intersections were overgrown. 
  
  

On Feb. 12, 2024, the Council renewed its annual contract with DRG (start at p. 24).

• The contract is the same as 2023, with updated rates.
• DRG payments are included in the Public Words Budget under “contracts.”
• Over the last three years, DRG has been paid an average of approximately $45k annually, mostly for tree removal, about half of the original plan.
• $10k is budgeted for tree planting in 2024.
  
  

The back story:

In May, 2016, the Council approved a proposal (start at p. 73) for the completion of an Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) for $17k.^[1] About 80% of the UFMP had already been developed by in-house staff, with the remaining 20% to be completed by Davey Resource Group (DRG)^[2]. The intent of the UFMP is for DRG to function as the city forester^[3], rather than having a person on staff.

• The Council, consultants, and City Engineer Larry Brown discussed the UFMP further at a work session on Oct. 10, 2016. The Council conveyed a sense of urgency for the removal of dangerous trees and Emerald Ash Borer treatment for trees determined to be of value. Also, specifically discussed was a 5-year implementation for the UFMP.
  
  
• The final revisions and comment happened at a work session on Jan. 23, 2017. The report was accepted at a regular council meeting on Feb. 23, 2017 (start at p. 79). Note: The item was approved on the consent agenda, without Council discussion.
  
  

Action items in the 2017 plan included:

The 10-year UFMP had an annual implementation budget of $72,000-$85,000.

A Mar. 11, 2018 tree report (start on p. 80) indicated that the first year resulted in 91 dead, dying or damaged trees removed from city-owned properties (parkland and right-of-way). Also included was a city staff comment that the UFMP would not be implemented according to the original schedule, due to other factors.

The current situation:

As a new hire, Public Works Director Morreim may have stepped into a morass of neglect.  However, he seems to be steering the lagging UFMP back on track–or scrapping it for something better. Director Morreim has increased accountability and transparency. He stated on Feb. 12, 2024 that his crews are taking advantage of the “no snow” winter by going full bore at years of neglected ROW. The failure in implementing the UFMP from 2017-22 has created significant challenges for the “tree city.”