Tree Board

CITY OF HENDERSONVILLE TREE BOARD City Operations Center – 305 Williams St | Hendersonville, NC 28792 Tuesday, January 16, 2024 – 2:00 PM Minutes Members in Attendance: Council Member Roundtree, Janet Thew, Becca Doll, Natalie Wilcoxen, Mary Davis, Glenn Lange Members not in Attendance: Will Coffee, Stephen Stark 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion to Approve: Mary Davis Second: Glenn Lange Approved 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Minutes - December 12,2023 Motion to Approve: Becca Doll Second: Natalie Wilcoxen Approved 4. NEW BUSINESS A. Urban Forestry Plan Proposal - Chris Defiore Proposal was presented to update the Tree Plan and make recommendations to transition it to an Urban Forestry Plan and prepare for future grant opportunities. Plan will be ready in February. Chris DeFiore cdefiore15@gmail.com 717-343-2636 Mark Stierwalt Superintendent of Public Works City of Hendersonville I am submitting this proposal in response to the City of Hendersonville's request for a review of current urban forestry documents. The goal is to develop a report highlighting key points and recommendations on the City of Hendersonville’s Urban Forestry efforts for the City Council. My professional background includes serving as the Urban Forestry Project Manager with The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut. In this role, I successfully collaborated with cities such as Bridgeport, Norwalk, and New London, providing guidance on various aspects of urban forestry systems. These included community engagement, technical advice, municipality and non-profit communication, data collection, resource leveraging, and protocol development. Notably, in Bridgeport, I initiated and executed a successful tree planting program in collaboration with the city and 6 local non-profit organizations. I also have hands-on experience as a community forester professional with the Urban Resources Initiative in New Haven, managing a portfolio of resident-led greenspace projects. My responsibilities included co-visioning session facilitation, site surveys & design, tree plantings, structural pruning, and community outreach. My educational background includes a Masters of Forestry from the Yale School of the Environment and a Bachelors of Environmental Education from Warren Wilson College. I firmly believe that urban forestry goes beyond trees; it is about fostering connections between communities and the natural world. I am eager to contribute my expertise to support Hendersonville in building community resilience through urban forestry. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss it further. Sincerely, -Chris DeFiore . Project Proposal City of Hendersonville Urban Forestry Review Fee Proposal Hourly Rate $55/hour Task Estimated Hours Review Urban Forestry Documents 8 Drive-By Ground Truth of Canopy 4 Assessment Write Report: Summarize Findings & 16 Make Recommendations Incorporate Feedback into Final 4 Report Create and Give Final Presentation 6 Total 38 Overall project fee: $2090 ($55 * 38 hours) Paid 50% at completion of Report: Rough Draft Remaining paid at complete of Report: Final Draft and Presentation Scope of Work Overview Review, interpret, and summarize current urban forestry documents for the City of Hendersonville, NC. Convert findings into a summary document and a presentation to communicate key points to city council and other decision-makers. City of Hendersonville Urban Forestry Documents to be Reviewed: ● Street Tree Planting & Maintenance Plan (2010) ● Tree Canopy Cover Assessment (2023) ● City of Hendersonville Code of Ordinances Article IV. Trees and Shrubs ● Recommended Landscape Species List for Street Trees and Land Development Projects (2022) Deliverables ● Report written to communicate the following to city council and city decision-makers: ○ Summary of key points from the documents listed above ■ Identify document components that may need updated or refreshed ■ Identify items that may need further exploration or details ■ Identify additional items that may need to be included ○ Recommendations for key “next steps” in advancing urban forestry in Hendersonville ○ Feedback incorporated from rough draft submission ● Slideshow presentation that incorporates the key points of the report and Q & A Motion to Approve: Becca Doll Second: Glenn Lange  Approved B. Public Relations Update - Mary Jo Padgett REPORT TO: Hendersonville Tree Board FROM: Mary Jo Padgett, PR Consultant RE: Publicity Report for January Board meeting DATE: January 16, 2024 Publicity/ events since last board meeting -- Web page update – I created a photo-oriented summary report of Tree Board activities in 2023 (sometime called an annual report), which is now on the Tree Board web page on the City’s website. Thank-you note to City Council and Volunteers -- A modified version of the 2023 annual report will soon be sent to City Council members and others as a way of saying thank you for support for Tree Board activities during the past year. PR for February educational program – a news release was sent to early- deadline publications and a poster has been created for the Library to post (both are attached to this report). Feel free to pass those along to friends and associates. This will be posted on the City’s website and disseminated to media in February. New Pollinator Trail – I’m working with Sustainability Superintendent Caitlyn on dissemination of the new Pollinator Trail being developed through the Bee City USAHendersonville program (which falls under the Tree Board’s jurisdiction). I’m hoping to coordinate a guided walk along the trail this spring as a Tree Board event. Upcoming Calendar of Events -- HENDERSONVILLE TREE BOARD CALENDAR 2024 Monday, February 26 -- All About Caring for the Trees in Your Backyard: How to Plant, Prevent Tree Damage, Prune, Avoid Common Tree Health Problems, and more … Henderson County Library auditorium, 301 N. Washington Street, 5-6:30 p.m. Steve Pettis, well-known local expert, will share knowledge and experience on the subject using visual and descriptive methods. Pettis is a long-time agricultural advisor in his role as Henderson County agent of the N.C. State Cooperative Extension. Early Spring – NeighborWoods Tree Planting Project. Hopefully the 62 trees that were planned for planting last Oct. at Henderson Village on U.S. 191; at Blue Ridge Villas, a development near Blue Ridge Mall; at Park Place condominiums on Greenville Hwy.; at homes in the historically Black neighborhood of 9th Avenue West, near Hendersonville Middle School; and in Druid Hills, where one homeowner will replace older trees with three new ones will now be delivered and planted. The trees will be planted in honor of long-time member and chair of Hendersonville Tree Board Mac Brackett, who retired at the end of 2023. The delay in planting was due to severe drought last fall. 5 Item B. Saturday, April 20 – Hendo Earth Fest event on Main Street. 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. This is an educational event being coordinated by the Environmental and Sustainability Board for the Bee City USA-Hendersonville program. The event celebrates Earth Day, which is April 22. Tree Board members will also participate. Early May – Arbor Day Celebration Late May – Garden Jubilee June – Pollinator Month  C. Gen H - ESB and Tree Board Group Call February 7, 2023 1:00 pm Meeting to discuss the Gen H Comprehensive Plan D. Thank You to Mack Bracket Mac Brackett Received his honorary rocking chair for 23 years of dedicated service to the City of Hendersonville’s Tree Board. A red oak tree will be dedicated in his honor in Clear Creek Park. E. Cavity Conservation Signs Janet Thew discussed purchasing cavity conservation signs to support wildlife trees and raise awareness about leaving snags and dead trees to benefit wildlife and place some on trees in public spaces. The board was in agreement. 5. OLD BUSINESS A. 2024-25 Tree Board Budget Discussion The budget was discussed and approved for 2024-25 Budget for 2023/2024: Tree Replacement & Supplies $1500 Arborist Services $3000 Publicity $3500 Arbor Day $250 NeighborWoods $6000 Maintenance of Pollinator Beds at Hands On Museum and Bearcat Loop $2500 Maintenance of Pollinator Bed Four Seasons Boulevard (Triangle) $2500 Maintenance of Pollinator Bed Starbucks Four Seasons Boulevard $2500 Tree Planting on Greenway $5000 Welcome to Hendersonville Pollinator Bed - Hwy 64 East Near Walmart $40,000 Total Request - $67,750 Motion to Approve: Mary Davis  Second: Natalie Wilcoxen Approved B. Garden Jubilee - Invasive/Non-native Species Education Glenn Lange gave an update and the letter to vendors has been sent and another will go out before the event. C. Bradford Pear Exchange Mary Davis and Becca Doll offered to champion the event which will take place at the City Operations center on May 4th, 2024. D. Earthfest - Tree Giveaway Natalie Wilcoxen will champion the event. There will be a specimen tree giveaway to a city resident. The Tree Board will have a tent and volunteers to promote relevant issues. E. Tree Ordinance Revision Committee Update Glenn Lange gave a brief update on the process. 6. OTHER BUSINESS A. Staff Comments 7. ADJOURNMENT The City of Hendersonville is committed to providing accessible facilities, programs and services for all people in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Should you need assistance or an accommodation for this meeting please contact the City Clerk no later than 24 hours prior to the meeting at 697-3005. TREE BOARD – January 16, 2024