Tree Advisory Commission Meeting

APPROVED June 6, 2018 TREE COMMISSION MEETING DATE: Wednesday, March 7, 2018 TIME: 1 :30 P.M. PLACE: Urbana Public Works Department, 706 Glover Avenue, Urbana, IL MINUTES Members Present: Carol Augspurger (Chair), Marshall Bellville, Stewart Berlocher, Jackson Bird and Michael Stevenson (Vice-Chair) Staff Present: Michael Brunk (City of Urbana Arborist) and Derek Liebert (Urbana Park District) Members Absent: None. Others Present: None Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 1:32 p.m. Marshall Bellville was introduced as the newest member of the Commission. Approval of Meeting Minutes Michael Stevenson moved to approve the minutes for the January 10, 2018 meeting. Jackson Bird seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously by a voice vote. Public Input There was no public input. Former Business a. USDA Tree Planting Grant/Spring 2018 Tree Planting Brunk updated the Commission on the status on the USDA Tree Planting Grant and Spring2018 Tree Planting. The City received a $15,000 tree planting grant. Brunk stated that they will be pushing to plant new trees at 635 sites with a goal of planting 125 new trees per year. He also stated that their annual goal would be to plant two (2) new trees for every removal. Brunk added that they would choose smaller trees in order to ensure they have enough funds to buy the amount of trees necessary.  APPROVED June 6, 2018 TREE COMMISSION MEETING In addition, Brunk gave an overview regarding the new tree selection process for the Fall 2017/Spring 2018 season. Brunk stated that they would not have no one species over 5% of all planted trees, while currently the highest genus is the “Quercus” (Oak) with 10.29% of all planted genus. Brunk updated the Commission that 100 trees were planted in 2017 with 197 new trees scheduled to be planted. Brunk also stated that through a donation from the Urbana Rotary Club Dr. Holly Rosencranz and Warren Lavey of $10,200 would cover a percentage of the spring 2018 plantings or 85 new street trees through the Urbana Cooperative Tree Planting Program. Brunk outlined the new diversity recommendations by the Chicago Regional Trees Initiative. The Commission tabled the discussion for the next meeting to determine diversity of tree selection City Wide and an update on the tree planting process. Stewart Berlocher will provide an inventory listing. New Business a. Legacy Tree Nomination – 604 West Pennsylvania private 40” Ash Brunk stated that the green ash tree had been treated for EABT with three cycles injecting into the trunk. Brunk stated that he would continue to monitor the tree and the appraisal would be sent. The nomination was tabled until the next meeting. b. Homer Tree Service successfully completed Tree Removal Contract of 30 trees Brunk updated the Commission that 30 trees had been removed by Homer Tree Service and was completed in 2-3 days. Brunk stated that he had been pleased with the removal process. Brunk stated however that the tree service did not do the stump removal, which had the bid had won by another service, DirtWorks. c. Urbana Wood Utilization with of U of I Architecture Program Brunk stated that this was the second year that they had taken trees that the University of Illinois requested for the Roots to Roof Architecture program. He stated that they are used for the students to learn how to mill wood for urban wood utilization. Brunk stated that once they get enough supplies then they would convert them into homes. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:40 p.m. Leslie P. Cross Recording Secretary Urbana Tree Commission