How Do You Take Care Of A Street Tree?

How Can We Enhance Street Tree Care?

Despite being dubbed the "City of Trees," many of the trees in Washington, DC are in danger. We need to do a better job of taking care of our city's trees if we want to earn back this moniker.

While North Capitol Street was being reconstructed from Avenue a few years ago, they city planted a tree in the median. Due to a shortage of water, all of the trees perished within a year. The very first three years after a street tree is planted are crucial for the tree to build a strong root system, hence it is recommended that the tree be watered with 25 gallons of water each week.

The city spent the past year rebuilding the Road between Island Avenue to T Street in the south. About sixty-four new trees were planted in the plant boxes along the street as part of the rehabilitation. You can see that almost all of the trees along this route have died in the photos above.

The number of living trees from this endeavour was reduced to only four on a recent weekend. Barring the two adjacent to the Lowest Price Petrol Station, in which the trees are all still alive, all of the tree boxes lining the roadway are overrun by weeds. This cannot stand.

The Metropolitan Branches Trail now extends between the Ave Metro Station and the Street neighbourhood. Many locations along the path, such as the illustrated pocket park at 4th and S Streets, have been outfitted with tree plantings. Due to the severe drought we experienced in late June and early July, many trees have already died.

It's a shame because it could have been avoided if residents and business owners along the Did meet Branch Trail as well as Road had watered the trees in the area, or if the city had intended to water this same trees inside the North Capitol Road median, where there is virtually a freeway and watering would've been difficult. But things are looking up!

The city has begun designing a streetscape for Avenue between Old Avenues. A planted median is planned as part of this revamping. Residents' scepticism that trees can survive without a specific source of water that keep them alive is understandable in light of what happened on roadways like North Capitol Street.

Residents of Avenue were fortunate enough to confirm with a DDOT worker that a drip irrigation will be built into the road's infrastructure, making it simple to provide water to the young trees as they root. To the best of my knowledge, this will be taken into account in any future streetscape initiatives undertaken by DDOT.

The DC "Tree Fund" is the subject of an article in the August 4 issue of the Dupont Current. The Urban Forest Preservation Act of 2002 stipulates that this fund must be established and maintained separately from the city's general revenue, and a portion of the fees collected from this act go towards filling this fund. (we include a direct link to the article, but unfortunately the Current does have a strong aversion to online publication.)

According to The Current, the Mayor's and Council's planned budget for 2011 transfers funds out of the fund and into the city's general fund. This story quotes Councilmember (D-Ward 3) saying she didn't know that funds were being moved out of the Tree Fund and into the general fund as she voted for the budget.

The Urban Forest Administration (UFA), a division of a District Department of Transportation, is responsible for the care and upkeep of the city's street trees (DDOT). We had the pleasure of discussing the specifics of the city's street tree planting and care programme with the Chief Forester of the Urban Forestry Administration.

The annual street tree budget for DDOT is $7.5 million. It was mentioned on Sunday that after a tree is planted, the city is no longer responsible for watering it (contractors plant most of the street trees in the city). The cost of watering the plants will be included in the plant contract for this year, they said. We think it's a good thing for the District of Columbia, even though it probably means less tree planting than in previous years.

There will be less money available for tree planting if we have to spend it on in-ground irrigation systems and pay more people (whether UFA subcontractors or students employed over the summer). Indeed, We find that to be a positive development.

Do not misunderstand advocating for a decrease in forest cover. Please, give me more! But rather than weak, young seedlings, we prefer them to have flourished by their second year.

No fault of their own, DDOT's current planting technique is ineffective. 95% of the trees they plant are requested by locals who want to see more greenery in their front yards. To get people to help take care of the new trees being planted in their neighbourhoods, a programme called "Canopy Keepers" was developed.

My friends in Trinidad are taking part in this initiative. However, it's clear to anyone taking a stroll through the city that many locals aren't doing their part. The UFA team performs an excellent job considering the constraints they face, but we think it would be more efficient to help the young trees develop instead of constantly replacing them.

It's unrealistic to put all your faith on complete strangers. As time goes on, money talks, and can also be used to hydrate plants.

What Motivates People To Value Street Trees?

The survey found that "exceedingly strong" levels of public support supporting street trees existed in State College. When asked how important street trees were, 92.8% of those who had one in front of their house said it was "very important," but only 85.8% of those who didn't gave the same answer.

To lay people like us, this may not appear to be much of a change, but statistically, it is rather substantial. Overall, it appears that people are more likely to cherish trees if they have easy access to them in the form of street trees outside their homes.

Although Gorman did measure an "exceedingly strong positive response," he notes that it's possible that other factors are at play. The findings of this study should not be extrapolated to other contexts without more investigation.

However, this is a promising first result. If we plant a lot more of them (a million or more), will that be enough to have people take street trees seriously?

Could the public's support for the urban forest and associated projects be bolstered if people had easier access to trees, and although we know we don't always plant them with an eye towards their long term success? Perhaps.

There was no examination of State College trees' dimensions, condition, or age in the study, so we can only speculate. Only conjecture may be made.

Conclusion

Trees can increase the value of our cities, towns, and communities if properly maintained. Locating and removing "dangerous" trees quickly is crucial. Watering, mulching, enlarging tree beds, and installing and removing paving stones and bricks are essential tasks. Street trees make a city. Wildlife protection requires green "corridors" between parks.

Baltimore's tree-lined streets provide a natural wind for summertime marble stoops. All roadway trees are chosen for their durability. A little attention can ensure their long and profitable lives. Apply a four- to five-inch layer of organic mulch (wood chips, leaves, or grass clippings) from six inches from the trunk to the drip line. Winterize sidewalks and driveways by shovelling or blowing.

Protect tree bases from lawnmowers and stump grinders. Newly planted trees require 15-20 gallons of water per week. The new Metropolitan Branches Trail links the Ave Metro Stop to the Street neighbourhood. The walkway features various trees. A DDOT employee confirmed to the lucky locals that the road would have a drip watering system.

Urban Forest Administration maintains city street trees (UFA). Street tree upkeep costs DDOT $7.5 million annually. Ninety-five per cent of the trees they plant are requested by neighbours who want more greenery in their yards. In addition, state College residents appreciated street trees outside their homes more if they were within walking distance, according to a UFA-US Department of Health, Environment, and Public Safety poll (DHHS).

Content Summary

• If you want to take care of trees, you need to know about tree ecology and how and how trees work.
• Recognizing issues and knowing how trees respond to environmental changes are crucial for providing optimal management for shade & street trees.
• We rely on the efforts of our volunteer tree stewards to ensure that the city's street trees will continue to thrive for years to come.
• Find out what you could do to aid the city's trees, from elementary to complex tasks.
• Still, trees on the street are an integral component of any metropolis.
• In addition, trees in the street can help control stormwater naturally.
• Many locals erect makeshift shelters around the tree groves in their neighbourhoods.
• However, from the tree's point of view, the main purpose of erecting a fence ought to reduce soil compaction.
• Every time a person walks along a tree bed, they compact the soil.
• Any tree, especially newly planted ones, requires regular and adequate irrigation to ensure its survival and growth.
• Deeply watering street trees once every ten days during the growing season aids in developing strong root systems. 
• Dig 4-six inches deep and 24 inches away from the tree trunk to determine the soil's moisture level.
• A tree requires water if the soil around it is dry.
• Mulch is beneficial because it improves soil quality, helps to retain moisture, and prevents weeds from sprouting up around street trees.
• Don't cut down or prune trees in the roadway unless given the go-ahead to do so by local authorities.
• Put your car, boat, or other big equipment under a tree.
• Modify the soil's gradient significantly close to the plant's root system.
• Keep trees and shrubs safe from damage by protecting their roots and branches.
• Water newly planted trees twice weekly from the beginning of the first summertime until the beginning of the second winter.
• Providing water and a protective covering for the soil can simplify this process.
• Safeguard that brand-new sapling by keeping pet waste, salt, and de-icing chemicals to a minimum to reduce tree stress.
• While North Capitol Street was reconstructed from Avenue a few years ago, the city planted a tree in the median.
• Due to a water shortage, all trees perished within a year.
• The first three years after a street tree is planted are crucial for the tree to build a strong root system. Hence it is recommended that the tree be watered with 25 gallons of water each week.
• The city spent the past year rebuilding the Road between Island Avenue to T Street in the south.
• About sixty-four new trees were planted in the plant boxes along the street as part of the rehabilitation.
• You can see that almost all of the trees along this route have died in the photos above.
• The Metropolitan Branches Trail now extends between the Ave Metro Station and the Street neighbourhood.
• Due to the severe drought, we experienced in late June and early July, many trees have already died.
• The city has begun designing a streetscape for Avenue between Old Avenues.
• Residents of Avenue were fortunate enough to confirm with a DDOT worker that drip irrigation will be built into the road's infrastructure, making it simple to provide water to the young trees as they root.
• The DC "Tree Fund" is the subject of an article in the August 4 issue of the Dupont Current.
• The Urban Forest Preservation Act of 2002 stipulates that this fund must be established and maintained separately from the city's general revenue. A portion of the fees collected from this act go towards filling this fund. 
• According to The Current, the Mayor's and Council's planned budget for 2011 transfers funds out of the fund and into the city's general fund.
• This story quotes Councilmember (D-Ward 3) saying she didn't know that funds were being moved out of the Tree Fund and into the general fund as she voted for the budget.
• The Urban Forest Administration (UFA), a division of the District Department of Transportation, is responsible for the care and upkeep of the city's street trees (DDOT).
• The annual street tree budget for DDOT is $7.5 million.
• It was mentioned on Sunday that after a tree is planted, the city is no longer responsible for watering it (contractors plant most of the street trees in the city).
• They said the cost of watering the plants would be included in the plant contract for this year.
• We think it's good for the District of Columbia, even though it probably means less tree planting than in previous years.
• No fault of their own, DDOT's current planting technique is ineffective.
• To get people to help take care of the new trees being planted in their neighbourhoods, a programme called "Canopy Keepers" was developed.
• The survey found that "exceedingly strong" levels of public support supporting street trees existed in State College.
• When asked how important street trees were, 92.8% of those who had one in front of their house said it was "very important," but only 85.8% of those who didn't gave the same answer.
• Overall, people are more likely to cherish trees if they have easy access to them in the form of street trees outside their homes.
• There was no examination of State College trees' dimensions, condition, or age in the study, so we can only speculate.