Street Tree Inventory: get involved!
Treekeepers of Washington County has begun to inventory street trees in urban unincorporated Washington County. Street trees are those that grow in the public right-of-way, in boulevard medians, and along streets without sidewalks and curbs.
Why does Washington County need a tree inventory? Our county’s trees are largely without protections. Gathering information about them is a necessary step to achieve the protections our neighborhood trees need. A street tree inventory can:
- Provide a current record of trees being managed and their value.: A tree inventory will provide valuable information on the needs and condition of our urban forest. Once an inventory is complete, software can put a valuation on the trees and the services they provide.
- Gather public support for our county’s trees.: This information will help unify our community to improve and invest in its trees and provide information the county can use in their management and conservation.
- Help maintain the trees in our communities.: An inventory provides locations of trees that require irrigation, pruning, or removal, and identify available planting sites. An inventory can help our community quickly locate trees under threat by an outbreak of pests or diseases or provide information to plan for damage from storms.
- Provide long-term assessment and monitoring of the tree population.: This information will make it easier to plan, prioritize, and budget tree removals, maintenance work, and plantings. It will also determine the value of our county’s trees for stormwater management and other benefits. By documenting the condition of and care for the urban forest, an inventory can improve the chances of receiving grants and other assistance.
Treekeepers volunteers gather data on sections of our urban forest’s street trees. Teams collect data such as location, species, measurements, and condition. No experience is necessary. We will provide the training and the tools. Does that sound interesting to you? 2023 inventories start soon. Contact us, and let’s get to work inventorying neighborhood trees!
