Proposed forestry board aims to make tree trims more efficient
by JASON MEREL and CYRYL JAKUBOWSKI
Alderman Samantha Nugent (39th) and other aldermen introduced an ordinance on July 22 that would establish an Urban Forestry Advisory Board after a city report found inefficiencies when it comes to trimming trees by the Bureau of Forestry in the Streets and Sanitation department.
In 2019, the City Inspector General highlighted in a report that the city could reduce the average time crews travel to tree-trimming requests by 35 percent and save on the average cost per tree trim by 60 percent if it moved to a grid-based approach.
The city used to trim trees in grid-sized sections before the advent of the 311 system in 1999 on a 5-year schedule, the report said.
Currently the city trims trees using a resident request-based approach, which is not entirely efficient, leaving some wards waiting longer than others for requests to be completed, the report said.
"Many city trees have not been trimmed in over 10 years," the report states, because some residents don’t make requests.
Between 2016 and 2018, the average service request time to complete tree-trimming on the Northwest Side was 103.8 days in the 39th Ward, 103.7 days in the 38th Ward, 95 days in the 41st Ward, 93.7 days in the 45th Ward, and 110.6 days in the 36th Ward, according to the report. The overall city average is 98.7 days, while in many wards it takes about 80 to 90 days, records show.
The total number of requests for tree-trimming services from 2011 to 2018 was 6,239 in the 39th Ward, 8,040 in the 38th Ward, 7,621 in the 41st Ward, 7,901 in the 45th Ward and 6,984 in the 36th Ward, the report said. The most requests came from the 34th Ward with 10,431 requests, records show. The totals for other wards in the city during those years fall between 4,000 to 6,000 requests, with some higher and some lower than that, the records show.
"We have long needed a common-sense plan on how to preserve and enhance our urban forest and the UFAB will provide consistency and guidance on how we achieve this goal," Nugent said. "A greener, healthier, safer ‘City in a Garden’ is something that will benefit all Chicagoans."
"For years, the city has struggled to adhere to a coherent management plan for our urban forest. We maintain an inefficient tree-trimming system, lose trees due to disease and opaque removal processes, and reinforce long-standing inequities in the delivery of city services," said Alderman Scott Waguespack (32nd), the main sponsor of the ordinance.
"The UFAB will convene policymakers from across agencies and experts in the field to collaborate on these and other pressing urban forestry issues, especially in the absence of a Department of Environment," he said.
Nugent said that there are several city departments with overlapping urban forestry roles and responsibilities. She said the board would bring these organizations together to work toward common goals.
"There are already several organizations working on aspects of urban forestry," Nugent said. "I believe that if we’re successful, every single entity that’s named to the board would be cooperating and collaborating to find efficiencies. I think this is the right time for this advisory board and I am going to work hard for this ordinance’s passage," Nugent said.
The role of the advisory board would be to update the Urban Forestry Management Plan, review, assess and advise on city plans, policies, procedures, guidance documents and expenditures, recommend legislation regarding urban forestry to the council, facilitate public education of urban forestry and establish a Heritage Tree program for trees of special significance to the city due to age, size, type, historical association, or horticultural value, a release said.
The board would consist of 13 members, including members from various city departments like streets and sanitation, forestry, the park district, environmental protection, department of transportation, water management and planning and development.
Pending council approval, the remaining members of the board would be appointed by Mayor Lightfoot and consist of representatives from two nongovernmental organizations that participate in the Chicago Region Trees Initiative, two tree service businesses and the academic arborist community, a release said.
Alderman George Cardenas (12th) and Alderman Rosanna Rodriguez-Sanchez (33rd) are also a sponsors.
by JASON MEREL and CYRYL JAKUBOWSKI
Alderman Samantha Nugent (39th) and other aldermen introduced an ordinance on July 22 that would establish an Urban Forestry Advisory Board after a city report found inefficiencies when it comes to trimming trees by the Bureau of Forestry in the Streets and Sanitation department.
In 2019, the City Inspector General highlighted in a report that the city could reduce the average time crews travel to tree-trimming requests by 35 percent and save on the average cost per tree trim by 60 percent if it moved to a grid-based approach.
The city used to trim trees in grid-sized sections before the advent of the 311 system in 1999 on a 5-year schedule, the report said.
Currently the city trims trees using a resident request-based approach, which is not entirely efficient, leaving some wards waiting longer than others for requests to be completed, the report said.
"Many city trees have not been trimmed in over 10 years," the report states, because some residents don’t make requests.
Between 2016 and 2018, the average service request time to complete tree-trimming on the Northwest Side was 103.8 days in the 39th Ward, 103.7 days in the 38th Ward, 95 days in the 41st Ward, 93.7 days in the 45th Ward, and 110.6 days in the 36th Ward, according to the report. The overall city average is 98.7 days, while in many wards it takes about 80 to 90 days, records show.
The total number of requests for tree-trimming services from 2011 to 2018 was 6,239 in the 39th Ward, 8,040 in the 38th Ward, 7,621 in the 41st Ward, 7,901 in the 45th Ward and 6,984 in the 36th Ward, the report said. The most requests came from the 34th Ward with 10,431 requests, records show. The totals for other wards in the city during those years fall between 4,000 to 6,000 requests, with some higher and some lower than that, the records show.
"We have long needed a common-sense plan on how to preserve and enhance our urban forest and the UFAB will provide consistency and guidance on how we achieve this goal," Nugent said. "A greener, healthier, safer ‘City in a Garden’ is something that will benefit all Chicagoans."
"For years, the city has struggled to adhere to a coherent management plan for our urban forest. We maintain an inefficient tree-trimming system, lose trees due to disease and opaque removal processes, and reinforce long-standing inequities in the delivery of city services," said Alderman Scott Waguespack (32nd), the main sponsor of the ordinance.
"The UFAB will convene policymakers from across agencies and experts in the field to collaborate on these and other pressing urban forestry issues, especially in the absence of a Department of Environment," he said.
Nugent said that there are several city departments with overlapping urban forestry roles and responsibilities. She said the board would bring these organizations together to work toward common goals.
"There are already several organizations working on aspects of urban forestry," Nugent said. "I believe that if we’re successful, every single entity that’s named to the board would be cooperating and collaborating to find efficiencies. I think this is the right time for this advisory board and I am going to work hard for this ordinance’s passage," Nugent said.
The role of the advisory board would be to update the Urban Forestry Management Plan, review, assess and advise on city plans, policies, procedures, guidance documents and expenditures, recommend legislation regarding urban forestry to the council, facilitate public education of urban forestry and establish a Heritage Tree program for trees of special significance to the city due to age, size, type, historical association, or horticultural value, a release said.
The board would consist of 13 members, including members from various city departments like streets and sanitation, forestry, the park district, environmental protection, department of transportation, water management and planning and development.
Pending council approval, the remaining members of the board would be appointed by Mayor Lightfoot and consist of representatives from two nongovernmental organizations that participate in the Chicago Region Trees Initiative, two tree service businesses and the academic arborist community, a release said.
Alderman George Cardenas (12th) and Alderman Rosanna Rodriguez-Sanchez (33rd) are also a sponsors.
