HomeMy WebLinkAboutIowa City Urban Forest Management Plan Synopsis Summary 11-28-18Iowa City 2018 Urban Forest Management Plan Synopsis & Summary
Iowa City 2018 Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) Overview
A plan for Iowa City’s urban forest developed by Plan-It Geo and the City’s Parks and Forestry Division
1. INFORMATION GATHERING
A. 2016-2018 Tree Inventory Analysis and Summary (pages 13-23)
▪ 25,451 street trees │ 19,563 park trees │ 4,972 planting sites
▪ Tree Diversity: 66 genera, 178 species
▪ Top Species: Silver Maple (8%)
▪ Size Distribution: Greatest number of trees in the 6-12” range (32%)
▪ Ash Tree Count: 3,515 (2,300 along streets and 1,215 in parks)
B. Benefits of the City-Managed Trees
▪ Over $4.2 million in annual savings (page 2)
C. Ordinance Review (pages 9-10)
▪ To provide urban forest program goals, recommendations, and strategies, an extensive
ordinance, policy, and practices review was conducted following the U.S. Forest
Service’s Urban Forest Sustainability and Management Audit.
D. Urban Forest Sustainability & Management Audit (pages 4-5, ii-iii)
▪ 10 Categories of the Audit
1) Management Policy and Ordinances: 64% Achieved
2) Professional Capacity and Training: 38% Achieved
3) Funding and Accounting: 58% Achieved
4) Decision and Management Authority: 75% Achieved
5) Inventories: 62% Achieved
6) Urban Forest Management Plans: 75% Achieved
7) Risk Management: 56% Achieved
8) Disaster Planning: 36% Achieved
9) Practices, Standards, and BMPs: 83% Achieved
10) Community: 71% Achieved
Overall Urban Forest Sustainability and Management: 68% Achieved
Iowa City 2018 Urban Forest Management Plan Synopsis & Summary
2. URBAN FOREST SUSTAINABILITY & MANAGEMENT SPECTRUM: To develop Goals & Strategies,
Criteria and Indicators and the City’s placement on the scale were identified (pages 3-4, 25-30):
The Urban Forest
Sustainability and
Management Spectrum
Category Spectrum
Level: Low Moderate Good Optimal Total
The Urban Forest
(“Vegetation Resource”) 0 3 1 1 5
Management of the Urban Forest
(“Resource Management”) 2 5 7 3 17
Community & the Urban Forest
(“Community Framework”) 1 2 1 0 4
Agencies & the Urban Forest
(“Institutional Framework”) 0 4 0 0 4
Total 3 14 9 4 30
**Iowa City is ranked as “Moderate” in terms of urban forest sustainability and management**
3. FIRST 5-YEAR URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT GOALS FOR A 20-YEAR HORIZON (pages 37-43)
4. METHODS FOR MEASUREMENTS OF SUCCESS & ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT (pages 32-35)
A. Provides the methods for Implementation, Effectiveness, and Validation Monitoring for the
Vegetation Resource, Resource Management, Community Framework, and Institutional
Framework criteria as strategies are implemented.
5. SUMMARY & CONCLUSION FOR THE URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN (pages 44-46)
A. Provides a summary of the Plan process, ecosystem benefits of City-managed trees, tree
inventory data, emerald ash borer vulnerability, criteria and performance indicators, and the
5-year goals.
6. APPENDICES (pages i-xxv)
A. Urban Forest Sustainability & Management Audit
B. Street & Park Tree Inventory Methodology
C. Count of Trees by City Parks & Trails
D. Best Practices for Tree Preservation
E. Tree Maintenance Best Practices
F. Urban Forestry Resources
G. Tree & Planting Site Maps
H. EAB Management Guidelines & Community Outreach
URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN 5-YEAR GOALS
Education
Promote proper tree care through education and enforcement
Organization & Management
Improve efficiencies and collaborate to propel urban forest management
Plan Implementation
Build the team and the reinforcements to implement the Plan
Urban Forestry Program Project Funding
Seek alternative mechanisms for funding and projects to accomplish the strategies
Iowa City