Report Prepared by: Juan Olmos, Acting Public Works Manager - Tax Services
Title
SUBJECT: Adoption of the 2020 Urban Forest Management Plan Prepared by Davey Resource Group as Part of the Urban Forest Tree Inventory and Management Plan CalFire Grant
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers adopting the 2020 Urban Forest Management Plan prepared by Davey Resource Group as part of the Urban Forest Tree Inventory and Management Plan CalFire Grant.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion approving and adopting the 2020 Urban Forest Management Plan.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve as recommended by staff; or,
2. Approve, subject to modifications as conditioned by Council; or,
3. Refer to staff for reconsideration of specific items as requested by Council; or,
4. Deny; or,
5. Continue to a future Council meeting.
AUTHORITY
City of Merced Charter, Section 200.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Addresses Council priority for beautification of public spaces.
DISCUSSION
In 2017, the City of Merced applied for and was awarded a $475,000 Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) Resource Management Grant to complete a tree inventory assessment and prepare an urban forest management plan. The completed tree inventory and management plan will provide the Public Works Department with the necessary tools to better manage the City's urban forest.
Davey Resource Group, Inc. (Davey), was hired to complete both the inventory and management plan. The inventory evaluated the health of the City's urban forest and provided a total number of City maintained trees. At the completion of the 2019 inventory assessment, the City's community tree resource included 44,107 trees (6,830 park trees and 37,277 street trees) and 220 unique tree species throughout Merced.
The 2020 Urban Forest Management Plan is a resource for the community on the benefits of a maintaining a healthy urban forest, including energy savings, improved air quality and carbon dioxide reduction, storm water...
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