Community Tree Risk Management: Part 1 Risk Policy

1
Community Tree Risk Management Part 1 - Risk
Policy
Presented at Urban Tree Risk Management
Workshop St. Paul, Minnesota September 3-5, 2003

• Presented by
• Mark Duntemann
• Natural Path Urban Forestry Consultants
• Worcester, VT

2
Policy

• A line of argument rationalizing a course of
  action.

3
Having a tree risk policy is preferable over
having no policy at all.
4

• However, once a tree risk policy has been
  created, it must be implemented.

5
Tree Risk Policy is defined by
Village of Small Town Shade Tree
Ordinance   DRAFT   June 4, 2002

• Tree Ordinances
• Urban Forestry Strategic/Management Plan
• Arboricultural
• Standards
• Planting Plan
• Tree Risk Management Plan

Photo Credits NPUFC, 2003
6
Tree Risk Policy is defined by
Village of Skokies Urban Forestry
Management Plan   Submitted by Natural
Path Urban Forestry Consultants 3 Dugar
Road Worcester, Vermont 05682 natpath_at_earthlink.
net [phone]   February 12, 2002

• Tree Ordinances
• Urban Forestry Strategic/Management Plan
• Arboricultural
• Standards
• Planting Plan
• Tree Risk Management Plan

Photo Credits NPUFC, 2003
7
Tree Risk Policy is defined by
This Arboricultural Specifications and
Standards Manual for the Village of Oak Park
defines the best management practices for the
arboricultural care of Village-owned parkway
trees. All work performed on, or affecting,
parkway trees shall comply with the Standards and
all pertinent tree-related ordinances. These
minimum Standards apply to all Village staff,
residents, and contractors.   The Standards may
be amended at any time that experience, new
research or laws indicate that improved methods
or circumstances make it advisable.

• Tree Ordinances
• Urban Forestry Strategic/Management Plan
• Arboricultural Standards
• Planting Plan
• Tree Risk Management Plan

8
Arboricultural Standards
Tree Preservation
Planting
Clearance
A300 Pruning
Photo Credits NPUFC, Village of Oak Park, and
Village of Woodridge
9
Tree Risk Policy is defined by

• Tree Ordinances
• Urban Forestry Strategic/Management Plan
• Arboricultural
• Standards
• Planting Plan
• Tree Risk Management Plan

Barre Road
10
Planting Plan (contd)

• Barre Road
• Block Side Species Count
• 1200 1700 E Serviceberry 19
• O Kentucky Coffeetree 7
• 1800 2300 E Japanese Tree Lilac 11
• O Bur Oak 5
• 2400 2900 E Serviceberry 12
• O White Ash Autumn Purple 8

11
Tree Risk Policy is defined by
Village of Mount Prospects Tree Risk
Management Plan   Submitted by Natural
Path Urban Forestry Consultants 3 Dugar
Road Worcester, Vermont 05682 natpath_at_earthlink.
net [phone]   February 12, 2002

• Tree Ordinances
• Urban Forestry Strategic/Management Plan
• Arboricultural
• Standards
• Planting Plan
• Tree Risk Management Plan

12
Tree Risk Management Plan

• Tree Risk Policy Statement
• Resource Assessment
• Goals
• Action Plan/Outcomes
• Risk Zone Map
• Tree Failure Log
• Annual Risk Working Group Meeting
• Staff Training Log

13
Tree Risk Management PlanItem 1 Policy
Statement

• Acknowledges responsibility to maintain safe
  public areas,
• Identifies the manager of the tree risk program,
• Lists any general constraints on the program.

Source NPUFC and Public Risk Management
Association (PRIMA)
14
Tree Risk Management PlanPolicy Statement
The Town of Quincy has an active policy to
maintain the safety of public lands from
potentially hazardous trees. The Town will
strive to mitigate, in a timely fashion, any tree
deemed high-risk. When available fiscal and
human resources limit the ability of the Town to
mitigate numerous high-risk trees, priority shall
be placed on trees deemed to carry the highest
risk. The standard for rating the hazard risk of
a tree will be the International Society of
Arboriculture's twelve-point hazard evaluation
system. The Superintendent of Forestry will
administer this program and have final judgment
in all matters concerning the mitigation measures
taken for any tree deemed high-risk.
Reprinted with permission, NPUFC, 1996, 2002
15
Tree Risk Management PlanItem 2 Resource
Assessment
Village of Skokies Urban Forestry
Management Plan   Submitted by Natural
Path Urban Forestry Consultants 3 Dugar
Road Worcester, Vermont 05682 natpath_at_earthlink.
net [phone]   February 12, 2002
Photo Credits NPUFC, 2003
16
Tree Risk Management PlanItem 3 Goals

• Hire an Urban Forester.
• Develop a tree risk zone map.
• Increase staff tree risk training.
• Reduce high-risk species.
• Develop a policy on boundary trees.
• Develop a policy on line of sight inspections.
• Implement a cyclic pruning program.

17
Tree Risk Management PlanItem 4 Action
Plan/Outcomes
Goal Develop a Tree Risk Policy Statement by
November 30, 2003. Action 1 Create a
policy development team by June 15, 2003 City
Manager Action 2 Create a draft policy
statement by July 15 Policy Team Action 3
Submit for Department Head review by July 15 Team
Chair Action 4 Submit to Legal staff for
review by July 15 Team Chair Action 5
Comments back by August 15 Dept. Heads
Action 6 Team review and refinement by
September 15 Policy Team Action 7 Submit
final draft for Board agenda by October 30 City
Clerk Action 8 Board presentation and
approval by November 30 City Forester OUTCOME A
documented tree risk policy statement adopted by
the Village Board.
18
Tree Risk Management PlanItem 5 Risk Zone Map
Shorewood Hills, WI
Map Credits Village of Shorewood Hills, 2003
19
Tree Risk Management Plan Item 5 Risk Zone Map
Shorewood Hills, WI
Park
Park
Park
Park
Police
Park
Map Credits Village of Shorewood Hills, 2003
20
Tree Risk Management Plan Item 5 Risk Zone Map
Montpelier, VT

Controlled Stop light or stop sign
present. Uncontrolled Yield sign or no signs
present.
Photo Credits NPUFC, 2003
21
Tree Risk Management Plan Item 5 Risk Zone Map
Glacier National Park
Graphic Credit GNP, 2003
22
Tree Risk Management Plan Item 5 Risk Zone Map
Glacier National Park
Graphic Credit GNP, 2003
23
Tree Risk Management Plan Item 5 Risk Zone Map
Glacier National Park
Graphic Credit GNP, 2003
24
Tree Risk Management PlanItem 6 Tree/Branch
Failure Log
Photo Credits NPUFC, 2003
 
25
Tree Risk Management PlanItem 7 Annual Tree
Risk Review

• Attendees
• Review status of goals and action plans
• Review failure log
• Modify program

Photo Credits Village of Oak Park, 2003
26
Tree Risk Management PlanItem 8 Staff Training
Log
27
Policy Wrap Up
Photo Credits NPUFC, 2003