SIDNEY — A big topic of conversation at the Sidney City Council workshop meeting Monday night was trees.
Street and Traffic Division Superintendent Brian Green gave a presentation to council about urban forestry. He discussed current projects and programs, values and benefits of urban trees, and how the city is doing on the removal of ash trees.
Right now the department is working on 2016 street tree pruning. Green said they are ahead of schedule this year because of the mild winter that the area saw. He said the city of Sidney’s pruning objectives are to reduce risk of failure; provide clearance; and maintain health. The different ways they prune include pruning for structure, to clean, to restore, and to raise.
Green listed many values and benefits of urban trees, a few he listed included:
• Increase property values as much as 15 percent
• Trees filter airborne pollutants, reducing conditions that cause respiratory problems
• Tree shade has been proven to reduce pavement fatigue, cracking, rutting, shoving and other distress, saving on repair costs
• People have more favorable perceptions of communities with green roads
An Emerald Ash Borer is an ash tree-killing insect from Asia. Green said there are approximately 350 remaining Ash street trees in Sidney. If the city doesn’t remove the Ash trees, they see weakening of the tree’s structure, causing limbs, and entire trees, to fall.
Joyce Reier, of the Sidney Urban Forestry Department and Tree Board, said there are still a few people treating Ash trees on private property, but the city is aware of all the trees on city property.
In 2016 the city plans to remove more Ash trees. They will be removing ones that are less than 14 inches in diameter and contracting-out the ones that are more than 15 inches in diameter.
In Tawawa Park, the parks staff plans to remove 168 trees in 2016, including some Ash trees, and will have a contractor remove another 113. In Plum Ridge Park the parks staff, along with DP&L, will remove three trees. In 2015, there were 145 trees removed from parks.
Approximately 1,600 street and park trees have been removed since 2011, in Sidney, and 90 percent of those were Ash. The tree removal to replacement ratio in Sidney is shocking, since 2011, they have only planted one tree a year, their Arbor Day tree. The effects of that are starting to be seen, but, Green said, this year will be different.
Right now the city has budgeted $10,000 for the planting of trees in 2016. The city has also applied for a $50,000 grant from DP&L. The city will contribute $5,000 to obtain this grant, and if awarded it will increase the planting from approximately 35 trees to 185 trees. These trees will be planted in Sidney parks and the street right-of-way, said Green.
Reier said there will be a variety of trees planted. They have an approved list of trees to choose from. They will find out if they received the grant on Arbor Day this year.
At the meeting Monday night, Mayor Mike Barhorst presented a proclamation to Reier, and the Tree Board members, declaring April 29, 2016, as Arbor Day in Sidney.
There will be an Arbor Day Celebration at Sidney Middle School on April 29, at 9 a.m.
