TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Kent Edwards, Sustainability Officer
THROUGH: Terrence R. Moore, ICMA-CM
DATE: July 9, 2024
Title
TREE PLANTING PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Consider report and provide comments.
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Background:
Trees are critical green infrastructure that provide benefits including storm water management, reduction of the urban heat island effect, wildlife habitat, reduced air pollution, and increased property values. To help quantify these benefits and to assess the need for additional tree plantings, the City conducted a Tree Canopy Assessment in 2019.
The Tree Canopy Assessment determined that overall, Delray Beach has an average of 23% canopy coverage. Some parts of the City had up to 29% canopy and others were as low as 15%. The report recommended planting 10,000 new trees in five years to raise the average canopy to 28%. The report also recommended reducing the disparity between neighborhoods, and maintaining the health of the existing urban forest through proactive maintenance and increased training of City staff.
The City adopted the “10,000 Trees by Year 2025” goal in 2020. By the end of 2021, 996 trees had been planted in Year 1 of the program, including 300 trees in parks, 250 at local schools, and 200 in right-of-ways, and an additional 1,000 trees were given away to residents. Trees that were planted and given away included a diverse variety of 30 different native species and several varieties that provide edible fruit.
Monitoring of the Year 1 tree plantings was performed in May and June of 2023. Of the 996 trees planted, 753 planting locations were visited. The other 243 trees could not be assessed as the site (Pine Grove Elementary) was under construction and access was restricted. Overall results were very good compared to other tree planting programs, with more than 96% survival. It was also observed that 5% of the trees were damaged. Monitoring of a selection of Year 1 plantings...
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