An Urban Forest consists of all trees and shrubs found in a City or Town. Unlike the "typical" forest pictured in our mind's eye when we hear the term "forest", these trees and shrubs coexist with buildings, asphalt,cars, power lines, and people. An Urban Forest provides to the urban environment and economy tangible values (landscaped homes have property values 5 - 20% higher than those of non-landscaped homes), temperature and precipitation control, water conservation, noise insulation, visual buffering, and improved air quality. The citizens of Bath, in neighborhood forums and meetings, have also identified the intangible benefits of our urban forest. Time and again, when asked what they valued about life in Bath, the citizens spoke of the connection between the urban and natural landscapes, the neighborhoods, and the proud heritage of Bath. Perhaps the value of an urban forest is best captured and identified in the person of Fred Pecci, Bath's forester for over forty years. Fred, now in his 80's and still climbing trees, has loved and maintained Bath's trees, and agonized over the loss of Bath's trees to disease, storms, and vandalism. The Bath Community Forestry Committee beleives Fred Pecci embodies the endurance and value of Bath's Urban Forest and dedicates this Plan to him.
While an urban forest provides numerous aesthetic and economic benefits, it can impose dramatic costs upon a community if it is not properly managed. These costs are most obvious when poorly maintained or cared-for trees wreak havoc on a community in the aftermath of a storm. The costs can also be seen, however, when poor decision-making in the location, species selection and maintenance of trees lead to premature replacement of trees and unnecessary expenditure of community money.
Therefore, as part of the Comprehensive Planning process, the City of Bath should approve an Urban Forest Management Plan which:
Measures and evaluates the extent of Bath's urban forest;
Sets goals for maintenance, improvement, and expansion of that urban forest;
Establishes implementation strategies for Bath's goals; and
Evaluates Bath's Plan on a regular basis.
The City of Bath in the comprehensive planning process includes in its implementation strategy the following goals which affect the Urban Forest:
the promotion of the availability of and access to traditional outdoor recreation opportunities;
the creation of greenbelts, public parks, trails and conservation easements;
the protection of valued agricultural and forest resources from development that is incompatible with uses related to agricultral and forestry industries; and
the recognition and preservation of the urban forest as aprt of the valued historic and archeological resources of the community.
In September, 1992, under the auspices of the Bath City Council, the Bath Community Forestry Committee was organized to address these questions and concerns. The committee has undertaken since that date to draft this management plan as an integral component of the City of Bath's comprehensive plan which strives to best serve the needs and interests of the urban forest and the citizens of the City of Bath. Specifically, the Committee has undertaken to:
Educate itself and the community about the present and future benefits derived from and the responsibilities of caring for Bath's Urban Forest;
Develop a natural resource inventory of all the streetside trees which includes such information as condition of presnt trees, potential value or liability of those existing trees, size, species diversity, and potential sites for planting trees;
Secure funding, particularly long-range financial support, for the Community Forestry program; and
Draft and present to the community a management plan which addresses the above concerns.
II. INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS
Developed Areas
Streetside Trees
The Committee, through volunteers overseen by the Committee and consulting with urban foresters, have conducted an inventory of the Streetside Trees in the City of Bath. The City of Bath owns very little streetside property; nonetheless, trees overhang streets and sidewalks, thereby imposing a potential obligation upon the City to maintain some of the streetside trees. In conducting the streetside inventory, therefore, the Committee included all trees which are located ten feet or less from the curbside. That inventory includes an analysis of the number, species, size, condition, and diversity of streetside trees. The Inventory also includes and assessment of potential planting sites throughout the City. For the purposes of the Inventory, to determine whether a planting site existed, the Committee sought locations which provided six-foot square planting space, a site no less than thirty feet form an intersection, no less than ten feet from a driveway, and no less than twenty feet rom any other tree. The Committee also sought locations unfettered by overhead or underground utilities or other human interference.
The Inventory, which is being partially funded by a grant known as the City of Bath Special Urban Forestry Project Grant Proposal, is complete. The information obtained is being stored on computer software designed to facilitate the maintenance and management of an Urban Forest.
The inventory of the street trees, thus far, has disclosed that there are approximately 3000 streetside trees in the City of Bath. The predominant species is Norway Maple. Other species seen frequently are Sugar Maple, Little Leaf Linden, White Pine, and Ash. The devastation of the Dutch Elm Disease which tore through American cities in the 50's is obvious here in the City of Bath where few Elm trees remain.
The completed inventory reflects that approximately 18% or less of the streetside trees pose an immediate hazard to the community. An additional 178 are in need of immediate pruning or vigorous maintenance to preserve a threatened tree. This indicates that the City of Bath has an aging forest.
The completed inventory also discloses approximately 500 planting sites. Sites are determined to be appropriate if the immediate surroundings provide space for a particular tree (species appropriate) to thrive in that location with minimal human (and, therefore, economi) assistance or interference (such as underground or overhead utilities). The six foot square spacing requirement reffered to above has been used in making this determination.
School Yards:
The City of Bath, of course, owns land upon which its schools are situated. These schools include Morse High School, the Junior High school, with adjacent playing fields, the middle school, and two elementary schools.
Each of these school yards contain significant trees and shrubs. These trees are a particularly important concern at the elementary schools where large playgrounds and playscapes have been built for the enjoyment of all Bath citizens, but particularly its children. Because of the possible hazards where children are concerned, an inventory and assessment of the number and condition of these trees must be completed.
Waterfront and Library Park:
As with the school yards, these areas are used constantly by Bath Citizens for their enjoyment and recreation. Both areas are focal points for visitors to the City and, therefore, the health and aesthetic appeal of these areas must be quantified, maintained, and improved.
Over the years, the Library Park, in particular, has been a gathering place for groups on Arbor Day to celebrate and plant City trees. So as to promote species diversity in the Park and proper placement of the trees to be planted, an inventory must be completed. Significant deterioration of some of the older trees in this park has already been noted.
Burgess Marina:
The City of Bath has purchased the land at Burgess Marina jointly with the State of Maine. Pending agreement between the State and the City, this area provides the opportunity and space for planting trees. The natural resources presently on site are not sufficient quantity and quality to warrant conducting an inventory.
Cemetaries:
The City of Bath owns and tends cemetaries with marked burial sites dating from the eighteenth century. The centrally located large cemetaries are heavily landscaped with many fine old trees. The City also owns and tends numerous small cemetaries throughout the City and North Bath. Cavalry Cemetary on Upper High Street is now undergoing expansion pursuant to a master landscape design which preserves many large trees and provides for many new trees to be planted.
The Bath Community Forestry Committee intends to conduct and complete an inventory of all cemetary areas.
Undeveloped Areas
Butler Head:
The City of Bath owns approximately 135 acres at Butler Head. Of this total acreage, approximately 125 acres is in some stage of forest growth with the remainder in swampy, brushy or open land.
The City of Bath last inventoried this land in 1987 and the Bath Community Forestry Committee is undertaking to update this inventory. Land Use maps prepared by Wright Pierce Engineers indicate that the soils located at Butler Head are soils with very low development potential which would require extraordinary and economically prohibitive costs to develop this property. These maps also show that the Butler Head area contains state designated "critical areas" and "significant natural areas."
Whiskeag Creek Area:
The City of Bath also owns an approximately fifty acre parcel on the shore of the Lower Mill Pond (near the Public Works maintenance facility). This area comprises parts of city plot maps 14, 11, 26, 27, 37, 6-3, and 7-8-9.
Some site assessment work had been conducted of this area in the early 1980's but the Bath Community Forestry Committe will conduct and complete a full inventory and evaluation of this property. This evaluation will include the assessment of what the City of Bath owns in that area, and the resources available to the community there. These resources include the watershed system of the Whiskeag Creek, its upper and lower portions.
III. GOALS FOR MAINTENANCE, IMPROVEMENT, & EXPANSION
A. Inventory:
Complete Inventory of number, condition, size, species, and planting sites of public trees within developed and undeveloped areas;
Broaden scope of inventory to include all "public trees". "Public trees" shall mean all trees, now and hereafter, on any undeveloped public land in the City of Bath; all trees growing along any street or any public area in the City of Bath; or any trees overhanging said street or public area; or any tree so determined by any broader definition adopted by the City of Bath, Maine, in the Code of the City.
Input all information into database and update inventory as new plantings, pruning, replacement, and conditions are performed or noted.
Long-range tree replacement or rotation plans will be developed from inventory information. The Bath Community Forestry Committee, volunteer/residents of the City of Bath, ought to be responsible for the development of this plan because tree removal or replacement generates community concern.
B. Siting: In order to enhance and preserve the Urban Forest, this management plan promotes the planting of the right species in the right location.
Thus, soil tests or evaluations should be conducted by the City of Bath prior to the City of Bath finalizing any site selection for public trees.
Printed information regarding such tests should be made available to the citizens of the City of Bath.
Furhtermore, the Maine Urban and Community Forestry Council Recommended Tree Species List (or any updates or substitutions thereof) ought to be followed when choosing species suitable for planting streetside trees and shrubs in the City of Bath.
This list should also be available for public dissemination so that citizens of the City of Bath, regardless of where they desire to plant a tree, will have guidelines as to the right tree to plant.
The Tree Ordinance ought to provide incentives for landowners who choose species and planting sites approved by the City Forester or the Bath Community Forestry Committee.
The Plan must also require consultation with Public Works Department and local utilities before any planting location near roadways and/or utilities is finalized.
Greenbelts and tree plantings should be encouraged at business and retail parking lot locations whether those parking lots are publicly or privately owned. This encouragement will come in the form of:
coordinating with the Public Works Department (or other authorities engaged in snow removal) to choose species and sites which will not be adversely affected by nor impded the piling of snow and ice.
enacting a tree ordinance which will have as a component a recognition that development (as represented by number of parking spaces) and trees ought to coexist and support one another.
including in the ordinance, requirements which promote the preservation of existing trees.
These preservation guidelines include providing barriers of protection for trees determined to be worthy of such during any on-site construction which imperils the tree; and
They further include transplantation of trees threatened by construction which can be transplanted without imposing economic hardship and which are deemed to be of sufficient health and value to withstand transplanting;
Landowners will be encouraged to undertake to plant a new tree at the same site as a removed tree, or if that site is deemed inappropriate by the City Forester or the Bath Community Forestry Committee, at an alternative approved site for each tree removed.
C. Planting: Proper planting techniques ought to be observed and enforced in all City contracts for the planting of trees and shrubs.
Maine Landscape and Nursery Association Landscape Contract specifications or any amendments or substitutes thereof ought to be followed and enforced as a minimum standard. These standards address mulching, fertilizating, watering, and staking requirements.
Proper soil preperation. Care should be taken to ensure that an inordinate amount of soil amendment is not used. If it is found that, in order for the site to be suitable for planting, a great deal of souil amendment is necessary, then the site ought to be rejected for planting purposes (or for planting that particular tree).
Proper preperation of the hole. Planting holes should be dug as deep as the root ball and at least twice as wide.
Planting ought to be designed for root control through the use of trees with columnar root balls, planting hole liners, deflection barriers, and pervious barriers. These techniques minimize potential damage to sidewalks, streets, and ultimately the tree, thereby saving the community the cost of repairing the sidewalks or replacing the tree, or both.
D. Maintenance. Annual maintenance plans will be adopted for all the Public Trees.
Soil conditions should be managed through routine fertilization (non-toxic, environmentally sound) and aeration.
Disease and insect control through natural methods, if possible, will be given preference.
Resistent stock and species should be used.
Age and species diversity should be maintained.
Waste wood and stumps should be removed and disposed of in a manner that ensures that diseased conditions are not spread.
The maintenance plan for new plantings should include rigorous watering, staking, and inspections for three to four years.
Pruning. Healthy trees require a regular pruning schedule to preserve and control their health and appearence.
The foremost method of ensuring minimal cost for the Community in this regard is to choose species for new plantings which require minimal pruning or which are placed in a location which will allow the tree to grow without the need for substancial growht maintenance through pruning. Thus, trees with brittle branches ought to be avoided as streetside trees. Similarly, low branching trees where visibility issues are a concern (such as storefronts or intersections).
A maintenance plan ought to provide for a five year pruning cycle such that, each mature tree in the City of Bath is pruned no less than once every five years.
Trees within the vicinity of utility lines ought to be pruned with "natural" or "drop crotch" techniques rather than topping or round over methods.
Utility companies ought to be consulted by the Forester prior to engaging in pruning near wires. Indeed, Utility Companies will often bear the cost and burden of this labor. They must, however, be required to prune in the natural method indicated.
All pruning shall meet as a minimum standard the National Arborist Association Pruning Standards for shade trees, as amended and updated periodically.
Hazardous Trees. Inspections for hazardous trees ought to continue to be conducted on at least an annual basis.
Hazardous trees will be removed.
Those trees which are recognized and identified as not immediately hazardous but in need of pruning ought to be so maintained on a scheduled basis.
IV. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES:
A. Education. In order to properly and effectively promote the Urban Forest as an asset of the community, educational goals must be implemented. We intend to implement a three tier plan:
Forester partnership with City Employees, particularly Public Works employees, to develop needs assessment and standards of operation to benefit and increase long term health of the public trees.
Educating school children. Assist in creating and implementing lesson plans for all teachers so that the value of the forest to the community is shown.
The Committee has already participated in the establishment of the Dike-Newall School Bulb Garden which will include trees in the near future and the development of lesson plans at the Fisher-Mitchell School regarding the natural resources available to the City of Bath at Butler Head and on the City streetsides.
Educating the general public, including Bath visitors.
This educational goal will be implemented by the dissemination of written information concerning the value, protection, and care of trees ( including the species list referred to above and planting and pruning guides).
The Community will be informed through public outreach programs that the Bath Community Forestry Committee will be available to it as a resource for information and assistance.
The Committee will encourage volunteers to assist in maintaining the City's Urban Forest.
B. Financial Support. Implementation of sound fiscal policy with regard to the management of the urban forest will be undertaken.
The Bath Community Forestry Committee will have authority to assist the City Council and City Employees in evaluating the fiscal needs and capacity of the City in preserving and expanding the Urban Forest.
The Committee is undertaking, with the assistance of Department Heads throughout the City, to review the budgets of the various departments to consolidate all Forestry related funds into one budget under the aegis of one department. This will eliminate possible duplication of effort and enhance economies of scale.
The Forestry Division will continue to request from the general budget of the City monies necessary to enhance and preserve the City's Urban Forest.
The Committee would recommend and propose that the City employ a City Forester (full or part time) whose duties and responsibilities would include the management and consolidation of the budget and the processing of grant applications.
The Bath Community Forestry Committee has been successful, thus far, in securing monies from various grant sources to help implement these strategies and foster the health and proliferation of the Bath Urban Forest. The Committee intends to continue to seek funding from these sources. However, the Committee is cognizant that no sound fiscal policy can be built upon the hopes of continued grant sources of funding.
The Committee has already been fortunate enough to receive unsolicited and unrestricted donations from individuals and organizations. These funds will be deposited in aTrust Fund specifically designated and intended for preservation and enhancement of the Bath Urban Forest. This Trust is being created with the assistance of the Bath City Solicitor's office.
The Trust will have as its goals and objectives the power to care for and maintain the existing and future Public Trees in the City of Bath; to plant new trees throughout the City of Bath; to remove hazardous Public Trees and limbs on public Trees; to promote sound forestry policy in the City-owned forested lands; to purchase specialized equipment needed for the care, maintenance, removal, and replanting of Public Trees; and to retainn a full-time or part-time urban forester.
The Forestry Committee will seek ways to raise funds to be deposited in the Forestry Division's budget. For example, these funds can be earned from the sale of seedlings raised at a city run nursery; sale of lumber or pulp derived from the removal of hazardous streetside trees; and the sale of informational booklets and useful souvenir items that promote the urban forest.
C. Volunteer operations: active volunteer participation from a broad spectrum of the community is essential and will be promoted, solicited, and encouraged by the Committee.
D. Enforcement. The Committee is drafting a proposed Tree Ordinance which will permit the City, through the Forestry Division to implement and enforce the guidelines set forth in the Management Plan.
V. EVALUATION OF PLAN
A. Review. The management plan will be reviewed and, if deem necessary, revised, no less than once every five years.
Drafted and last modified 11/23/93
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