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Davey Resource Group, Inc. Tree Inventory Analysis & Maintenance Strategy Page 22 ROUTINE INSPECTIONS AND INVENTORY UPDATE RECOMMENDATIONS ● All public trees should be regularly inspected and attended to as needed. Inspections can be particularly effective and necessary after major storms which may cause damage to trees or increase the risk posed by trees. o Level 1 walk-by or drive-by assessments can be a cost-effective method of inspection for public trees after storm events and can help identify trees which need further detailed inspection. ● When trees require additional or new work, they should be added to the maintenance schedule. The budget should also be updated to reflect the additional work. Utilize asset management software such as TreeKeeper® to make updates, edits, and keep a log of work records. ● Level 2 risk assessments and inventory updates should also be completed on a routine basis, ideally every 5 to 10 years, to identify defects that are not easily observed during Level 1 assessments and to update tree inventory information. o To keep costs regular, 1/5 of public trees should be re-inventoried each year . With a total of around 3,862 public trees in the current inventory not recommended for removal, approximately 773 would need to be updated each year during a five-year inventory update cycle. TREE PLANTING AND STUMP REMOVAL Routinely planting trees is an important part of maintaining and growing Orono’s tree canopy and maximizing the tree benefits provided to the community. Opportunity exists in suitable vacant street sites and sites with stumps, as well as in parks and private property. Tree planting sites and stump data was not included in the data set presented to DRG for analysis. Assessing a tree species growth characteristics, environmental preferences, and tolerance to urban conditions against a planting site’s condition is essential when selecting a species for planting. Planting the “right tree in the right place” will ensure the tree thrives, increasing its benefits, improving tree survival and condition, reducing future tree care costs, and minimizing conflicts with other infrastructure. TREE PLANTING AND STUMP REMOVAL RECOMMENDATIONS ● Stump removal should be included in tree removal contracts. Quality assurance and control checks of the contractor’s work should be conducted to ensure that stumps are being removed fully and efficiently as part of the tree removal work. ● Stump removal should be done prior to targeted planting of any area to open locations for new tree planting. Planting in a location where a stump was recently removed should be avoided, if possible. Decomposing roots can cause air pockets, nutrient depletion, and space constraints that can impact the establishment of newly planted trees. ● Orono should strive to plant the largest possible tree in each vacant planting site. Large-stature, deciduous trees provide the greatest benefits to the community. See the strategies for providing sufficient growing space outlined in the Growing Space Recommendations section. 34