Washburn's urban forestry plan unveiled amid skepticism (WI)

Ashland Daily Press
September 14, 2006
By Karen Hollish

Washburn's first-ever Urban Forestry Management Plan received a lukewarm citizen reception at Monday night's city council meeting.

Resident Kristine Pedretti said it wasn't a hot job market or vibrant social scene that drew her to Washburn, but her deep-rooted connection to the town's natural spots.

"The silver maples on Washington, and the pines in Memorial Park — that and the lakeshore are the things that drew me to Washburn, and that's why I like living here," she said.

Kelli Tuttle of Bluestem Forestry Consulting in Drummond prepared the plan, and Washburn's Parks, Pathways and Public Advisory Committee, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Sigurd Olsen Environmental Institute have all endorsed it for adoption.

"I agree to 90 percent (of the plan), but I still have a knee-jerk reaction to some of the removals," said Councilor Stephanie Wargin, who's also the council's Parks, Pathways and Public Advisory Committee liaison.

Having undergone four revisions, the document contains an inventory of the city's trees and makes recommendations for managing the urban forest over the next five years.

The plan's two main goals, which are broken down further into specific objectives, are to eliminate high-risk situations and establish a routine forestry program.

The nearly 150-page document identifies a total of 1,209 trees in the city, including 192 in need of immediate removal during 2006. Of the trees marked for 2006 removal, 120 are street trees and 72 are in city parks. Of the park trees needing removal, the vast majority — 59 — are in Memorial Park.

The plan also identifies 157 planting sites, and councilors expressed concern over the public's misperception of the plan as a virtual clear-cutting operation.

"This is not a mass logging of Washburn," said Councilor Mary McGrath, adding that the plan is a work-in-progress.

McGrath said she liked the plan, because it provides the city with "standards, long-term goals and numbers we can work with."

McGrath had also been upset about a tree near her property that had been identified in the plan for removal. But, after McGrath expressed her concerns to Tuttle, the tree was taken off the list.

"Just because it's on the list doesn't mean it's going to be removed," said Tuttle. "It's on the list because it has a problem."

Wargin also said that timely removal of all 192 trees marked for removal in 2006 — and the 58 trees slated to go in 2007 — is actually unlikely, as the city can't afford it.

These assurances didn't seem to satisfy citizen audience members, who came out en masse to voice their concerns.

Jim Curran expressed concern about the city rushing the approval process, and asked the council to hold a citizen referendum on the plan.

Curran expressed particular concern about the "thinning" of trees in Memorial Park.

"I find that a little bizarre," Curran said.

"That's so untrue," interjected Tuttle, insisting that isn't in the plan's specifications.

Curran acknowledged that he could be wrong, but said that, if citizens were given a chance to vote on the issue, they'd become well-informed.

Resident Kristine Pedretti said she wasn't reassured by the council's claim that they didn't have the money to complete all the removals. If the money suddenly became available, she said, the city wouldn't hesitate.

Resident Roth Edwards Jr. came to the meeting with his father and a metal bucket full of Norway maple roots from Pine Street, which were ravaged by construction crews during the recent storm and gutter installation.

"Maybe the people from the Sigurd Olsen Institute need to read the writings of Sigurd Olsen," Edwards said.

The new plan does acknowledge such negative outcomes of unmonitored construction, and says the city must involve an arborist when planning and embarking on new construction projects.

Councilors denied the referendum proposition, deciding instead to hold a public hearing for the plan on Oct. 9. Council President Richard Avol encouraged citizens to read it completely before participating, and the council announced they plan to take action on the plan Oct. 23.

Copies of the plan will be made available for citizens' perusal at Washburn City Hall, the public library, Chequamegon Books and possibly on the Internet, Avol said.

NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for research and educational purposes.

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