Planting Trees: A Capital Improvement

"City Manager Dale Fisseler proposed that the council designate some of that money to save the city’s tree planting program because the trees could be considered capital improvements." - Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 20, 2008 - concerning saving the Fort Worth tree farm and related forestry jobs with gas drilling revenues.

You wait so long for a bonafide local high city official to publicly admit to an actual economic value of your city's trees, you want to post it on your wall when you actually see'em fess up. May it be the beginning of a new enlightenment in North Texas.

I am more hopeful now for Fort Worth's forestry program than I was two days ago because it seems the city's leaders are recognizing the value of their benchmark program. Fort Worth has always led the way in North Texas and everyone else is playing catch up. The city's tree farm program is well organized, operated and highly productive. Melinda Adams, once a colleague of mine in Dallas, leads a formidable troup of foresters and laborers that plants about 1,600 trees per year and conducts important public education efforts. Fort Worth can't let that prize go away so easy. Well,...I hope they think as I do.

The organization of Dallas' forestry operations could use a little work itself. Tree maintenance and management is split between multiple departments and its planting programs are, with some exception, organized through non-profit, neighborhood and corporate partnerships with the city, county or state. The Parks Department on its own does a magnificent job of managing the planting of new trees with a highly under-rated crew of workers. It does a good job of partnering with corporations as well, from Citi to Mary Kay. The Reforestation Program, administered through Development Services, has quietly partnered in some of these programs by oversight of Article X tree mitigation procedures and supplying trees funded by city development.

But I believe we have recently seen the flaws in some of our processes where bureaucratic red-tape and simple misunderstandings can lead to the demise of large volumes of trees. Strong open communication is vital between agencies and departments, and the organizations and public, to assure that what goes in the ground will remain for the duration so the future generations of Dallasites can benefit from our labors today. One human error today can cause significant setbacks and great amounts of frustration for the community. These are called preventable errors.

It's too easy to attack any particular group for failing tree maintenance issues such as the baldcypress stand under Woodall Rodgers. TXDOT is a goliath and, well... big feet. The Texas Tree Foundation's very mission is the growing of trees in the area and they would never seek any tree be harmed from neglect. There is much investment in these operations, but more importantly, these people are passionate about their jobs. We should mark the losses of the trees to preventable error and find ways to improve the process. We need to find the ways to clear up these communication voids. Dallas could consider placing the city's forestry operations under the Urban Forester. A supporting unified Forestry Division is not a bad idea either. The Urban Forest Advisory Committee is ready and able to provide great professional and leadership support. It needs only to be called upon by the city leaders to provide its expertise. The arborist office is also working to assure the proper management of Article X.

We have a movement in this city that wants to see itself as 'green,' but we have a far distance to go. We have to change mindsets and our general way of seeing our world around us. We have the opportunity to walk down this path by supporting our new Trinity Audubon Center and embracing its purpose. It can be a great learning place for reconnecting with nature. We must recognize the Great Trinity Forest Management Plan and fully implement it to help it evolve into the open public asset and protected wildland. Volunteer efforts such as the Student Conservation Association provides opportunities for high school youth and college students in our city's forest. The Citizen Forester program is exceedingly popular and we are already filling the class (it's probably already filled) for next year. This is just a start. There are new efforts to produce 'Victory Gardens' around Dallas. There are Master Naturalist and Master Gardener programs that are leading the way for bringing people back to nature - even in just their back yard.

The ideas are there. We just need to implement them and that takes leadership and support from the top.

There is much to do all the way around. There are many, many opportunities to make a difference. You need only to reach out to them and support them. I'm not just speaking for Dallas citizens either. The arborists and foresters of North Texas support each other because we have the same mission and goals. We endeavor to educate the public and protect the great resource that will help sustain our DFW region for many generations. The forest is broad across our region and each of us only manage our share. Our forests are our infrastructure and restoring and protecting them IS capital improvement.