Campus Tree Care Plan
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2015 Illinois Tree Campus A Tree Care Plan for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign December 30, 2015 Contents Contents .................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Standard 1: Campus Tree Advisory Committee .................................................................................................................. 1 Background .......................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Campus Tree Advisory Committee .................................................................................................................................. 1 2015 Committee Members ................................................................................................................................................. 2 2015 Meeting Schedule ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Standard 2: Campus Tree Care Plan...................................................................................................................................... 2 1. Purpose of Tree Care Plan ............................................................................................................................................. 2 2. Responsible Department ................................................................................................................................................ 2 3. Campus Tree Advisory Committee .............................................................................................................................. 2 4. Campus Tree Care Policies ............................................................................................................................................ 2 5. Protection and Preservation policies and procedures ................................................................................................ 6 6. Goals and Targets ......................................................................................................................................................... 16 7. Tree damage assessment .............................................................................................................................................. 16 8. Prohibited practices. ..................................................................................................................................................... 17 9. Definitions of terminology related to campus trees. ................................................................................................ 17 10. Communication strategy ............................................................................................................................................ 17 Standard 3: Dedicated Tree Expenditures.......................................................................................................................... 18 Grounds Tree Program Budget ....................................................................................................................................... 18 Standard 4: Arbor Day Observance .................................................................................................................................... 19 Event Description ............................................................................................................................................................. 19 Standard 5: Service Learning Project .................................................................................................................................. 22 Description of Project ...................................................................................................................................................... 22 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................................................. 23 Standard 1: Campus Tree Advisory Committee Background The mission of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is to enhance the lives of citizens in Illinois, across the nation, and around the world through our leadership in learning, discovery, innovation, engagement, and economic development. The mission of Facilities & Services (F&S) is to provide facilities and services to support the preeminent academic enterprise at Illinois. F&S is responsible for oversight of campus trees. Campus is committed to educating the future leaders of the world, especially in regard to grand societal challenges like environmental sustainability. The Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) oversees the development of the strategic plan for campus sustainability, called the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP). One objective in our 2015 iCAP is to convert 50 acres of farmland to agro-forestry. Other objectives include developing a sustainable landscape management plan, a tree care plan, and an integrated pest management program. At Illinois we recognize that trees are an important asset for our campus and the community. They provide habitat for diverse species, sequester carbon from the atmosphere, and have been shown to have a positive effect on human behavior. Each year, we celebrate the environment with major events during April for Earth Week and October for Sustainability Week. This year, we added an Arbor Day celebration. Campus Tree Advisory Committee The Executive Director of F&S created the new Campus Tree Advisory Committee in conjunction with the proposal to seek Tree Campus USA designation in 2015. This committee is an advisory body to the Grounds department at F&S and to the campus community on matters relating to campus trees. Responsibilities include: 1. Assist with Tree Campus USA application by December 31, 2015. 2. Recommend policies for the maintenance, removal, planting, and landscaping of trees. 3. Recommend a tree protection plan process for construction and trenching. 4. Recommend a policy for enforcement, penalties, and appeals related to tree damage. 5. Develop a communication strategy to help make the campus community and contractors aware of policies, procedures, and goals of Tree Campus USA. 6. Plan an Arbor Day observance event on the last Friday in April. 7. Review annual expenditures related to tree maintenance. While responsibility for campus trees is assigned to specific units, including Grounds and the Arboretum, the Campus Tree Advisory Committee assists by providing guidance for future planning, input to a comprehensive campus tree plan, education of the campus community about the benefits of trees, and development of a community connection related to our campus and community trees. The Campus Tree Advisory Committee is expected to meet at least monthly during the spring and fall semesters, and as needed during the summer months. Committee members are identified annually in January by the Executive Director of F&S, and there is no term limit for committee membership. Special thanks go to the inaugural 2015 committee members, who assisted with the initial development of the Tree Campus USA program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 1 2015 Committee Members Ryan Welch, co-chair Superintendent of Grounds, F&S; acting Horticulturist Morgan Johnston, co-chair Director of Sustainability, F&S Brent Lewis F&S Landscape Architect Kevin McSweeney Director of Arboretum Gary Kling Associate Professor of Crop Sciences Stephanie Lage Assistant Director, iSEE Mike Brunk City Arborist, City of Urbana Maggie Thomas Student Sonya Grindley , ex-officio Administrative Assistant, F&S 2015 Meeting Schedule The committee was charged on 1/22/2015. The first meeting was held on 2/20/2015, and the agenda covered introductions, the charge letter, draft annual expenditures, plans for the Arbor Day event, and a description of the service learning project. The second meeting was held on 3/13/2015, and the agenda focused on plans for the Arbor Day event. At both the 4/1/2015 and 4/13/2015 meetings, the Arbor Day event program was refined and finalized. After Arbor Day, the committee met at the beginning of the fall semester on 9/4/2015. The September agendafocused on the Tree Care Plan, and the committee also discussed hosting a tree walk during Campus Sustainability Week. The next committee meeting occurred on 10/16/2015, with a discussion about the tree walk and the steps needed for writing the Tree Care Plan. The final meeting of the year was on 12/7/2015, where the committee reviewed the draft Campus Tree Care Plan. Standard 2: Campus Tree Care Plan 1. Purpose of Tree Care Plan The purpose of the Tree Care Plan is to document and clarify the campus commitment to maintaining our campus trees. The programs and policies previously in place have been updated to reflect the current industry standards and procedures for tree care on campus. With the goal of becoming a recognized Tree Campus USA, this document describes the existing practices and identifies areas for improvement. 2. Responsible Department The majority of trees on campus are under the responsibility of the Grounds department in F&S. This Tree Care Plan is the responsibility of F&S Grounds. 3. Campus Tree Advisory Committee The Campus Tree Advisory Committee is described