Regardless of how much care is given to maintain the health of our trees, it is impossible to insure that they will never fail during severe weather or even on the calmest of days. City Arborists will inspect trees on City property in response to Service Requests submitted online, and as part of our ongoing periodic inventory of City trees. A tree risk assessment may even include drilling into the buttress roots and tree trunks to probe for the presence of decay. Our Urban Forestry Section staff utilize all pertinent tree risk assessment techniques when evaluating the health and potential risks associated with each tree.

In cases where a sidewalk, curb, or street is being damaged by a tree or its roots, a Service Request should be submitted to the Dept. of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES) rather than the Urban Forestry Section. T&ES staff will investigate to determine what needs to be done to correct the sidewalk/road problem, which may or may not involve removal of the tree. T&ES will coordinate with Urban Forestry if tree maintenance or removal is necessary.

In addition to responding to routine Service Requests by residents, the Urban Forestry Section is also one of the City’s primary emergency response groups. Major storm events often cause significant tree damage. Following the June 2012 derecho, for example, our regular work plan was set back by approximately 30 days due to the diversion of resources to immediate and long-term storm debris cleanup. Our storm responses are coordinated with the Dept. of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES), other City Departments, and private contractors. The City’s Solid Waste Division issues guidelines about their requirements for removal of tree limbs and other debris that are either from storm damage or normal conditions. Additionally, Urban Forestry staff regularly responds to after-hours emergency calls of downed trees or fallen limbs blocking roads.