Laserfiche WebLink
CITY OF PLEASANTON URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN | 109 <br />URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES <br />Table 1-9. Average Cost to Prune a Street Tree in Fiscal Year 23/24 <br />Trees Pruned City Spending Contracted Labor Total Spending Per Tree Cost <br />4422 $133,440 $530,640 $ 664,080 $150.17 <br />Current Practices <br />In Pleasanton, street trees are currently divided into <br />maintenance districts and mature trees are pruned on a <br />5-year cycle by the tree maintenance contractor. The City <br />does not have an established structural pruning practice. <br />Trees in City-managed parks are not on a defined pruning <br />cycle since trees in parks generally have less interaction <br />with people and infrastructure. The City has noted that while <br />a pruning cycle for park trees may not be feasible at this <br />time, there is a need for regular monitoring of tree health <br />and structural defects. Table 1-9 represents that in fiscal <br />year 23/24 the City spent an average of $150 to prune each <br />street tree. The City would like to keep the current five- <br />year pruning cycle, but may be able to reduce mature tree <br />pruning costs if they spend more on structural pruning of <br />young trees. Structurally pruning can significantly reduce <br />the need to prune large trees in the future for structure, <br />which would allow the City to use those extra funds on other <br />goals like increasing tree plantings and establishment care. <br />Recommendations <br /> ƒ Conduct structural pruning while trees are young and <br />developing branching structure (Gilman 2002). This <br />pruning method helps to correct structural defects when <br />the tree is smaller, therefore reducing the labor costs and <br />trauma to the tree. Structural pruning offers an opportunity <br />to increase tree safety without significantly increasing City <br />funding for tree maintenance. <br /> ƒDevelop a periodic park tree risk assessment program. <br />Trees with conditions that present a greater risk than the <br />city is willing to accept should be promptly mitigated. <br /> ƒConsider reducing the current five-year pruning cycle to <br />a seven-year pruning cycle and shifting those funding <br />resources to new tree planting and/or establishment care.