Tree Planting Memorial Park Demonstration Project Nic Griffin Vegetation Management Coordinator
Tree Planting Program Objectives Establish a closed canopy of trees to reduce or eliminate cyclical maintenance Create a self-sustaining system that requires little to no long term maintenance Maximize benefits trees provide: Erosion Control Habitat Restoration/Creation Shading of Aquatic Habitat
HCFCD Tree Planting Since 2001 Average annual planting of 18,000 to 20,000 trees 180 planting sites Over 1,000 acres 198,000 trees & shrubs 71 different species
Are we meeting our objectives? Canopy Closure: E500-06-00 (9-years) 2/2005 10/2013 10/2013
Tree Planting Process Tree species are selected based on site conditions Trees are planted and maintained by our Contractor Trees are planted using ISA Best Management Practices
Tree Maintenance Tree Maintenance for 2 years post planting Maintenance plan submitted for HCFCD approval Regular site visits by HCFCD Inspectors Maintenance payment based on an annual inventory of healthy trees
Planting Statistics Nuttall oak 1% cherry laurel 1% possumhaw 1% water tupelo 1% southern magnolia bur oak 1% willow oak river birch American elm sweetgum arrowwood viburnum yaupon redbud pecan wax myrtle HCFCD Planting Diversity overcup oak 1% live oak 1% red maple 46 other species 9% cedar elm sycamore lobolly pine 27% green ash 4% bald cypress 1 Shumard oak 4% water oak 4%
MPDP Tree Inventory MPDP Tree Species Count Loblolly pine Water oak Green ash 22 Other Species < 1% 15% Boxelder 2 Black willow 4% Ligustrum 5% American sycamore 1 Sugarberry 7% Dead 8% Cherrylaurel 8% American elm 10%
HCFCD Species Availability Large Trees Small Trees Shrubs lobolly pine (Pinus taeda) redbud (Cercis canadensis) wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana) yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii) parsley hawthorne (Cretaegus marshallii) arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) water oak (Quercus nigra) persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) possumhaw (Ilex decidua) green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) mayhaw (Crateagus opaca) Turk's cap (Malvaviscus drummondii) sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) red mulberry (Morus rubra) buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) cedar elm (Ulmus crassifolia) American plum (Prunus americana) American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) red maple (Acer rubrum) Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana) Virginia sweetsprie (Itea virginica) pecan (Carya illoinensis) fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) spicebush (Lindera benzoin) sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) rusty blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum) white mist flower (Eupatorium wrightii) American elm (Ulmus americana) Carolina buckthorn (Rhamnus caroliniana) flame-leaf sumac (Rhus copallinum) river birch (Betula nigra) strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus) willow oak (Quercus phellos) pawpaw (Asimina triloba) southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) Walters' viburnum (Viburnum obovatum) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica) Nuttall oak (Quercus nuttallii) overcup oak (Quercus lyrata) live oak (Quercus virginiana) laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia) swamp chestnut oak (Quercus michauxii) black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) winged elm (Ulmus alata) sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) southern red oak (Quercus falcata) swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) white oak (Quercus alba) American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) water hickory (Carya aquatica) cherrybark oak (Quercus pagodafolia) eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) black walnut (Juglans nigra) post oak (Quercus stellata) black willow (Salix nigra) yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
MPDP Planting Plan Planting is divided into hydrologic zones totaling 14.5 acres (Terms below used in Draft 80% Plans) o Live stakes : 3.18 acres o Flood Plain : 7.12 acres o Upland : 3.0 acres o Wetland : 1.18 acres Planting densities between 110 and 300 TPA will result in between 1,600 and 4,400 trees planted over the project area
MPDP Growth and Canopy Closure Growth Rates Average between 0.2 and 0.5 annual diameter growth Canopy width 2-4 per 1 trunk diameter Yearly Mortality 10% 15% for the first year Approximately 30% total after 10 years Canopy Diameter in Feet 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Tree Diameter and Canopy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Diameter in Inches
Planting Density and Canopy Closure Planting density - 194 TPA 0.5 per year annual diameter growth Trunk to canopy ratio of 1in to 3ft Including Average Mortality Canopy Closure ~12 Years