00. Agenda and Packet

Park & Rec Committee Meeting –September 03, 2024 5:30pm Page 1 CITY OF OCONTO FALLS PARK & REC COMMITTEE MEETING Council Chambers - Municipal Building 500 N. Chestnut Ave. Oconto Falls, WI 54154 Tuesday September 03, 2024 – 5:30 PM Minutes Meeting called to order at 5:30 PM by Mathew McDermid Roll Call: Mathew McDermid, Reuben Radke, Christine Grzelak and Jeff McDonald Absent: Devin Wirtz Also Present: Mayor Clint Braun, City Administrator Peter Wills, Deputy Clerk Jenny Friedman, Street Superintendent Wally Remic DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION/ACTION ON ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING: 1. Call to Order 2. Approval of Minutes-June 26, 2024 MOTION: Grzelak/ McDonald Motion to approve the minutes from June 26, 2024. Voice Vote: All voting aye -MOTION CARRIED 3. Vendor Grant for Memorial Field Playground Equipment if Paid & Ordered in 2024 This was approved in April 2024 and was planned to purchase playground equipment for the 2025 budget. The city was approved for the Oconto County ARPA Recreation Grant Agreement. There was the opportunity for a Vendor Grant if playground equipment was purchased in the 2024 there would be a fifty percent match on the park equipment and insulation. MOTION: McDonald/Radke Motion to recommend Vendor Grant for Memorial Field Playground Equipment if Paid & Ordered in 2024 to Common Council. Voice Vote: All voting aye -MOTION CARRIED 4. Oconto County Outdoor Recreation Plan Adoption 1. Resolution 24-010 to Adopt Oconto County Recreation Plan The city is in need of an updated Recreation Plan. Administrator Wills has talked with Oconto County to see if The City of Oconto Falls can adopt their Outdoor recreation Plan. This was agreed on and adapted to the city needs. MOTION: McDonald/Grzelak Park & Rec Committee Meeting –September 03, 2024 5:30pm Page 2 Motion to recommend to adopt the Adoption and Resolution 24-010 to Adopt Oconto County Recreation Plan. Voice Vote: All voting aye -MOTION CARRIED 5. Resolution 24-011 to Apply for WI DNR Knowles- Stewardship Grant 2025 The WI DNR Knowles- Stewardship Grant 2025 is a two-part, fifty-fifty grant. One part goes through directly through federal government and the other part goes through the state. The city would need a to have a recreational plan in place to apply for this grant. MOTION: McDonald/Radke Motion to recommend to Council Resolution 24-011 to apply for WI DNR Knowles- Stewardship Grant 2025. Voice Vote: All voting aye -MOTION CARRIED 6. Memorial Field Softball Fence Quotes Memorial Field softball fence is need of repair. The Park and Recreational Committee approved the repair amount of thirty-one thousand dollars in May 2024 but found after it was a partial estimate. The backstops and dug out and sides would need to be replaced. The street depart would take down the old fence and can fix the arch to help save on cost. There is ten-thousand-dollar difference from the first estimate that will have to be made to cover all the cost. MOTION: McDonald/Grzelak Motion to recommend to council to spend an additional ten thousand three hundred and forty-six dollars for the Memorial Field Softball Fence repair. Voice Vote: All voting aye -MOTION CARRIED 7. Repair of Pickleball Courts-Pleasant View Park There is a crack in the center of the north pickleball court that is in need of repair. The pickleball court is made out of asphalt. MOTION: Radke/ McDonald Motion to repair the pickleball court. Voice Vote: All voting aye -MOTION CARRIED 8. Summer Concert Memorial Field 2025 Jason Lipsky-ARS Production had proposed having a concert series in the city at Memorial Field. There would be a charge for the concert ticket but he would like local clubs to sell the drinks and food. These plans have changed at this time due to scheduling issues but is still something he would like to possibly due next year in Oconto Falls. This is something the city would still be interested in doing. NO ACTION TAKEN 9. Adjournment. Having no further business, Mathew McDermid declared the meeting adjourned at 6:15 pm. ____________________________ City Administrator Peter Wills *A quorum of Common Council was not in attendance at this meeting. City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan Draft Report July 2025 Prepared by: Eocene Environmental Group Prepared for: City of Oconto Falls, Wisconsin City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan i Acknowledgements We thank several staff associated with the City of Oconto Falls including Peter Wills and Wally Remic for their assistance with completing the project. Their support with the review of the project scope, verification of sites to inventory, and other details were vital to the completion of this project. Finally, we appreciate the City of Oconto Falls personnel for their questions and suggestions for implementation of this work. Project Staff Cassidy Behnke | Inventory Specialist Matt Johns | GIS Technician/Data Analyst Richard Hauer, Ph.D. | Subject Matter Expert Project Funding Funding for this tree inventory and operating plan was provided by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Urban Forestry Program and the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program. These institutions are equal opportunity providers. City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan ii Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... iii INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 INVENTORY METHODS .................................................................................................................... 2 TREE INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT .......................................................................................... 3 Overall Assessment .................................................................................................................... 4 Major Insect and Disease Issues ............................................................................................... 6 OPERATIONS PLAN ......................................................................................................................... 7 BUDGET ............................................................................................................................................. 8 List of Appendices APPENDIX A – Data Variables and Definitions ............................................................................ 11 APPENDIX B – Maintenance Cost Assumptions ......................................................................... 14 APPENDIX C – Tree Location and Management Needs .............................................................. 15 City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan iii Executive Summary A tree inventory and urban forestry operations plan was conducted during the summer of 2025. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WiDNR) Urban Forestry & Community Forestry (U&CF) Program provided funding to complete a GIS-based-computerized tree inventory. Trees growing in maintained public locations (e.g., street trees, parks, and other public green spaces) were inventoried. In brief, this involved collecting tree and site information, which was then assessed for tree management needs. The identified actions were then compiled into an operations plan for proposed tree actions over a five-year period. The inventory was collected in FieldNote and then transferred into a Microsoft Excel 365 format. The inventory contains spatial locations by street address or public parcel (e.g., parks and other community properties) with associated Latitude and Longitude spatial attributes. The written plan will serve the primary purpose of evaluating the current composition of public trees in the community as well as identifying any potential tree maintenance activities. Eocene Environmental Group was contracted to complete the inventory and operations plan for the City of Oconto Falls. This includes but is not limited to recommended field maintenance operations over a five- year time duration. Trees requiring pruning or removal were identified as primary and secondary maintenance operations for each individual inventoried tree throughout the community. These operations typically result in a pruning or removal activity, but more specific recommendations such as insect or disease, sidewalk/curb and tree conflicts, and/or street and sign clearance were identified by the inventory specialist on an individual basis. Highest priority work is proposed to begin in Fall 2025 and Winter 2026. Additional work is prescribed for the remainder of the planning horizon. Important findings from the inventory and proposed tree operations include:  A total of 1145 trees were inventoried. By location there were 859 trees along streets, 263 trees within parks, and 22 on facilities. City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan iv  Public safety is important and as such trees were identified for tree removal based on potential risk from dead trees, those with unacceptable structural weakness, or those likely to die in the immediate future. A total of 146 trees were identified for removal and these were prioritized for removal as either a priority 1 (46 trees) to remove first, and then remove trees identified as priority 2 (100 trees).  Trees that require pruning for public safety (e.g., dead branches > 2 inches, clearance issues) or to benefit tree stability (e.g., pruning for branching structure) were identified and prioritized. A total 209 trees were identified. These were also ranked according to priority 1 or 2 status. Small trees were also identified for structural tree pruning which would benefit their future stability and resistance to damage from storms.  Planting sites along streets, in terrace areas, and parks were individually identified. An estimated 2,605 trees could be planted along streets and within parks. This potential could be considered for a full-stocking goal for the community at the present level of development.  A total of 73 trees are identified as ash trees (green and white). Nearly all showed signs of EAB and removal is noted as a priority 1 or 2 as presented above.  Ideally, the tree population should be comprised of not more than 5% of any one species, 10% of any one genus, and 20% within a plant family. This is important to minimize the risk of an aggressive pest of decimating a tree population. Currently 5 tree species exceed the species threshold and these account for 53.8 percent of the total tree population. These species are: Norway maple (15.5%), silver maple (8.7%), honeylocust (6.6%), red pine (6.5%), Eastern white pine (5.9%), white spruce (5.5%), and Northern white cedar (5.2%). Specific details on tree diversity are presented in the plan.  The total estimated replacement value of all trees inventoried is $3,794,302 or a mean $3,314 per tree estimate. This was determined by using the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers Guide for Plant Appraisal (10th Edition) to determine valuation.  An annual $45,327 estimated cost is proposed to implement immediate management needs and to develop a proposed longer-term set of management priorities.  What’s not in this report? The City of Oconto Falls has tree ordinances that should be reviewed for current and future relevance. Tree planting specifications and tree species reconditions should be reviewed and modified as needed, and specifically reference methods and lists outside of the ordinance. A tree commission or other tree governance process should be considered. The report that follows provides specific details from the tree inventory assessment and findings. Tree management operations were identified along with estimates for cost and time if work is scheduled in-house. These recommendations are presented over a five-year period with higher priority actions scheduled first. City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 1 Introduction The City of Oconto Falls, Wisconsin is in the Northeast portion of the state, within Oconto County. With the Oconto River running right through the city, there are many water-based activities to do throughout the year, including the St. Anthony’s Annual Fishing Derby. The city also has a public golf course, tubing hill, and trail system. The city has a public works staff of both seasonal and year-round maintenance personnel, who have demonstrated a passion for urban forestry. A noted observation during the development of this plan is a desire to maintain and grow the tree population. City officials also appeared enthusiastic to the potential for the tree population. Thus, an apparent community support for the growth and maintenance of the community tree population was observed. The project had three primary objectives, which were:  Accomplish a comprehensive tree inventory including unique tree species, size, condition rating and GPS coordinates.  Determine tree maintenance needs and associated costs.  Provide recommendations on general planting areas based on current tree density in the municipality. The project scope included the following locations to inventory:  Street Tree Inventory – 4.7 miles  Taylor Park – 17.58 acres  Eastside Boat Launch – 0.55 acres  Memorial Park/Roger W Greeten Memorial – 16.18 acres  Westside Beach – 2.59 acres  Pine Grove Park – 2.77 acres  Veteran’s Memorial Park – 0.37 acres  Pleasant View Park – 2.63 acres  Former Jefferson Elementary School – 2.6 acres  Dog Park – 3 acres The report that follows describes the methods that were used. The findings from the tree inventory and assessment are then presented. Major findings and implications for the community tree population are reported. These findings are then compiled into recommendations for tree management and operations. The associated estimated cost for contracting and time required if completed in-house are presented. Finally, Appendix A and B includes detailed definitions and other technical aspects related to assumptions used to calculate time and cost estimates. City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 2 Inventory Methods A tree inventory and assessment of public trees was conducted to systematically identify tree and site conditions (Appendix A, Table A-1). Tree diameter at 4.5 feet above the ground (DBH) was taken as an estimate of tree age and maturity status. Tree condition was assessed to gauge the overall health of a tree, in addition to a combination of condition factors such as identifying broken branches, dead branches > 2” in diameter, and other structural issues that could become a safety issue. Tree condition followed the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers (CTLA) guidance, which assigns a condition based on percent value out of 100. For this inventory, trees were graded into 5% categories (e.g., 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, … 40%, 70%, 75%, 80% and so on). This allowed the trees to be grouped into categories of:  Excellent (85-100%)  Good (65-80%)  Fair (45-60%)  Poor (25-40%)  Critical (5-20%)  Dead (0%) While this method does provide an approach to objectively rate a given tree, other factors also need to be considered when assessing a trees rating. For example, a tree rated at 85% is Excellent based on factors determined by the CTLA criteria, and may be showing little to no signs of health issues such as an emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation. However, without treatment an ash tree once infested will progress to a less healthy state and eventually require removal. Thus, based on knowledge that the tree is infected and will likely succumb if not treated, its rating would decrease to Fair over time and then Poor and eventual Dead in a few years. Site conditions were also determined. Tree and site conflicts such as a raised sidewalk was noted in cases a concrete slab was lifted greater than 2”. Overhead utilities and conflicts with clearance and obstruction of a street sign was recorded were noted. Further, additional notes were taken as comments for issues of concern. The findings of the tree inventory assessment follow. City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 3 Tree Inventory and Assessment A tree inventory and assessment of public trees was conducted systematically using the CTLA standards, as well as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) parcel data from the Wisconsin State Cartographer’s office. This data was used to verify property lines and aided in determination of whether a tree was located on public vs private land. Managing a tree population considers several factors to support decision making. These factors include but are not limited to the tree’s size, health, structural stability, and location. Site factors such as limited growing space, overhead utilities, restricting visibility at an intersection, and damage to other infrastructure also aid in management decision making. The cost of management relative to tree benefits is an additional important consideration. And certainly, any evidence of disease or effects from pests and their severity would inform management. Within this section we report on the size and condition of trees, notable insect and disease indications, and structural issues. Management actions were then recorded. A leaf-on tree assessment was conducted in June 2025 over 8 days. While the leaf-on conditions did make it easier to identify tree species and better assess defoliation and plant stress, there were other limitations as a result. Restricted sight lines into the canopy of many trees proved difficult when assessing branch structure and defects in the upper canopy. Park trees were identified simply as Park with their unique park name (i.e., Dog Park, Pine Grove Park etc.) with no further description of location with the exception of their unique GPS coordinates generated through the use of FieldNote. While these locations are by definition exact in their description of coordinate referencing, GPS accuracy can vary based on geographic limitations and line of sight with the constellation. To that effect, most trees should be identifiable in the field within a few feet of their location described in the Excel spreadsheet associated with this report. This section is further divided into multiple sections depending on planting location. Park trees have unique management considerations which warrant additional management considerations. They are part of the Overall Assessment. A section on noteworthy insect and disease issues (e.g., emerald ash borer) was also created to specifically address trees at a high risk for present and future issues due to this insect and other pests. Management options and costs are presented. City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 4 Overall Assessment A total 1145 public trees were inventoried within maintained locations. The mean condition rating of the inventoried public trees in Oconto Falls is 70%, placing them within the Good condition rating field. This is indicative of a relatively healthy urban tree population and is expected for a population in a typical life cycle. A total 21 (1.8%) of trees were categorized as Dead, 10 as critical, and 49 in poor condition. A concern to the city should be the potential for a decrease in average condition rating when EAB becomes epidemic. Combined with green and white ash make up nearly 6.4% of the total tree population of the city. The loss of ash trees would negatively affect tree canopy coverage of the community and poses a challenge to recover from if new species are not proactively planted where possible. Overall species composition was relatively diverse with 63 unique species identified. Tree diversity is important and guidelines from the WiDNR advocates for the implementation of the 5-10-20 rule, or that trees should not exceed more than 5% of any one species, 10% of any one Genus, and/or 20% of any one Family the entire tree population. Five tree species exceed the 5% rule (Figure 2). Norway maple (15.5%), silver maple (8.7%), honeylocust (6.6%), red pine (6.5%), Eastern white pine (5.9%), white spruce (5.5%), and Northern white cedar (5.2%). One tree genus dominates with maples being the most common (33.1%). Pines (12.5%) and spruce (10.1%) were also above the recommended amount. All other genera were below the 10% threshold. Figure 1. Tree condition ratings of public trees in Oconto Falls, WI. 1.8 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.8 1.4 1.9 1.2 1.9 4.0 9.0 7.1 15.5 18.6 19.7 12.3 3.3 0.3 0.0 0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 Frequency (%) Tree Condition Rating (%) City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 5 An assessment of planting locations in Oconto Falls revealed 3/4ths of the city trees were street trees. Most of those street trees did not have sidewalks, giving them more space to grow. Those within boulevards had adequate space since all were over 6 feet wide. Planting spaces were identified for boulevard widths below 6 feet, in which case small or medium sized trees were recommended. Construction at the time meant trees, stumps, and planting spaces were not collect on Columbia St. As construction can cause mechanical damage to trees and remove roots, affected public trees should be inspected routinely for adverse effects. This may cause future removals or pruning that is not accounted for in this plan. This also gives opportunity for planting spaces on Columbia St. Park trees made up about 25% of the public trees. Memorial Park has lots of opportunity for future plantings. The football field is being removed and there will be more space for recreational activities and events, like the farmers market. When construction is completed, more trees will be a great addition to the space. Figure 2. Species composition of public trees in Oconto Falls, WI. Maple, Norway 15% Maple, Silver 9% Honeylocust, Thornless 7% Pine, Red 6% Pine, Eastern White 6% Spruce, White 6% Cedar, Northern White 5% Ash, White 5% Spruce, Blue 5% Crabapple spp. 3% Maple, Red 3% Other Species (<3%) 30% Figure 3. Physical location of public trees in Oconto Falls, WI. Facility, 22, 2% Park, 263, 23% Street, 859, 75% City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 6 The trunk diameter of inventoried trees can also be used as an assessment of age of a tree population as well as an indication of planting needs. As shown in Figure 4, the diameter of trees inventories shows a bell-shaped curve. This shows major planting efforts in the past approximately 30 to 40 years. This was determined using a 0.5 inch diameter per year growth rate. There are many trees in the 1-2” diameter class representing the new saplings that have been planted in the last few years. However, it should be encouraged to continue to plant additional species around the community. Major Insect and Disease Issues Emerald ash borer is running its course in the City of Oconto Falls. Assessment of your community tree population found 73 ash trees (green and white). Nearly all trees had signs of EAB and so were recommended for either priority 1 or 2 removal. While some appear in good condition now, they will decline in the next 5 to 10 years. The ash tree removals are estimated to take 268 hours and cost $32,564. Sixteen spruce trees were found with several showing signs of the fungal disease (Rhizosphaera needle cast, Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii) that will likely result in the death of these trees over the next 5 to 20 years depending on their condition. This disease is common with blue spruce and also white spruce under stressful conditions. Control for this disease is not recommended, rather removal of the trees at a future date is an action to undertake. As noted in the tree inventory and assessment section, maple trees are overrepresented in the tree population with over 1/3rd the tree population as this species. Avoiding the planting of maple trees is a best practice to minimize the risk from the potential threat of an unexpected and aggressive pest that targets maples. Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) is such a pest, but currently this insect is not known to be present within the Midwest. Figure 4. Trunk diameter of public trees measured at 4.5 feet above the ground (DBH). 39 51 30 2223 35 29 3837 46 42 5252 64 5555 60 51 31 35 2224 21 30 23212021 18 11101212 5 7 4 6 7 1 23 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 ≥40 Frequency (#) DBH (Inches) City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 7 Operations Cost and time estimates were developed and prioritized over a five-year period (Table 1). Recommendations were based on public safety, maintenance to promote tree growth and longevity, and promotion of tree planting towards a fully-stocked tree population (Figure 5). Goals for management include:  Tree removal is first and foremost a priority action to promote public safety. Tree removal should occur first with priority 1 and then priority 2 trees. Priority 1 ratings were developed based on larger trees and those at highest risk for personal injury and/or property damage. There are 46 trees (4%) that need priority 1 removals. From a management perspective, there may be cases that a priority 2 tree is removed prior to a priority 1 trees due to proximity to priority 1 removals and efficiency to conduct tree work. There are 100 trees (9%) that need priority 2 removals.  Tree pruning to promote public safety is also a high priority goal. Tree pruning is also conducted to promote tree growth and longevity. From a public safety perspective, dead, hanging, and cracked branches are removed in places that people could be injured and property damaged may occur. Eleven trees (1%) need priority 1 pruning, while 31 trees (3%) need priority 2 pruning.  Tree pruning is also conducted to promote tree structure and reduce branch failure during a future storm event. Young tree pruning of smaller trees (e.g., up to 10” in trunk diameter) is an easy task, not time consuming, and likely will reduce future branch failure resulting from a major storm event. There are 167 trees (14%) that would benefit from training pruning.  Tree planting to replace removed trees is a goal to next adopt. The plan of operations provides a means to plant replacement trees. A goal for Oconto Falls could be to determine a stocking goal for parks and along streets. We estimated that the current stocking level is 31%, meaning there are 2,605 public tree planting locations available. While we are not recommending planting all locations over a five-year period, we provide this metric to help determine long- term goals.  Finally, in year five there is a recommendation to reinspect the tree population and provide a rapid assessment and report. Figure 5. Tree removal, pruning, and monitoring needs. Priority 1 Removal, 46, 4% Priority 2 Removal, 100, 9% Priority 1 Pruning, 11, 1% Priority 2 Pruning, 31, 3% Training Pruning, 167, 14% Monitor, 790, 69% City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 8 Budget A budget over five years was developed based on priority tree work, anticipated future tree mortality, structural tree pruning, tree planting, and future monitoring and reassessment.to identify and prioritize work. A national comparison for similar community size used both per capita ($7) and per tree ($40.50) values from Hauer and Peterson (2016), adjusting for inflation to the present 2025 year. Comparable national budgets range from $20,920 ($7 per capita, 2,989 residents) to $46,370 ($40.50 per tree, 1145 trees). However, a challenge to maintaining the tree population are some upfront management needs that exceed these national benchmarks. An approximate annual mean budget is $45,500. This is approximately 1.3% of the annual municipal budget (3.49 million) in 2025. A time estimate was also developed for most tree activities with about 340 to 370 hours per year estimated for in-house labor. Details by tree activity and budget year follow (Table 1). Table 1. Tree activity operations budget for five-year period. Year Activity Number of Trees In- house Time (hours) Contract Costs ($) Comments 2025 Tree Removal Priority 1 45 232 29,835 Includes debris removal, stump removal, and soil replacement. 2025 Tree Pruning Priority 1 13 41 4,658 Includes debris removal. 2025 Stumps 79 79 9,085 Estimate based on 1 hour per stump at $115 per hour. 2025 Totals 137 352 43,578 Appendix B contains cost assumption details Year Activity Number of Trees In- house Time (hours) Contract Costs ($) Comments 2026 Tree Removal Priority 2 53 178 23,172 Includes debris removal, stump removal, and soil replacement. 2026 Tree Removal 23 92 5,750 Estimated @ 2% annual mortality, estimate $250 per tree 2026 Tree Pruning Priority 2 34 80 9,212 Includes debris removal. 2026 Tree Planting replace half removals 2025 23 23 6,923 Estimate at $301 tree purchase, planting, and establishment 2026 Totals 133 373 45,057 Appendix B contains cost assumption details City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 9 Table 1. (cont.) Year Activity Number of Trees In- house Time (hours) Contract Costs ($) Comments 2027 Tree Removal 23 92 5,750 Estimated 2% annual mortality, estimate $250 per tree 2027 Training Prune 56 32 3,715 Includes debris removal. 2027 Tree inspection/pruning as needed 1/5 of trees 229 172 19,780 Estimate 0.75 hours / tree at $115 per hour 2027 Tree Planting replace half removals 2025 22 22 6,622 Estimate at $301 tree purchase, planting, and establishment 2027 Tree Planting to replace removals 2027 23 23 6,923 Estimate at $301 tree purchase, planting, and establishment 2027 Totals 353 341 42,790 Appendix B contains cost assumption details Year Activity Number of Trees In- house Time (hours) Contract Costs ($) Comments 2028 Tree Removal 23 92 5,750 Estimated 2% annual mortality, estimate $250 per tree 2028 Training Prune 56 32 3,715 Includes debris removal. 2028 Tree inspection/pruning as needed 1/5 of trees 229 172 19,780 Estimate 0.75 hours / tree at $115 per hour 2028 Tree Planting to replace removals 2028 23 23 6,923 Estimate at $301 tree purchase, planting, and establishment 2028 Tree Planting to replace removals 2026 38 38 11,438 Estimate at $301 tree purchase, planting, and establishment 2028 Totals 369 348 47,606 Appendix B contains cost assumption details City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 10 Table 1. (cont.) Year Activity Number of Trees In- house Time (hours) Contract Costs ($) Comments 2029 Tree Removal 23 92 5,750 Estimated 2% annual mortality, estimate $250 per tree 2029 Training Prune 56 32 3,715 Includes debris removal. 2029 Tree inspection/pruning as needed 1/5 of trees 229 172 19,780 Estimate 0.75 hours / tree at $115 per hour 2029 Tree Planting to replace removals 2026 38 38 11,438 Estimate at $301 tree purchase, planting, and establishment 2029 Tree Planting to replace removals 2029 23 23 6,923 Estimate at $301 tree purchase, planting, and establishment 2029 Totals 369 348 47,606 Appendix B contains cost assumption details All Years 5-Year Grand Total 1,361 1,780 226,637 Appendix B contains cost assumption details City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 11 Appendix A – Definitions Tree attributes collected as part of the community tree inventory (Table 1-A). The inventory was collected during leaf-on conditions during summer 2025. Table A-1. Tree and site attributes collected for the community tree inventory.  A unique identification number  GPS coordinates  Location (street, address, park or cemetery name)  Growth space ID (boulevard/terrace, median, alley, no sidewalk, behind sidewalk, etc.)  Approximate width of boulev ard/terrace to nearest foot  Open planting sites (address or GPS coordinat es that can accommodate a tree and suggested mature tree size, e.g., small, medium, or large)  Species (common and botanical name)  Trunk diameter (DBH; to nearest inch)  Significant deadwood present (>20% of lim bs 2” diameter or larger, Y or N)  Condition rating (CTLA 5%, increments grouped as Dead, Critical, Poor, Fair, Good, Excellent)  Presence of overhead utilities (Y or N)  Sign or light obstruction by branches (Y or N)  Inventory date  Maintenance activities (three maximum, e.g., monitor, priority 1 removal, priority 2 removal, priority 1 prune, priority 2 prune, training prune, no replant, stump grind, chemical treatment, etc.)  Year each maintenance action should occur  Management area/zone designated for maintenance cycle facilitation  Heaving sidewalk or curb due to tree (Y or N- must be 2” or greater heaving)  Replacement dollar value per tree, using Coun cil of Tree and Landscape Appraiser assessment criteria  Narrative comments for appropriate comments City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 12 Definitions of management actions proposed in this report (Table A-2). Definitions were developed as a basis for how the information was collected. Table A-2. Rating names and description of management action for inventoried communities. Rating Name Management Action Description Monitor Trees that were visually inspected and no immediate management action (e.g., removal, pruning, pest treatment) is recommended. These trees should be inspected within five years, or as prescribed earlier (e.g., after a storm damaging event), to determine the need for management action based on an inspection. Priority 1 Removal Trees identified with a significant factor with removal recommended in the near- term. Trees in this category were either dead or in a critical condition (e.g., <20% tree condition rating) that survival is unlikely in the near-term or the tree poses a near-term structural risk for failure. Structural factors associated with risk include extensive stem decay, cracks, extensive canopy dieback, and other tree weaknesses identified through visual assessment. Priority 2 Removal Trees identified with a significant factor and removal is recommended after completing priority 1 tree removals. Removal is expected to also occur within the near-term. Trees in this category were either in a critical or poor condition (e.g., <40%) and survival is unlikely in the near-term or the tree poses a near-term structural risk for failure. Structural factors associated with risk include extensive stem decay, cracks, extensive canopy dieback, and other tree weaknesses identified throu gh visual assessment. Priority 1 Pruning Trees identified with branches are likely to fail in the near-term. These branches were either broken and still attached to the tree, broken and hanging in the canopy, dead, or with a crack. Pruning is recommended as soon as possible. It is possible upon further aerial inspection at the time of pruning that removal is recommended as a result of seeing a structural risk factor not observed from the ground. Trees in this category may also be associated with visual obstruction of a sign or clearance for vehicle and human movement. Priority 2 Pruning Trees identified with branches likely to require pruning within one to three years. Action is recommended as soon as possible after priority one pruning is completed. It is possible upon further aerial inspection at the time of pruning that removal is recommended as a result of seeing a structural risk factor not observed from the ground. Trees in this category may also be associated with visual obstruction of a sign or clearance for vehicle and human movement. Routine Pruning Trees in this category were identified to benefit from pruning to improve the overall structure to prevent a future problem. These trees are established and becoming semi-mature (e.g., 1/3 to 1/2 of expected mature tree size). Trees in this category were not found to require pruning as soon as possible and scheduled tree work should occur between the recommended five-year monitoring time period. Training Prune A tree in this category is recommended for pruning to improve the structure to reduce or eliminate a future problem. This involves the removal (to the parent stem) or reduction of a branch (to a lateral connection). Example action includes selecting a central leader, removing one of more codominant stems, developing a lower canopy structure, or other pruning needs as prescribed by the arborist. Stump Grinding An existing stump was located for future grinding. Pest Treatment Action taken to control a significant pest (e.g., insect or disease) to prevent the near-term decline or death of a tree. An example is treatment for emerald ash borer management. City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 13 Tree condition ratings followed the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers (CTLA) version 10 guide for tree appraisal for assessment of plant condition that considers health, structure, and form (Table A-3). A 5% increment was assigned to each tree from 0 (dead) to 100% (excellent) and each may be described in rating categories that can be translated into a percent rating. (Note the plant appraiser can/should weight each condition component and develop the condition rating that best reflects a thoughtful and credible condition rating. The table guide was modified from CTLA version 10 (CTLA 2019) with very poor reclassified as critical. Table A-3. Descriptions used to partition trees into rating categories. Rating Category Condition Components Percent Rating Health Structure Form Excellent High vigor and nearly perfect health with little or no twig dieback, discoloration, or defoliation. Nearly ideal and free of defects. Nearly ideal for the species. Generally symmetric. Consistent with the intended use. 85% to 100% Good Vigor is normal for the species. No significant damage due to diseases or pests. Any twig dieback, defoliation, or discoloration is minor. Well-developed structure. Defects are minor and can be corrected. Minor asymmetries/ deviations from species norm. Mostly consistent with the intended use. Function and aesthetics are not compromised. 65% to 80% Fair Reduced vigor. Damage due to insects or diseases may be significant and associated with defoliation but is not likely to be fatal. Twig dieback, defoliation, discoloration, and/or dead branches may comprise up to 50% of the crown. A single defect of a significant nature or multiple moderate defects. Defects are not practical to correct or would require multiple treatments over several years. Major asymmetries/deviations from species norm and/or intended use. Function and/or aesthetics are compromised. 45% to 60% Poor Unhealthy and declining in appearance. Poor vigor. Low foliage density and poor foliage color are present. Potentially fatal pest infestation. Extensive twig and/or branch dieback. A single serious defect or multiple significant defects. Recent change in tree orientation. Observed structural problems cannot be corrected. Failure may occur at any rime. Largely asymmetrical/abnormal. Detracts from intended use and/or aesthetics to a significant degree. 25% to 40% Critical (Very Poor) Poor vigor. Appears to be dying and in the last stages of life. Little live folia ge. Single or multiple severe defects. Failure is probable or imminent. Visually unappealing. Provides little or no function in the landscape. 5% to 40% Dead Tree no longer alive High potential to fail Possible wildlife habitat 0% to 5% City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 14 Appendix B – Maintenance Cost Assumptions Time estimates are based on workers already on site within the community. Debris removal assumes the material is disposed of within a community location. Table B-1. Assumptions used to develop time and cost estimates for proposed work. Monitor: Time estimate based on the rate of inspecting a tree every 3 minutes or 20 trees per hour; this detail includes inspection for significant pest problems, significant tree risk by a limited visual assessment (e.g., dead trees, broken or dead branches > 2 inches), and identifying needed removal or pruning needs with priority ranking. Additional time required for basic or advanced tree risk assessment and beyond the scope of monitoring. Pruning: Time estimate based on Churack et al. (1994) model. The diameter-based model for trees 4 inches or greater in trunk diameter generates a time estimate based on the size of tree (y = -15.12 + 6.0 * x; were y = time estimate in minutes, x = tree trunk diameter, and -15.12 is the y-intercept value which was excluded from the time estimate). Thus, a 6-minute estimate per diameter inch of tree trunk was used to project tree pruning needs. Pruning time for training pruning is estimated at 0.25 hours per tree. A $115 per person hour rate is estimated for contracted pruning costs and debris removal. Removal: Tree estimate based on Obrien et al. (1992) model. The time (people hours) per trunk diameter inch for removal increases by diameter class with 0”–12.5” = 0.19 hr/in, 12.6”–24.5” = 0.25 hr/in, 24.6”– 30.5” = 0.31 hr/in, 30.6”–36.5” = 0.39 hr/in, and 36.6” or greater = 0.49 hr/in. Time estimates assume a three-person crew. For example, the removal time estimate for a 23-inch tree is 5.75 total hours (23 in * 0.25 hr/in = 5.75 people hours; for a 3-person crew would be an approximate 2-hour job). Removal costs estimated by the mean value for the Village of Ashwaubenon 2023 tree removal bids 1”–12” = $32.1/in, 13”–18” = $30.8/in, 19–24” = $32.7/in, 25–30” = $34.7/in, 31–36” = $38.9/in, 37–42” = $42.4/in, and 43” or greater = $43.8/in. These rates include tree removal, removal of debris, stump grinding, and back filling ground stump with soil. A mean $32.58/inch was used for 1” to 30” trees and a $41.71/in rate for 30” or greater trees. Stump Grinding: Time estimate based on Obrien et al. (1992) model. Stump grinding for all size trees estimates 0.13 hours per trunk diameter. The stump grinding area is approximately 1.2 times the trunk diameter. If stump diameter is measured then the time estimate is 0.11 hours per stump diameter. A $115 per person hour rate is estimated for contracted stump grinding. Tree Planting: Estimated tree planting costs were based on the cost of a 1.5” balled and burlaped tree from the mean cost of three nursery’s (Johnsons Nursery, Leaves Inspired, and Tillmann Wholesale Growers). A mean $151 per tree with planting and establishment (watering, mulching, structural pruning) estimated at $150 for a total $301 per tree. References Churack P.L, R.W. Miller, K. Ottman, and C. Koval. 1994. Relationship Between Street Tree Diameter Growth and Projected Pruning and Waste Wood Management Costs. Journal of Arboriculture. 20(4):231–236 Hauer R. J. and Peterson W. D. 2016. Municipal Tree Care and Management in the United States: A 2014 Urban & Community Forestry Census of Tree Activities. Special Publication 16-1, College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. 71 pp. O'Brien P.R, K.A. Joehlin, D. J. O'Brien, 1992. Performance Standards For Municipal Tree Maintenance. Journal of Arboriculture. 18(6):307–315 City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 15 Appendix C – Tree Location and Management This section contains tree locations and the associated management needs. An overall community- wide map provides a perspective of trees on public locations along streets and in parks. Additional park specific maps are provided to aid locating these trees. The associated Excel File contains a database of trees by location. Specifically, the street trees are associated by property address. The symbology follows the maintenance priority for pruning and removal. A priority one tree should be attended to before a priority two tree. However, for management efficiency it might make sense to address both priority types while at a location. Training prune trees are smaller stature trees to prune for future stability. Trees listed as monitoring should be evaluated again during the next inspection cycle as developed by the community. City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 16 City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 17 City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 18 City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 19 City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 20 City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 21 City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 22 City of Oconto Falls Urban Forestry Operations Plan 23 Municipal workers seek advanced urban forestry skills City of Oconto Falls, WI –Wally Remic has been selected to participate in Wisconsin’s Community Tree Management Institute (CTMI). This innovative program offers municipal employees the opportunity to develop high-level leadership and management skills in urban forestry. Well-maintained trees increase safety and property values, conserve energy, improve air quality, reduce storm water run-off and improve public health. They improve our quality of life overall. Participants from 25 Wisconsin communities will undergo six days of intensive CTMI training at the institute, acquiring knowledge and skills while learning to apply resourceful solutions as they manage municipal trees and green spaces for the benefit of everyone. CTMI is sponsored by the state Department of Natural Resources with assistance from the City of Stevens Point and over 15 other partners. More information about the program is available on the CTMI website. Parks Grant Update West Side Beach Estimated Start Date 9/15 Designs have been finalized for the bathroom remodel to include replacing the current fixtures and adding a handicap accessible stall to each unit. Lighting and stall enclosers will be addressed at all city owned park bathroom facilities during the project. Concrete sidewalks will be repoured to meet ADA requirements Memorial Field Playground Update Estimated Completion Date 8/11/2025 The new playground equipment has been installed, and the site is 90% complete, the playground safe mulch has been added to the area and will be topped off after the concrete curbing is completed. Tennis Court Upgrades Estimated Start Date 9/2/2025 Convert the Tennis court at Memorial Field to new sand volleyball courts. Options include to keep 1 tennis court and adding a volleyball court to the other side or remove both and create 2 new sand courts. Pine Grove Park Estimated Start Date 9/2/2025 Deleting the sand volleyball court at Pine Grove Park and returning sand areas to grass. Remove the large metal slide and metal monkey bar apparatus. Add area for picnic tables in the shade of the large pine trees.