SYLACAUGA — Limb by limb, tree by tree, the Marble City is losing one of its most precious natural resources. To stop the loss of trees and to begin a program to maintain the city’s urban forest resources, the Tree Commission is requesting the City Council hire an urban forester or arborist.
Steve Ward, chairman of the Tree Commission, approached the council this week with the commission’s request.
"We need to tap into someone with experience more on the urban level. We have a lot of older trees in this city we are losing on a regular basis. These trees need to be constantly replaced," Ward said. "We really need to look at an urban forester on a full-time basis."
Chad Basinger, a member of the Tree Commission and a natural resource specialist at the Anniston Army Depot, said the urban forester position entails developing, promoting and administering an urban forestry program to effectively and efficiently maintain the city’s urban forest resources.
This person, he said, could identify trees and tree species, to include high-risk trees; diagnose tree problems, from disease to insect infestations, recommending solutions; communicate to groups for educational purposes and training; apply for grant funding; assist and coordinate activities of the Tree Commission; investigate and review complaints from citizens concerning dead, diseased or nuisance trees; plan and manage urban green spaces as needed to develop and maintain the city’s natural resources; and more.
Basinger said it is a possibility the city could receive funding through the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service to pay the salary of an urban forester or arborist for at least the first year.
The salary range for this individual would be from $30,000 to $50,000 yearly, he said.
One area Basinger said the city needs to consider developing is Lake Howard. "There is so much potential there," he said.
Mayor Sam Wright agreed, saying the "sky is the limit out there" for recreational activities for the community.
City engineer Eddie Bentley and John Gladness, who works in Planning and Code and is secretary for the Tree Commission, evaluate trees around town for disease and other problems.
Bentley said he doesn’t have enough experience to know what to do sometimes when it comes to trees. "I do spend a lot of time on it and would welcome this idea," he said. "If we keep going like we are with the trees in our city, we will be bear Sylacauga."
Bentley said trees add value to the city. "We can’t do without them and we are losing them fast. Our urban forest is on the way down."
Gladness said the city gets complaints on a regular basis about trees, especially the older ones around town.
Bentley said the city also needs a good trimming program and someone knowledgeable about how to trim trees. Currently, the city uses various tree services to do this work.
Council president Doug Murphree said he is not against this proposal for any reason, but the council will have to look at the salary issue and additional costs for the tree budget for trimming, replanting and so forth.
Bentley said he believes hiring an arborist would be worth it for the city.
There are no cities close to Sylacauga that have an urban forester or arborist, Basinger said. Mountain Brook, Florence, Auburn and Opelika do, he said.
Basinger said this person could develop or assist in landscaping plans for new facilities and renovations, enforce tree and landscape ordinances, supervise tree maintenance crews and utilities crews, develop a long-range tree management plan, assist on beautification projects and more.
