Spring 2013 Street Tree Planting (NEW)
The City is beginning preparations for the spring 2013 tree planting season! If you receive a postcard in the mail notifying you that street tree planting is coming to your area and you DO NOT want a tree, please contact Forestry by March 1, 2013 at 734.794.6364. If we do not hear from you, a tree may be planted in front of your home and it cannot be removed.
Please scroll down for more information on the City's tree planting program.
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Since 2005, the city has planted nearly 7,750 trees along streets and in parks to replace both ash trees lost to the emerald ash borer and other street trees that died or were removed for a variety of other reasons. While we continue our replanting efforts, we understand that residents may want a street tree before we arrive in their neighborhood to replant. If that’s you, we encourage you to take advantage of the city’s do-it-yourself, resident-sponsored tree planting program (see details below).
Current Tree Planting Plan
We are currently implementing the FY2013 Street Tree Planting Plan. Planting began in November 2012 and will resume in early spring 2013.
Click here to view the FY2013 Tree Planting Plan
PLEASE NOTE: The plan contains more potential planting locations than we have the budget to plant. Areas that are not able to be planted will be moved to the following year's plan and will be planted during the fall planting season. Areas with a large number of potential planting sites will be planted over several fiscal years.
Are you in an area that is listed in the current Tree Planting Plan?
If your street is selected for tree planting, you will receive a mailing from the city letting you know that we will be in the area evaluating potential street tree planting locations. If you do not want a street tree, please call 734.794.6364 by March 1, 2013 to let us know.
How do we select tree planting locations?
A number of factors are considered when identifying street tree planting locations including proximity to neighboring trees, available rooting space, and location of water shut-off boxes, driveways, and utility service lines. Unfortunately not all sites will be suitable for tree planting. Selected planting sites will be marked with a green stake or paint. Please do not remove the stake/paint or move it to a different location.
Tree Species
The City's tree planting contractor, Margolis Nursery, will be planting a variety of tree species this spring; diversity will help to protect the urban forest from pests such as the emerald ash borer. Due to the large number of trees planted during the season, residents do not get to choose the street tree species that will be planted. The City and tree planting contractor will select the tree species after the site has been evaluated.
Can’t find your neighborhood on the current Tree Planting Plan?
If you are interested in having street trees planted but are not on this year’s plan, you have a couple of options.
1. Contact Kerry Gray at kgray@a2gov.org or 734.794.6430 x 43703 and ask that your street/neighborhood be evaluated for inclusion in a future Tree Planting Plan.
2. Participate in the Resident Sponsored Tree Planting Program detailed below.
3. Submit a proposal to the Elizabeth Dean Fund Committee for tree planting in your neighborhood. For more information, visit the Dean Fund Committee page.
Resident Sponsored Tree Planting Program
Do it yourself. Hire a pre-qualified nursery to plant a street tree in the right-of-way in front of your home and receive a letter of charitable donation, up to $1,000 to use with your Federal Income Tax return. Click here for the 2013 Resident Sponsored Tree Planting Program Summary (4-page PDF).
A property owner is able to contract with a pre-authorized nursery and pay that company directly to install an approved street tree appropriate to the specific site. The resident is responsible for identifying a pre-authorized nursery and potential planting location, selecting a tree species, obtaining a (free) Forestry Permit and a final (free) Forestry permit inspection. The nursery is responsible for providing the approved tree, contacting “Miss Dig” to identify locations of underground infrastructure--such as water and power lines--digging the hole, and installing the tree. The property owner can submit the street tree installation receipt and the signed authorized Forestry Permit to the city’s Forestry Office (734-794-6364) to obtain a letter of charitable donation, up to $1,000 to use with your Federal Income Tax return.
Program Benefits
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Individuals are able to plant a street tree on their own timetable (spring and fall are traditional tree planting seasons) and recover a portion of their costs through a charitable donation.
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The process assures that the tree will have a high survival rate and not pose future damage to the city’s infrastructure.
Tree Planting Resources
Do you want to learn more about species listed on the Approved Tree List? .
Please Note: Species NOT approved by the City of Ann Arbor may appear on these websites. The City of Ann Arbor’s Approved Street Tree List supersedes other agencies/organizations recommendations.
Jesse Saylor’s Plant Encyclopedia (Michigan State University) http://www.saylorplants.com/
Michigan State University Extension Recommended Alternatives to Ash Trees for Michigan's Lower Peninsula http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/e2925.pdf
University of Illinois Extension Selecting "Trees for your Home" searchable database http://urbanext.illinois.edu/treeselector/
Ohio Department of Natural Resources Tree Index http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5361/Default.aspx
United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database http://plants.usda.gov/
University of Florida Tree Fact Sheets http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/
Last Updated: April 17, 2013