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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-03-12 - MinutesCITY OF a e evl Iq MINUTES Y ARKANS Urban Forestry Advisory Board March 12, 2014 4:OOPM City Administration Building 1 113 W. Mountain I Room 111 Members: Amy Jones; Sarah King; Alma Laney; Kathy Launder; Malcolm LeVois; Sue Madison, Vice Chair; Don Steinkraus, Chair City Staff: Ken Eastin, Urban Forester; Derek Linn, Urban Forester; Alison Jumper, Park Planning Superintendent 1. Call to Order: 4:02pm I Don Steinkraus, Chair 2. In Attendance: Amy Jones, Sarah King, Kathy Launder, Malcolm LeVois, Sue Madison, Don Steinkraus Absent: Alma Laney Staff: Ken Eastin, Derek Linn Guests: Glenda Patterson, Maylon Rice, Jeremy Williams 3. Approval of Minutes: Madison made a motion to approve the minutes as written, and LeVois seconded it. The motion passed with a 6-0-0 voice vote. 4. Native or Invasive Plant Presentation — Sue Madison Wintercreeper (Euonymous fortunei) Madison shared the following on the subject species: - Evergreen vine with opposite leaves - Grows as groundcover, but also climbs and trails up to 20' - Habitat: full sun to heavy shade, all except extreme wet - An Asian native, Wintercreeper was introduced to U.S. in 1907 - Produces small white -green flowers, attractive red seeds (birds and mammals disburse them) - Wintercreeper should not be confused with these native plants: o Native Bittersweet o Native Euonymous americanus (found in Madison County and at Pine Ridge Gardens Wintercreeper alternative (desirable native): o Partridgeberry — groundcover native to Arkansas Wintercreeper treatment / landscape reclamation example: Madison showed image of a Kentucky landscape that had been reclaimed after being completely covered in Wintercreeper. She said they repeatedly burned the site, and treated plants with glyphosate. They then seeded with Swamp Milkweed and native grasses and have rid the site of the invasive plant. Mailing Address: 113 W. Mountain Street www.fayetteville-ar.gov Fayetteville, AR 72701 Eastin asked if Wintercreeper also had a purple leaf form, of which he was familiar. Madison confirmed. Williams, guest, said he has seen climbing Wintercreeper pull off tree bark on thin bark trees like Maple. Steinkraus added that Wintercreeper and other climbing invasives clearly attack trees by reducing their photosynthesis potential, by adding significant weight to the branches, and by compromising the native form of the tree. Madison referenced Ed Smith's Atlas and Annotated List of the Vascular Plants of Arkansas (1988). King said she would do the plant presentation for April 5. Sustainable Landscape Award — Ken Eastin Eastin mentioned a procedures checklist that was created for carrying out the Landscape Competition. He said first steps involve reviewing the grading rubric and identifying volunteer judges. Linn said the competition is an opportunity to recognize good example of sustainable landscapes in the City. He said this will be the 3rd annual competition. The rubric is an evaluation card judges use to score the landscapes. Major sections of the rubric are Design & Aesthetics, Preservation of Natural Environment, Environmental Best Management Practices, and Attraction to Wildlife. Linn said applications are accepted from Fayetteville City addresses, and winners are recognized with a landscape sign for the property and recognized at the June UFAB meeting by hosting a property visit during the regularly scheduled UFAB meeting. The procedures chart is a rough timeline for moving through the competition. After volunteer judges are identified and evaluation rubric is finalized, Linn said next items include press release and announcement poster for website. He said Mid April to Mid -May is the typical application period. Jones asked how many applicants typically participate. Linn said between 12 and 25 applicants have participated, with around 4 to 6 volunteer judges. Madison said May is a bad time for anyone from the University to participate. Launder said if you wait too long, then many plants are dead during the heat of the summer. She said participation as a volunteer judge would count as non -sanctioned hours for any Master Gardeners who participate. Several UFAB members and staff mentioned suggestions for individuals to consider as a competition judges: - Eastin: Guy Headland, local National Park Service representative - Jones: Lee Porter, who works at Botanical Garden of the Ozarks; Joe Woolbright - Williams and Patterson, Guests, said they would each be interested - Steinkraus: Rose Gurgerich; Joe Neal; L.A. student in class this year who may be interested; People who own nurseries. - King: Mary Bess Mulhollan; someone from Community Design Center for LID Steinkraus asked if judges in the past had comments about the rubric. Linn said staff have received positive and negative comments about it. He said the major negative comments regarded Environmental BMP's. One judge had different opinions about importance of BMP's and also questioned the definition of sustainability and sustainable landscapes. Linn read through each rubric item. Comments from the Board included: 1. Steinkraus mentioned a misspelled word in 1.5. 2. Madison said 1.0 is overweighted over the other categories. 3. Jones suggested combining the last 3 or 4 items of 1.0. 1.6 — 1.8 suggested to combine. Now 5 items under 1.0. 4. King suggested separating irrigation from stormwater management. To get a '4' maybe you use no metered fresh water. Regarding LID: King doesn't want people to lose points if they don't have one of those specific elements (see rubric). Most important is if they have an active plan to manage stormwater on site. Move 1.3 to 3.0 section. 5. King suggested including a rubric item for interpretation or education. Does the property do anything to actively educate on what they're doing. Blog, signage, etc. 6. Launder said when she participated in the competition, the judging process was too lengthy. She said it should not require a lengthy tour from the owner identifying every plant. 7. Eastin said part of the success in a property should be how well can the garden itself convey what's going on. 8. Steinkraus said 2.3 and 2.4 should include a section for shrubs, grasses, forbs, vines. 9. Steinkraus said excessive use of lawns should be addressed, because they provide minimal ecological benefits with all the pesticides and herbicides. He said some states are actively trying to minimize lawns, given drought concerns and water usage. There should be an item that addresses appropriate "Balance between lawn and other habitat." 10. Madison suggested seeing these revisions then looking over final in April. 11. King suggested rewording 3.3; use of pesticides should be considered inappropriate. 12. Williams, Guest, said 3.4 should be reworded to say "effectively / appropriately pruned, as needed". 13. Steinkraus suggested separating food for birds (berries) from nectar/pollinator plants for butterflies and bees. Nectar, pollinator plants are very important (native goldenrods, milkweeds, etc.) 14. Williams, Guest, suggested a category for judges' personal impression of the property. Eastin said that might add to much subjectivity to it. Jones suggested saving this for the followup email with all participants. 3 6. Public Seminar Planning on Native Plants — Ken Eastin Eastin asked if UFAB would be interested in organizing a public seminar on native plants for area property owners, similar to the drought landscape lecture that UFAB did in the past. Launder said that is a great idea. Steinkraus said UFAB might could join forces with the UA to get some funding for a speaker. He said Doug Tallamy would be great and has visited Fayetteville in the past at the Botanical Garden. He said Brad Lancaster would also be great. Steinkraus said Lancaster is transforming towns out west, especially in regions of drought concern. Eastin said the Cooperative Extension's Blue Pathway program is also a good opportunity that happens here. A workshop on grasses and forbs was recently presented. Eastin said he could share the presentations with the Board. Launder said it would be good to plan a native plant seminar in advance, so that it could be held in February or March, right before people begin planting in the Spring. 7. Tree Species Lists Discussion — Don Steinkraus Eastin said this was a great discussion at the February meeting. He said he will work to print the revised list as pdf to share with the Board. 8. Other Business or Announcements Steinkraus thanked City staff and Madison for time spent on the UFAB Annual Report to City Council Agenda Session. Madison said there was feedback from Matthew Petty regarding utility company pruning and tree removal. She questioned their legal allowances on this, and said she has asked staff to look into this and check with City Attorney. Madison said Adella Gray is excited about UFAB's commitment to Highway 265 trees, and she really wants to see it happen. Regarding new road construction, Sue asked how the City defines `Landscaped Median'. Steinkraus said it would be great to define a detail or standard for good example of this, if the City doesn't have one. Linn asked if the Board would like to see a representative from Ozarks Electric and SWEPCO to come speak. Launder confirmed and said the Board has mentioned this before. Williams, Guest, said SWEPCO contracts out most of its work through Asplundh. Once it was bought out by AEP, he said their pruning budget dropped, hence their less careful and more extensive clearing when they are present. Patterson, Guest, said AHTD has taken out many trees on Hwy 16 E. between Highway 265 and the bridge; she said they removed trees along the river near the road as well. Eastin said he hasn't heard that the AHTD intends to do any replanting there. Jones said it's incredible to consider how much power the AHTD has. Steinkraus agreed. He said it's especially frustrating to consider their work within the City limits He said there should be more communication, cooperation, and recognition of local standards when AHTD operates within municipalities. Eastin said there was a great turnout at Fruit Rootin' on February 20. He said 6 pears, 4 apples, 2 pecans were planted at the YRCC Community Orchard. Steinkraus said he will be speaking on invasive plants in parks at the state Parks and Recreation meeting in Fort Smith. LeVois said native plants are very important in maintaining the wild pollinators, which are most beneficial to food production. 9. Adjournment Time: 5:30pm 10. Submitted by: Derek Linn