COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM

Transcription

1 COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM Regular Meeting Date: February 13, 2018 Prepared By: Dana A. Souza Agenda Item: 10 Discussion Review and Approve/Deny Tree Permit SUBJECT: Hurricane Irma Urban Forest Impact Report SUMMARY: Hurricane Irma made landfall in Naples on September 10, 2017 causing significant damage to the City s Urban Forest. The attached report, prepared by Heather Shields, City Arborist, documents the specific impact the storm caused to the City s public tree inventory. While the report shows the City lost 1,929 trees or 9.82% of the total publicly owned trees in Naples, this is significantly less that the original estimate of 20-25% of publicly owned trees lost to Irma. The report does not consider the significant amount of safety and corrective pruning that is still to be completed on trees damaged by the hurricane. Ms. Shields will present her findings to the CSAB (Tree Board) at this meeting. Mr. Christian Andrea, ASLA, RLA, owner of Architectural Land Design; a local landscape architecture company conducted a survey of landscape architects following Hurricane Irma. In this survey, Mr. Andrea asked the participants to share their opinions and findings concerning storm damage and future planting and care of publicly owned trees. Mr. Andrea will present his findings to the CSAB at this meeting. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discussion.

2 Hurricane Irma Urban Forest Impact Report By the Numbers

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page: Preface 3 The Inventory 4 Attachment 1 Urban Tree and Palm Inventory 5 2

4 PREFACE What is a hurricane? As defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Hurricanes are intense storms that originate in the tropics. Hurricanes begin life as a small gathering of disorganized storms which gain energy from the heat of the ocean water. On September 10, 2017 at 3:35pm, Hurricane Irma made landfall on Marco Island as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained with of 115 mph. A Category 3 hurricane is considered a major storm with winds ranging from 111 to 130 mph. A hurricane of this strength causes significant damage to property as well as humans, pets and livestock. They can bring about extensive flooding. Electricity and water are commonly unavailable for several days after the storm. Homes can experience major roof or siding damage. Hurricane Irma s eyewall passed directly over the City of Naples. The eyewall moved through late in the afternoon on September 10; a wind gust of 142 mph was reported at the Naples Municipal Airport. This report, Hurricane Irma Urban Forest Impact By the Numbers, provides informational statistical data on the impact of Hurricane Irma on the City of Naples Urban Forest. 3

5 The Inventory The Urban Forest inventory was at 19,638 plantings, representing 79 species on August 31, 2017, prior to Hurricane Irma s arrival on September 10, The Urban Forest is city managed through its Community Services Department. The Community Services staff has completed its assessments to the Urban Forest. This assessment identified 1,929 trees and palms that were lost to Hurricane Irma. This represents a 9.82% loss to the Urban Forest; which is significantly lower than initial estimates. This loss was spread throughout the City with no one area being hit harder than another. There were areas of concentrated damage that could be a possible indication of a micro-burst, or tornado activity within the heavy rain bands of the storm. The City had 7 species with 100% loss. The species are Green Buttonwood, Jatroph, Maho, Oleander Tree, Silk Floss, Southern Magnolia and Tamarind. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there were 16 species with zero loss. The species are African Mahogany, Areca Palm, Bismark Palm, Crape Myrtle, Dahoon Holly, False Banyan, Lady Palm, Medjool Date Palm, Paurotis Palm, Screw Pine, Senegal Date Palm, Shaving Brush Tree, Strangler Fig, Triangle Palm, Tropical Almond and Winin Palm. In recognition of Arbor Day 2017, the City celebrated by dedicating our Champion Myrtle Oak located in the Naples Preserve. Sadly, the Champion Myrtle Oak was lost in the hurricane. City staff believes that additional tree loss could occur. There are trees and palms that will be monitored during the upcoming growing season to confirm that they are able to generate healthy new growth. Additionally, there may be hardwood trees deemed hazardous as restorative trimming continues during the fiscal year. As the hardwood trees are trimmed, it may be determined that the tree sustained more damage than was visible from ground inspections; our trimming contractor will be able to view the trees from above in the buckets and provide feedback on damages, potentially changing the position on the trees healthy and viability. 4

6 Naples Tree Species ATTACHMENT 1 Urban Tree & Palm Inventory 31- Aug- 17 Lost in Hurricane Irma Street Park Median Current Inventory Percent Lost by Species African Mahogany % African Tulip Tree Alexander Palm % Areca Palm % Australian Pine Banyan Tree % Barbados Flower Bishopwood (Invasive) % Bismark Palm % Black Olive % Black Olive Shady Lady % Blue Latin Palm Bottle Brush % Calophyllum % Canary Island Date Palm % Carpentaria Palm Carrotwood (Invasive) % Cassia % Cats Claw Chinese Fan Palm % Christmas Palm % Coconut Palm 2, , % Common Baldcypress % Copper Pod % Crape Myrtle % Cuban Hat Palm Cuban Laurel % Dahoon Holly % Ear-leaf Acadia East Palatka Holly % Eucalyptus European Fan Palm False Banyan % Ficus SPP 5

7 Naples Tree Species 31- Aug- 17 Lost in Hurricane Irma Street Park Median Current Inventory Percent Lost by Species Fiddle Leaf Fig Fishtail Palm Foxtail Palm % Frangipani Geiger Tree % Glossy Showers Sienna Golden Rain Tree % Green Buttonwood % Guava % Gumbo Limbo % Hibiscus Hong Kong Orchid % Indian Rosewood Indian Rubber Tree % Jacaranda % Jatroph % Java Plum Lady Palm % Laurel Oak % Lemon Sented Gum Ligustrum % Live Oak % Lysiloma % Madagascar Olive % Maho % Mahogany 1, , % Mangroves Medjool Date Palm % Mexican Caesalpin Mexican Calabash Mimosa Tree Mimusop Monkey Flower Needle Palm Oleander Tree % Paurotis Palm % Pindo Palm % Pine 6

8 Naples Tree Species 31- Aug- 17 Lost in Hurricane Irma Street Park Median Current Inventory Percent Lost by Species Pink Tabebuia % Pink Trumpet % Pittosporum Podocarpus Pongam % Ponytail Palm % Pygmy Date Palm % Queen Palm Queen Sago Palm Queens Crape Myrtle % Rainbow Eucalyptus Red Maple % Royal Palm 5, , % Royal Poinciana % Rusty Fig % Sabal Palm 2, , % Sausage Tree % Saw Palmetto Schefflera Screw Pine % Seagrape % Senegal Date Palm % Shaving Brush Tree % Shower of Gold % Signature Silk Floss % Silk Oak % Silver Buttonwood % Silver Trumpet % Slash Pine % Small Leafed Clusia Solitare Palm Sour Orange Southern Magnolia % Southern Wax Myrtle % Strangler Fig % Sweet Acacia Tabebuia 7

9 Naples Tree Species 31- Aug- 17 Lost in Hurricane Irma Street Park Median Current Inventory Percent Lost by Species Tabebuia ipe % Tamarind % Teddy Bear Thatch Palm % Tipu Tree % Tree of Gold Triangle Palm % Tropical Almond % Verawood % Washington Palm % Weeping Podocarpus Willow spp Winin Palm % Woman s Tongue Tree Yaupon Holly Private *Not included in total Unknown Total 19,638 1,929 1, , % Vacant 2,363 4,292 Palm 12, , % Understory % Majorstory 6,153 1, , % 8

10 Species with No Loss African Mahogany Areca Palm Bismark Palm Crape Myrtle Dahoon Holly False Banyan Lady Palm Species with 100% Loss Green Buttonwood Jatroph Maho Oleander Tree Silk Floss Southern Magnolia Tamarind Medjool Date Palm Paurotis Palm Screw Pine Senegal Date Palm Shaving Brush Tree Strangler Fig Triangle Palm Tropical Almond Winin Palm 9

11 Top 10 Lost - Total Count Mahogany 459 Royal Palm 179 Coconut Palm 148 Cuban Laurel 102 Sabal Palm 99 Live Oak 95 Pink Tabebuia 74 Guava 73 Silver Buttonwood 61 Black Olive 57 Top 10 Lost - Percent Jatroph 100% Maho 100% Silk Floss 100% Tamarind 100% Green Buttonwood 100% Oleander Tree 100% Southern Magnolia 100% Southern Wax Myrtle 83% Queens Crape Myrtle 80% Tabebuia ipe 75% 10