Gurnee Urban Forest Management Program

The purpose of this management program is to promote a safe, healthy, and aesthetically pleasing environment for both the residents and visitors of our community. A healthy well maintained urban forest can boost property values (5-27%), reduce storm-water run-off and erosion, clean our air, contribute to a sense of community pride and provide an irreplaceable legacy for future generations. Unfortunately due to the stress on urban trees, the average life span of a street tree is 32 years, less than half the life of a forest tree. Proper maintenance and planting practices are important for that reason and these practices are also a good investment of resources. A 1993 United States Department of Agriculture study conducted in Chicago determined an increase in property values of $2.83 for every dollar spent on tree planting and maintenance. Through the implementation of this program, our trees will serve as a longstanding asset to the Village of Gurnee.

 
Through the use of fliers, mailers, and presentations at schools and garden clubs, the Village of Gurnee will seek to inform the general public of its policies, practices, and programs for urban forest management. An informed public is a great resource for the early detection of diseases, insect infestation, and storm damage. In addition, an informed public is more likely to become active in the care of their own trees and less likely to damage trees through acts of ignorance.

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An inventory of the Village’s public trees is an important tool in the management of the urban forest. Once completed and computerized, it will give an accurate count of our trees by species, size, street, and maintenance requirements. The inventory will aid in planning for future planting, spraying, trimming, and give us the ability to accurately account for losses and damage in the event of a severe storm. It will also give us the ability to maintain a record of our tree management procedures and the performance of specific varieties of trees. In addition, a computerized inventory will enable us to pull up a list of vulnerable trees to watch in the event of insect and disease outbreaks.

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The Village currently offers a 50/50 program to residents for the planting of new parkway trees. The species of trees planted are from a master list approved by the Village Forester. These species have been selected for their habit, disease resistance, and cultural tolerances. In addition, the Village will take a proactive role in the replacement of parkway trees that have died, been destroyed by accident, or have been removed for hazard management reasons. Trees are as much a part of the Village infrastructure as roads, curbs, sidewalks, and water and sewerage facilities and the management of this resource should be treated as such. When a resident purchases a home with a tree planted in the parkway, the Village has an obligation to maintain that tree throughout its life span and replace it with a new tree once it dies.

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The Village, when necessary, will provide water to new trees planted throughout the parkway. The most limiting factor for the survival of newly planted trees is lack of water and the best way to protect the Village’s investments is to water periodically when the environmental conditions require it. The Village will also establish a fertilization program that promotes tree vigor by evaluating nutrient needs and supplementing nutrients where necessary.

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Trimming is a necessary practice for establishing strong healthy trees. A trimming program will begin when the trees are young and continue throughout the life of the trees. The purpose of this program is to create vigorous and structurally sound trees through the removal of dead, diseased, crowded, and potentially hazardous limbs while they are small so tree wounds are kept to a minimum. In addition, branches overhanging the road must be trimmed to a height of 14’ and limbs overhanging the parkway and sidewalks must be trimmed to a minimum height of 8’ for clearance reasons. Active trimming programs will result in urban forests with mature trees that require less maintenance and are more resistant to storm damage, insect infestation, and disease.

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The implementation of an integrated pest management (IPM) program is the best way to keep tree diseases and insects under control. This plan hinges on the idea that in an ecosystem, a certain level of insects and disease is naturally present and that the chemical eradication of these organisms may disrupt a delicate balance in nature. The plan calls for the establishment of damage/economic thresholds to determine at what point chemical application of pesticides is warranted and the purpose of this chemical application is only to keep pest populations within these thresholds. There are many different components to an I.P.M. system. Scouting for the early identification of plant problems, cultural practices that increase tree vigor, selection of species resistant to pest problems, and the use of biological controls all play a role in reducing chemical pesticide applications and lead to a healthy urban forest.

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In an effort to preserve the population of elms within the Village, the forestry staff scouts the town constantly for diseased elms. When identified, public trees will be removed within 10 days. Forestry staff will tag diseased trees on private property and the property owners will be notified of their options and obligations within 10 days by certified mail. The focus of this program is the timely removal of diseased elms to discourage the spread of Dutch elm disease to healthy elm trees throughout the Village of Gurnee.

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Lake County has been quarantined since 2000 to slow the spread of Gypsy Moth. Gurnee forestry staff conducts routine inspections throughout the Village to identify potential infestations. When Gypsy Moth populations reach damaging levels, the Village may implement aerial and ground spray applications to control these areas. Click here to view the Public Works Department's Gypsy Moth web page.     

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Potentially one of the most destructive alien pests ever introduced in the United States, Emerald Ash Borer represents an immense challenge for Gurnee’s urban forest. The Village has and will continue to participate in statewide scouting efforts, as well as taking steps to minimize the potential impact to our community. Efforts to further diversify our tree population, reduce the number of ash trees in our parkway system, and finalize the EAB Response Plan are under way. Click here to view the Public Works Department's Emerald Ash Borer web page.

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Occasionally, to maintain a safe and attractive urban forest, it will be necessary to remove parkway trees that are dead, in a state of decline, or deemed hazardous by the Village Forester. The Village of Gurnee Public Works Department or a contractor hired by the Village will remove the tree and stump to allow for a replacement tree to be planted.

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In recognition that a well-maintained community has a positive affect on both property values and community pride, the Village will take a proactive roll in the maintenance and beautification of public properties within the Village limits. This may include: the installation of plant material, R.O.W. mowing, trash clean-up, general landscaping, and other projects deemed suitable by the Public Works Department and the Village Board.

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