Ensuring that the public is aware of such challenges is especially important today, as mature trees, due to their age, must be evaluated for either removal or ongoing care.1. Explanation of City Management Process/Goals. Based on input from both the public and city staff, misunderstandings related to public tree care have been a source of frustration. The most commonly reported feedback involved variations of a scenario in which a large mature street tree is removed, resulting in frustration among nearby residents who wanted the tree to stay. The public generally feels that the city doesn't value trees and won't work to save them, or that trees aren't thoroughly examined before removal. The goal and focus of city arborists is to preserve every tree, though public safety comes first, meaning difficult decisionsmust be made.Tough decisions will need to be made that consider public safety, available resources, and tree care expertise. Conveying to the public how trees are managed across the city, the issues trees face, and in particular, how the neighborhoods fit into the overall management effort will go a long way in fostering a better understand of the concerns and constraints.
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Many of the attendees at the public meetings arrived with frustrations that trees were being removed at high rates with no regard of long-term care of the urban forest. However, after tree canopy manager Erin Oliverio described her tree work in Charlotte, there was a visible attitude shift among participants. At the close of the meetings, the public voiced its appreciation that there was an effort in place to care for the city's tree canopy. Many expressed an interest in getting more involved and helping their neighborhoods get educated too.
Here are some testimonials from participants: " I feel so much better knowing what the City is actually doing about trees. I had no idea that is was someone's job to pay attention to this."
"Thank you, Erin, for the work you do on behalf of all of us who care about our trees." "Now I know who to contact if I have a question about Charlotte's trees-this is great!" |
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When asked, “What are your preferences for receiving information about tree-related initiatives in Charlotte?” a total of 2,712 people responded. The top three preferences for receiving information about tree-related initiatives in Charlotte were: TreesCharlotte website (50%), Email listserv (48%), and Facebook (38%). |