Good afternoon. Welcome to the Tree Advisory Commission May 1st, 2025. It's 4 p.m. We'll call to order uh and then we'll go around the room and have a roll call. Welcome to our guests, some of which will meet within the meeting
today. um and are on our agenda to meet and discuss. So if we go around the room, Joe, Joe Stad, New City Engineer, Miriam Hoffman, tree commission. Can tree commission, Greg Derson, tree
commission. Pauland tree commission. Jordy Vite, tree commission. Joey Schugle, parks and recreation director, city of New Jeff Huffman, public works superintendent. Thank you for attending. Welcome. And
uh our number three item, approve our agenda. Seeking a motion. So moved, Mr. Chair. Before approving the agenda, could we look at adding uh an agenda item under new business
that came out after the packet? Sure. Um, we'll make it 6.3 and and that would be um that would be for uh Miss Gramml to present on a middle school program.
Okay, we'll include Amber Gramml then for 6.3 share and discuss some of her middle school work. seeking a second on the motion to approve the agenda. I'll second. We have
a motion and a second. Commissioners, all in favor say I. I. I. Any oppose? Same. That motion carries. Then taking a look at the link for our meeting minutes from March 6th. Seek approval on those minutes.
I'll make a motion to approve the tree advisory commission meeting minutes from March 6, 2025. I'll second motion and a second. Any discussion on those? I did see the date was listed as
May 3rd, but today is May 1st of 2025. So, we made it to the right meeting regardless. All in favor of approving minutes signify by saying I. I. Any oppose? Same sign. That motion
carries. So item number five, our old business city reimbursement programs and budget update. Joe. All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair and commission members. Uh just quick run through our budget for the year. Um in total we've had five reimbursements for new tree plantings
and 57 uh trees removed um for on the disease uh removal program. So our reimbursements uh for new plantings are totaling almost $500 at $49635. The removals were at
$4,62453. And then our other expenditures include the uh printing for the um utility bill inserts and also for the home show registration. So our unused amount we have about 9,500 left for our uh planting reimbursement
program and we have that 95,000 approximate remaining for unused diseased uh tree removals. uh we have about $3,000 in carry or in carryover for our um second and third trees that
we will pay out after July 1. So if you add those uh numbers together, we're at about $8,000 worth of uh expenditures so far. So we have quite the budget available for reimbursement for diseased tree removals. So just
encouraging people if you are removing some disease trees to seek out that reimbursement um from the city. Any questions for Joe beyond that? Okay. Thank you. 5.2 Park and Recck Department Update. Joy. Thank you, Mr. Chair, commissioners.
Uh a few things to highlight uh this month and um one thing park and recck was very excited about is getting over 30 new trees into the grounds in parks uh since our last meeting. Uh just happened in the last couple of weeks. Uh two of the big parks that benefited from
new plantings were Washington Park as I reported on a lot of ash trees in that park that uh were removed and and really um changed the look of Washington Park. So, uh, a variety of trees went went in. I think 13 total went in Washington Park
and then Nell's Park was also again impacted by those b large boulevard ash trees that were removed and we uh continue to reforest that park as well. Um, so that saw most of them and then we supplemented in some other areas where we've had some removals as well. So, um,
happy to do that. continuing to um evaluate our our asht tree inventory in the parks and uh continue to make strides on on uh full removal uh in in the parks of ashtrees. We're about a
little over 50% now. Um so still a ways to go. In addition, uh last meeting I reported on um or maybe might have been two meetings ago on our Tree City USA application and uh after our last
meeting we uh we were awarded uh Tree City USA for 2024. Again, that's our 21st year uh being awarded that and uh putting that application together is uh really shows the um amount of time and
resources that the city of Dwalm puts in um and your time as part of that application as well of volunteer time uh that goes into that application. So happy um for that and again committed to that. The Arbor Day program always is part of that application every year as
well. So, um would like to thank you guys for serving on this commission and being part of that application uh process as well. And then uh I if you saw the journal maybe uh within the last month or so, we had a large tree fall on
um Johnson Park fence and that was a Lynden tree was not an ash tree. We actually had um the two worst trees on that boulevard removed already. And since that uh tree came down, staff removed that and and had the fence fixed
already, but um found out the rest of those trees are very rotted. So those will be coming down. And uh unfortunately that will be a different look cuz those trees serve as uh uh important purpose at Johnson Park. So if you're playing first base,
it protects uh the sun at a certain time of day. So that'll be different um for the playing the players on the field, too. But, uh, safety issue for sure. So, those will be coming down soon. Okay. Any questions on any of that.
Thank you. The uh the terraces up by Herman Heights were successfully burned Wednesday, yesterday morning. It Yes. Uh, yes, Mr. Chair. So, uh, Newan Fire Department helped us with a a park and wreck with a controlled burn and
everything went very well. Um, it it burned very fast. no damage to the retaining walls. Um that is one of our measures that we're going to try in that area to um control that landscape. Um you know again uh city council committee
picked on those native plantings in that area and since they've been in we have had a couple years of drought and a couple so I I don't think they fully had the opportunity to flourish. Last summer if you were by there they looked really I thought really nice. I mean, that's
native plantings are are supposed to look. Now, that um isn't always the look that everyone's desiring. So, we're continue to evaluate this, but this is one of the measures to try to get that bad stuff out of there. You know, some of the weeds and uh invasives that um take over some of those native
plantings. So, we'll see what it looks like as we get into growing season in the next few weeks. But the timing on that, that was well done. And yeah, nobody nobody who lived up there noticed other than that the um
vegetation was gone or black. So, right. Uh and that is, you know, maybe the best way for for that location especially, right? So, any other questions, comments for parks and reccks? Then we'll go to 5.3, the public
works update. Jeff, thank you, Mr. chair and commissioners. Um, as of so far this year, since January 1 to now, we removed 51 stumps of of basically of ash trees that were taken out and we're pretty well caught up. We got a couple more to
go and we're caught up for the stumps for the permits that are taken out of now as of now that are trees are down. So, we're getting caught up on that. We did remove three dead trees that were in downtown area or actually two were dead. one was uh hit by a vehicle and it had to be taken out because it was damaged
so bad. So, we removed those three and uh River Creek Nursery will be planting new plantings in there shortly. And then uh there were eight trees downtown that got oversized for the grates that we had. So, we took the grates out and put
wood chips in those eight. And that'll be a new practice as a tree gets so big that they overgrow the grates. We'll put wood chips in and remove the grates. So, all I have to report. Thank you. I think I saw one of those out here in the
parking lot. Some red chips. Any further number 5.4 will pass over. Uh Tony's not present today. 5.5 Emerald Ashbbor update. Joel. Thank you, Mr.
Chair. Commission members. I don't have much to share. Um, I just checked the DNR's website for their forestry forestry grant applications and all it says it will open early in 2025. So, with the current budget situation at the
state government, I'm not real sure what we're going to have for a program this year, but um, if there is a program, we will certainly be applying again. So, Okay. 5.6. Uh the big tree contest. We've received two submissions and we'll encourage uh now that the weather
is more amendable to uh try to find those ginkos in town. So deadline July 31st and then later this late summer, early fall, uh whichever among us wants to go measure
and uh judge the contest. They're nodding already. Maybe it'll be rainy that day, though. Well, we can readjust the day. We'll still we'll still go. That'll be all right. Uh so five
uh.6 Six concludes our old business. Number six takes us to the new business, the 2026 budget request, and we've got a link to the TAC letter of 2025's budget. Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Chair, uh
commissioner. So, yes, in in your packet is the letter that we included last year um for the 2025 budget. uh today uh before you would be looking for a recommendation on um a budget request
for 2026. Um keeping in mind um the city council did authorize uh substantial additional funding um in 25. Um if that funding is not used up, I would anticipate that would be a
carryover to be able to be used in 26. Um and uh there there would also be a potential for additional funding for ash removals in 26 if that's there as well. So um but with that this is uh
kind of been the the practice um for the last number of years uh for for this commission um primarily looking at the disease boulevard tree program some contractual services home show uh and then some printing pamphlets and some
pest reduction efforts as well. What's the timeline on our next budget request? Would we put put that forward? So, we would we would uh put that we would look be looking for a recommendation today. If we don't have a
recommendation um today, then we are right up against the budget, but we'd be able to approve it on at our July meeting, assuming we have a meeting. Yep. Mr. Chair, commission members. Well, our guidance haven't been set out yet from our finance office. We are
beginning budget operations here this month. So, um, so it'd be wise to move to move on this today and request if you're comfortable to do so. I guess that would be our recommendation. We did increase that number of disease
and boulevard tree programs up to 10,000 uh, from previous budget years. So, I don't I don't think we need to move that one much. And the printing and pamphlets has been the biggest uh hit to that budget so far this year. But we've also
discussed not doing two in a year, reducing that to one a year. So, commissioners, I look for uh any motions from you about the budget and items within I'm wondering if we want to maybe
increase the printing and pamphlet expenses request a little bit just because those costs seem to go up every year. Um I don't know we have it at 1400. I wondered if we want to do 16 or
1700 just to give us a cushion and if we don't use it then we don't use it. So valid um valid question or recommendation. Um Commissioner uh Kaf looking at the the pricing from this
year, we did have some um competitive quotes on there and since we did move to one um printing cycle, I think um even if pricing goes up, we'd still have some room. So as of right now, we don't have any additional printing or or pamphlet
costs um for this year. So we're we're you know 25% under budget still. Um so even if we do see that increased cost and if you recall from last meeting there were two different options to save additional dollars commission chose the
the higher option to go color. Um so if we didn't go color in the future that would be even more savings. Just wanted to add that information in. Yeah, I guess I could go either way, but I think I'm fine with where this is if
we're going to stick to just the one printing. So, considering where we were this year with costs. So, almost like a motion, Jordy. Sure. Okay. Um, I'll make a motion to
approve the 2026 Tree Advisory Commission budget request as presented. I'll second. Do you want to keep that number within that request and keep it the same 13,550?
I think we've got enough cushion within the disease program and then our printing options that we can comfortably operate in 2026. So, I'll seek a vote um on the
motion. All in favor of keeping the 2026 budget at 13,550, please say I. I. Oppose. same sign that passes and we've we'll have that budget request then to move forward
to uh the city and its next rounds as it goes forward. Our next new business 6.2 two is the walkabout program. And I'm going to yield because I was absent March 6th and uh I might
have I might not be fully informed on this. So I'm defer to you or Paul. So Mr. Chair, if I I could start here. Um and commissioners as you recall at that at the March meeting
um an idea was presented of of the walkabout program. Um there there was no defined um parameters around that program included in the in well before I talk
about what's included in the packet here. Uh so no nothing defined but wanted to get the commissioner's input on what do you think about a program like this and then um from that feedback from the March meeting it was then um staff's job to bring back um a concept
of a program still for the commissioners to decide on if they wanted to participate uh what what potentially change um or update and then talk about timelines from there. So included in this item was kind of some parameters on
what the program would look like. And I know um the League of Minnesota uh League of Women Vote Voters, yes, sorry. Um uh wanted to maybe talk a little more on
this today uh and are very interested in this program too. Um ultimately, commissioners, this is your choice on on how you would like to see this go. Um, and that's where we left from the march to today. Okay. Would you like the
mic? I'm Debb Egglund. I'm Paul's wife. And, um, the way this came up was that Paul and I go for a walk every day and I get a whole lecture, the entire walk about all these things that are wrong with this tree or right with this tree or what is this tree? All kinds of
things. And I said, Paul, the tree commission should do this in the community because there we don't have any trees. We live in an apartment and so I thought it would be really nice and beneficial to neighborhoods to find out what kind of trees really grow well in
this area, which ones don't because of climate or soil. And um the idea of looking at your tree and is it healthy? Has it been pruned well? What do I need to prune? Is it too close to the house? All these various things that come up, you know, and so I I talked to the legal
women voters and they said, "Oh, that sounds like fun." So, um, we kind of paired up league people with you guys and it's your choice. I thought the first two weeks of June would be nice and hopefully it won't rain. Um, we were
looking at probably no more than eight blocks. It could be a square. You can you can pick your own area, but we didn't want it too long. So, eight blocks Paul thought might take about an hour. his might be a little longer, but we trying to keep it, you
know, concise. Um, and the idea that people if they really don't want to do the whole walk, it's outside, you know, unless you would take a fence, I think it's fine if they just come and join you and then walk away if they want to. We also suggested that if kids were under
12, we'd really appreciate their parents or an adult being with them. Um, we thought we would have you guys um it's it I thought the first two weeks of June would be a good time and um so we need to have a date and that's all up to you guys. Anytime that first two weeks I
figured some I don't didn't know any of you so I didn't know if you were retired or not. So anytime during the day, any day of the week, it could be in the evening for people that work. Um but think about it as just being about an hour. Think of where you might want to walk. And if you're like Paul, you've
walked that many times now and have figured out what you're going to talk about. Um, but it's nice. Um, you know, that's basically what we're doing and why we're doing it. We just thought it would be a nice thing and you guys like trees or you wouldn't probably be on the tree commission. So, we thought you might enjoy sharing some of your
knowledge and enthusiasm with people in the neighborhoods and they would benefit from knowing what would grow well and what wouldn't and how to water them. That's one of the things Paul's mentioned a number of times is that people aren't I don't think people know that they have to water trees that the city plants. And so things like that
would be nice to re-emphasize to people, I think. So um we if you if you've got if you were thinking about this and have a date and a time tonight, that'd be great. Tell the person that you contacted you. If not, I we definitely need that by May 12th so that we can get
them into the paper and start advertising, be on the radio and that kind of thing. So, do you have any questions? I guess I would you want the walk to be in a newly planted area or a or a older
like German street or wherever you feel comfortable? Like I said, Paul's want he's changed his a few times. Go ahead, Paul. I would think that you would walk where you normally walk or are familiar with. So you will walk in an area that you're like I picked
out from fourth street to first street between Jefferson and uh whatever it is. So a lot of older where there's older trees. That's what I thought. That's very interesting.
But if you got older trees available then then you can say see what happens when you don't do that. That's what I'm thinking. Um, if you've got all new trees, then you don't have so much to talk about. I even thought the bike trail, you know, was is good, too. If
you would like to spend some time back there. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you might have some bikers, but you probably want to make it a circuit so that you'll come back on yourself. So, what was the route that you were thinking of? Fourth. What was the route that you were thinking of?
I was gonna suggest to myself that I'd go on from fourth and Jefferson. What's the next one over? Jefferson and Washington. You talking north or south? East. West. Jefferson. Jefferson. Jefferson. Franklin Washington on North.
Yeah. Okay. Okay. North Street. Okay. And there's old trees there and there's some new ones. Yes. And and maybe there's some elms around yet. I there's one within viewing distance of of that route. I can say there's an elm. It's not an American elm, I think. But I
just think there's there's too much uh interesting information on the older trees. I found a tree that had uh cables and uh joining rod. You just about don't see any of that kind of uh arbor work uh
done on trees, but there is one on the little route I picked because it had that there. Plus, there's a tree that split out because it didn't have any protection. So, those two items I like to have on my
walk just so I can complain about what you should and shouldn't do. Eggland. Um, I I do have a question. Um, and so do you does the League of Women Voters look at this as like a co-sponsored program with the Tree
Advisory Commission? Is that is that kind of the goal? Okay, that's okay. Okay. Yes. And so then, you know, one of my questions is you mentioned a little bit to do some advertising and some of that. So, um, so the the league would help support that.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Great. do paper and all that stuff. Oh, great. Paper and radio. What? Oh, we also are going to um come up with about a half a page that's a flyer that we're going to distribute to
the the houses in the along the walk so that they'll get a personal invitation saying we're going to be doing this. This is what's going to be why there's going to be a bunch of people here and so they'll know what's going on and feel invited to join us. That's very good idea. Very good idea. I think it'll be
kind of fun. And somebody told me that people in New like to walk. I thought this will work. So, any other questions? Sure. Um, does it have to be public streets and avenues? Could like, uh, Nails Park and part of Flandro be did
you have that in this vision? That would be a good idea. How far off trail would you like to go? Um, well, I was thinking we should The only problem is that with that might be um I think I mistakenly sent it to the paper, so it might be in tomorrow. Um, I got a little ahead of
myself. Um, but I mentioned that the walks would be on sidewalks because I'm thinking handicap people, you know, and so the trails, it would be nice, but you know, they that would limit who could go. And so it might be I don't know. Some of the trails are some of them are.
Oh, okay. Well, as long as they're paid. Nells Park is all accessible. Oh, okay. Okay. That would be a good idea. Oh, okay. But that was something that I had thought about and would wanted to emphasize that you didn't have to be running around, you know, you could be in a wheelchair or whatever and still be
able to learn about trees. So, just and like I said, it's um So, I need I need a location which would be like the northeast corner of these two streets or the southeast corner. That's where we would meet and that's where we would end right for each walk and so the
park you'll have to I don't know what you'd say but anyway it's whatever. Um so yeah we need that by the 12th if not earlier you know if you wouldn't you can send it to Paul. You've got his phone number and the route so we can route. Yeah the route. Well yeah the route if
Yeah. what the streets are. Okay. But any other questions? If you have any you ask Paul my phone number and I'll be happy to answer. Anything else? So, are we thinking about starting with one route, multiple routes? You know,
thinking about all of your time and you know, that Yeah, I didn't know how many of you actually knew lots and lots about trees because Paul's doing he's got his route figured out and he's going to when he's going to do it and um I didn't know and somebody mentioned that they want
they didn't know enough they didn't think to do it. I don't claim to be an expert on all the different things. Paul said that he would join her. Yeah. You know, you got to find a place you want to walk and then I'll go with I'm liking that Nell's Park idea. Okay, that would be nice. So, you know, that's up to you
guys. You guys and the knowledge that you have, you know, and the poll will I'm sure be willing to help you, you know, if you need it either ahead of time or maybe the day and just all different days, different times. So, we that could be worked out. You know, you
have a a maximum distance in mind for such a walk. Eight blocks. That eight blocks was less than a mile. If somebody hears a mile, they might think I can't walk that far. It's it's like what is it? There's 12 blocks a mile in roughly. Yeah. So, it's what is that? 3/4. 3/4 of
a mile. Okay. It could be less. Yeah. Those trees are gone. So, we we won't do that one. time wise is going to a lot will depend on how many things you find and if you find a whole lot of things to talk about in a much smaller area you know that's
fine too but um I was thinking no more than about eight blocks and about an hour because that's about all people really want to usually do unless they get really excited about it and then we're going to they can come to any of them or all of them if they want to because that's they'd see different trees depending on where they were you
know so anything we've forgotten I forgot. Joey, do you have any places that you specifically would like them to go? You know, if we're we're talking the the distance the question for if you're watching at home is uh any specific
place that um potentially I had would like them to go. Um Nells Park, you know, if we're talking about 3/4 of a mile, that's roughly what that trail is, the paved area. So that that would be a really good start. And you know, I I think this could be this could be a program that
would stick around then annually. You know, I I think, you know, if you pick a couple locations this year and then try again at a different location next year. Well, something else that occurred to me not too long ago is that this is a nice time of year, but because we didn't want
it to be too hot or too cold, but it would be nice to do one in the late fall, I thought, because then you could see the branching when the leaves came off because the leaves will all be out in June. And so, some of these things that Paul brings up has to do with the way they branch, right? And so, it might
be nice to do something in the spring and fall. I'm just going to get my two cents in and you can tell the people uh um listening. Um you know, sitting here um not everybody knows about the tree reimbursement programs. Not everybody
knows that why trees are coming out of downtown or that that Yes. Thank you. if you would please. Yeah. Ruthanne Webster here. Uh, you know, not one of the things that you can talk about besides, oh gosh, this maple tree is way too close. Uh, you can
talk about, well, you know, uh, you might see that all these ash trees are are have disappeared. Well, that's emerald ash. Remember emerald ash? And the city council is going to be asked to have money to help replace them. You know, those sorts of things that you might think, well, everybody knows that.
Well, no, they don't. It it's one it's another thing that you can talk about on a walk like this. Thank you. And and that's a great comment, commissioners, cuz I I think one of the things that that this commission is always looking to do is to educate, you know, about all things and
and we have a really great program right now for reimbursement that has been uh that's out there and available to the community. Bill, great great comment. And that still is one of the most frequent conversations at the home show
is um as as the ash bore has moved through town, it's striking people at different years and sometimes they are really just uh becoming aware when it when it hits their tree.
So those are all uh those are all valid ideas. is a serious jolt to your budget if you've got four or five ash trees on your lot cuz it's a corner lot. Uh there are a number of such lots that I've encountered in my walks and uh
that's yep they're probably not excited even plant a tree right now when they get removed. So co commissioners I encourage them to plant a tree it doesn't cost so much start with a little one. So, commissioners, I think there's um first
off, we would have to make a motion to accept the program and uh um as communicated and then I think from there, I think some of the details around getting the word out and getting it to the League of Women Voters could um I'd be happy to funnel that through
me from the commissioners if that if that's the easiest route, however we want. and and so I could work then you guys get me your route and days that work and then I can get it or however we want that to go. Well, we we kind of set it up so that various members here are
connected with I think you guys and so that works, you know. Sure. Because we thought that we would walk there would be a league person with each walk just to help them keep control of these masses, you know, that show up. Um but yes and so yes so
then I I don't need to be in the middle of that but um on the park and recck side I'd be happy to help um promote as well. So in our avenues whether it's the press release um or on social media and things like that you know so people you know maybe a greater reach also know
about the program and could join. Okay. And recognize the League of Women Voters for being part of this as well. Yes. Sounds good. Well, thank you. Any other anything else? Are we good? Did you need a motion to uh I'll let you
move. I I move that we uh as a commission conduct these walks as the members wish to participate and uh after the first year we'll see if we
want to do it again. Uh Yep. Second. Second. Second. Any other discussion? You tried to put a one-year clause in there, but if we don't put a timeline on there,
it'll be fine either way. Okay. Um, and we might uh I would I would guess that we might discover that sometimes autumn might be the better. Um, or even right now apple trees are apples and cherry trees are starting to
really blossom and that's enjoyable as well. They're easier to find and identify that way. So, I'll call the motion. All in favor of approving um coordination of walkabout program,
please say I. I. Any opposition? Same sign. Seeing none, we uh will coordinate with League of Women Voters to uh carry this out in some fashion in June or of this year. I think that was the dates that you had in
mind. and then uh work to try to bring our community members closer to home. Yeah, we we'll let you know in July meeting how it went. You'll know, won't you? Will your tour be done by July?
Unless it rains every day, you know, get a sense that some of your walks are longer than they're supposed to be. So, well, thank you very much. Thank you for attending. appreciate your interest and uh spearheading this uh 6.3. We kept you
waiting. If you want to come up and introduce and share with us uh as they were discussing, I thought I wonder if that might be a tour maybe not this year but in the future. Oh yeah, I was had lots of ideas there. Um thank you for
adding me so late. Uh, Amber Grimmels. I am the STEM teacher, which stands for science, technology, engineering, and math, which I can really spin anything to be STEM. Kind of a gift and a curse. So, uh, this trimester, we run on trimesters at our school. I decided to
teach an agricultural STEM course, and I've planned for next year to have it more of a it's just called local STEM, but part of it is natural resources. Um, from what I've seen, I helped get a official school forest through the DNR
started about six years ago when I was uh just a science teacher. And once kids are out there once, they just ask, "Can we go again?" So, we have almost 5 acres of the hillside that's uh next to the middle
school. Uh we have a forester that recommended with all the ash trees in there that we do a planting. So, I'm dressed I usually dress a lot nicer than this, but I'm dressed like this because we have put in about 300 of the 450
trees that were given to us by the DNR, but seedlings, so very small. So, I had fifth through 8th graders out there doing the best they could to uh plant them properly. And just we took some
time to look at the different states of the ash trees because we have everything in there. Like go ahead, you can go up and you can rip that bark off and you're going to see just how rotten it looks inside. So, um, our biggest issue that we have in
there, our forest, because of all the wildfires that have been happening during the summer, we haven't they haven't been able to get a crew in there to remove the trees. There are some pretty dangerous limbs and entire trees that have been cracked off. So, that's one of my concerns. And if anybody has
any advice on what we could do about that in a within, you know, a few months, that would be great. These kids, any sort of service learning projects that they could get involved with, they love it. I don't know why they like
digging holes so much, but they get a chance to move. I tell them I could sit as much as you guys have to sit during the day. So, any chance they get up to move around is great. They can see their progress. Um, we have done I think we've
removed almost all the buckthorn that's big enough to be identified. We've gotten it out of there. I was able to get some funds and we did it during the fall and you can still see there's some remnants out there. I'm like, go ahead. You can go over there and you can kick that down. that used to be buckthem and
they like to like raise the trees over their heads and stuff like that. Uh we have done we've had John Nisley come out and teach us a bit about grafting fruit trees. They are very interested in growing food. So I'm hoping to get some
more fruit trees on our campus. The main thing kids want to know when they're out there is what is this tree and what can I get from it? sound like fruit trees make sense, but there's lots of other products that you can get from trees, too. What else did I want to
say? That's a Yeah, that's kind of just a rundown of where we're at for now. So, I just wanted to share and see if you had any ideas. Um, yeah, I'm not asking for anything specific, but I'm a kind of a department
of one. So, having to plan and carry out everything myself is it's a big task. So, use the the group's knowledge would be great. Okay. So, tree commissioners, are are you um all of you aware of the area that
Miss Gramml, am I saying that correctly? Greml uh um area that she's talking about right across from the the track and and ball fields on the the hillside there. It's a very uneven property line too, which is another issue of all of a sudden you're
in someone's backyard. Like we're planting trees. Is that okay? Right. But Right. So I I think one of the things is looking for, you know, if there's any recommendations on how to continue what you're doing there in, you know, maybe more efficiently or make more
opportunities. Um, were you also looking for additional space or ideas for to get the the students involved or is that not Yes, they they wanted they'll they will travel. They can walk there or bus
there. They are very happy too. Okay. So, offsite is a is an option. Okay. You could get some uh surveying knowledge and application just to locate your boundary line on
your piece apparently. Yeah, I have you should see if that would be something that you could actually do. Go out and set markers on the lot line. Doesn't that cost money? Well, you're talking about doing it with
student work. You consult the the records and and yeah, find the approximate boundary line. You wouldn't set an official survey stake as such. I do have that. So, do you have a recommendation on what we should use to
market? Cuz stakes, they'll pull them out. I know. I know. But okay. Yeah. Joy, you know, as we talk about other areas, um, if it's offsite, um, our pollinator
park is always an area that is is meant to be educational. And now I know it takes some extra time out of you know you have a really convenient location now but if there's ever an opportunity we have some great knowledgeable volunteers um who would love the
opportunity to bring students down there and uh we could have some real hands-on experience with removing some nasty stuff and also putting some really good stuff in the ground too. um and um have
the opportunity to do that in different seasons, too. So, um even in the winter is a is a nice time to do some of those removals if we get decent weather to do some of that. Um and I I know our department could help support some of
that work, too, if that's if that's ever of interest. It is. It's of high interest. We love it. Great. a few park opportunities like that that are um pretty accessible and that
students see in the in the off school season where they're in and around quite a bit that might be real might be local to them right in their neighborhood there there's also some private property that I believe a League of Women Voters member is um looking for some assistance
on is working with the DNR for a bird watching area but looking for some um that could potentially be a really um interesting um property and to do um to do some real
um meaningful work in that uh would be looking for and and maybe could become maybe like an educational classroom. I got a classroom set of binoculars. Good ones, too. Yes. Yes. Um, but then that that almost has it doesn't have a blank
slate now, but it could have a blank slate for Yeah, they are so happy when they're in the woods. It's like I don't know how many pictures of kids with worms I've had to take. Like, oh, yep, you got it. Then I'm like, it's an invasive species,
but Oops. Okay. Any other comments from the commissioners on ideas? Is there a I don't think there is. Is there a foot path or do you have We're working on it. A trail trail within
or adjacent to it. There's no sidewalk on that side. No, correct. So, there's a I believe it's the remnants of an old homestead. I'm not really sure if anybody know some of the stuff kids have found really old bottles and old bricks and things out. So, yeah, that would be great. They always ask me the history
and I don't I don't know. Um, we have a pretty defined path just up to kind of a brick wall that we use as an informal classroom. Yeah. But after that, I've been a little too nervous to make to keep going just in case I end up on
somebody's property and it gets pretty wet, squishy in there. Yeah. Please just and think about it or email me. So I'm whenever anything comes to your mind. I I said I'm a department I'm a I'm a department of one and I can
only I can only do so much. Well, if you one of the things I would try to connect you with is if you're willing to stay is to watch Jord's update for us if you don't know about his Buckthornne plots. That's an interesting one that uh might
be a coordination in the future too. So any other questions? Thank you very much. Thank you. Appreciate your work. Uh two number seven covered up program. Jordy, are you
going to give us uh some info and then can we get it on to that screen or our guest screens? Yes. Andre, are you able to get the the graph on the agenda on the screen?
I can while he's doing that. um is what this is is this is the data from the plots that were down by the bike trail um that were watched and surveyed um for several years as part of the covered up
um project. So again, just as a reminder for those who may not know, this was actually um ran through the University of Minnesota and it was a statewide project. It's had several phases. Um, so I was just one of about a hundred plots
throughout the state that was looking at removing the buckthornne and then using native grasses to help slow and prevent buckthornne from coming back into the area. Um, and so there was a
large plot that was divided up into the six plots again and three of those plots were seated with this native grass seed. um was more than just grass, but the grasses definitely did better than anything else. Um so is this native seed
mix that they came out with from the U of M through some preliminary research. Three of the plots got that treatment. The other three were left unseated. Um and this is presenting kind of the overall results. You've the commission
anyway has seen bits and pieces of this, but this is kind of a graphic representation of it. So the top graph that is up there right now um one of the things that we measured was the number of buckthornne seedlings um in those
plots. And this these graphs go from 2020 which was when the project started and then through 2023 which was when we switched how we were doing the data. Um but this is a good representation of it.
um the seated versus non-seed. Um you can definitely we got results that the seeded with the native seededs actually reduced the number of buckthorn seedlings. Um and I put air bars on
there which is what the other bars are seeing you are seeing um for 95% confidence interval which is one way we can look at this but with only having the small area here in town the air bars aren't a great representation. Um, but every single
year, um, you can see from here, there was fewer seedlings of buckthornne that were growing within those plots that had the native seed. Um, and if you want to go down to the next one, um, we also
looked at growth. One of the things that we did was, um, measuring the height of the tallest seedlings. And again through all the plots the height of the buckthornne seedlings was reduced. Um and all the plots that were seated with
the native seed seed mix with those. Um and again just like an observation was the the plots in here the native grasses did better which we already talked about um at the last meeting that they already had kind of come to that. Um, and then
the last one is another one that looked at growth. So, this is looking at the tallest seedlings. So, we looked at the leaves and then also the tallest seedlings. And again, across the board, the plots that were seated with those
native seed mixes had reduced growth in our buckthornne. So, so overall there was an effect. Again, this is just one site. That's the trend that they are seeing across all the sites. Um they're still processing data, so there'll
probably be more coming out over the next several years with this. Um but that was kind of the conclusion just at the local local level. So questions or did you use any prescribed burning on
any of these plots? No, not this was not prescribed burning. Nope. Just growing plants. All right. All right, this was just the plants that is part of their kind of bigger scheme they have going on with using the managed um
manage it. So the prescribed burns, the native um seedlings um the grasses seem to do quite well which makes sense. the well depending on the environment makes sense because the grasses will tend to
grow faster um which will help to shade out some of that buckthornne from being able to come back in there. So yeah, that's they did talk about in some of the other research on their other sites um that burning can be probably one of
the mechanisms, one of the tools, one of the many tools. So Yep. Good. And this site was on the in the south end of town. Yep. Just along the bike trail. Um if you enter the bike trail on 7th South heading
towards Ridgeway, it was in the wooded area there kind of between Ridgeway and the bike trail if that makes sense. So, yep. So, good. We continue to see if you if the
buckthorn gets out, you need to put something in or something's going to grow there. Yeah. And that was also a discussion in our meetings because we had meetings throughout this too that soon as we started taking buckthornne out, something else wanted to come in.
So hopefully this will also help with that as well. So So that might be uh that might be something too that would maybe be on um for the League of Women Voters
combined walk. That might be something to visibly see or notice. Um, that's something that I tend to see a lot is buckthornne that's on hedges or in hedges where somebody doesn't know that
it is and it's definitely present. And if it's a seedbearing female, then yeah, that's where to tackle the problem most of the time. Any other questions for Jordy? Otherwise, commissioners, we're looking
at number eight, and the date of the next meeting listed is July 3rd, 2025 at 4 PM here. If you've got extra agenda items, please email them a week prior hearing. And seeing no other
business, we are adjourned.