HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-STAC-2017-07-13City of Ithaca Shade Tree Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
July 13, 2017
Present: Nina Bassuk, Jeanne Grace, Beverly Hillman, Pamela Markham, Paul Paradine, Debra Statton,
Kevin Vorstadt
Minutes from the June meeting were approved.
Forester’s report: Dave is retiring, Mike moving up, so will have a spot for tree trimmer. This month the
crew has been doing roadside mowing and tree trimming.
Restructuring: passed Common Council July 5 and will go for referendum vote in November. Active
committees include STAC, Parks Commission, Natural Areas Commission, Board of Fire Commissioners,
Disabilities Advisory Council., and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission.
Debra suggested we write a letter to Ithaca Times and to other active committees, to see if we can get
some press on the restructuring vote prior to the referendum.
Trees at Staples: Kevin reports that Morgan Landscape was hired to cut down all the dead trees and to
plant 17 new trees, including sugar maples, a red maple, an Amur maple----none great specimens. They
left a few almost dead trees. Jeanne and Kevin will still push ahead with JoAnn for replacement of the
remaining trees, and will present a list of better species. Need soil prep, can’t put large trees in such
small spaces there and hope they’ll live. Need alkaline- and drought- tolerant, medium-sized up to 30
feet. Better choices include Koelreuteria, imperial honey locust, miyabei and hedge maples, Professor
Sprenger and Donald Wyman crabs, Cercis, Crataegus viridis, Parrotia persica vanessa, Ginkgo,
Styphnolobium. Parrotia is really tough.
Metasequoias at Bank: best approach is to get easement so City can take care of them. Jeanne needs
to prod the city attorney to formulate easement for the bank to sign.
Kevin on iron chelate and chlorosis: He mixed 1 oz chelate per inch of tree with 1 gal water and filled
up bags with water, then took measurements. Anything above 30 is good, lots measured 8. He’ll check
again in a few days at which time it will have been 2 weeks since treatment. Some may need 2nd
treatment and more water. Mostly oaks, few yellowwood, couple maples.
Nina is waiting to hear if she got the grant to plant trees in ameliorated vis unameliorated soil.
$22,000 of trees, labor, mulch.
Next meeting is Wed, September 13, 4pm at Cooperative Extension. Skip the August meeting.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Debra Statton