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• <br /> Because the four basic pieces of information are easy to gather (species, size, <br /> location, general tree condition and maintenance needs), volunteers could greatly <br /> expedite the field work. These volunteers may be tree commission members, active <br /> citizens or others. Involving volunteers offers them an excellent opportunity to <br /> discover their urban forest first hand and learn about this valuable resource. <br /> Management Plan <br /> Curently in Eugene, over 4,000 young trees (trees less than ten years old) need <br /> structural pruning. An estimated 70,000 trees need some form of corrective <br /> pruning. Corrective pruning includes the elimination of cross branches, weak <br /> branch angles, deadwood, and the pruning necessary to insure visual clearance, and <br /> vehicular and pedestrian clearance. However, like most U.S. cities, Eugene's tree <br /> program is dominated by crisis management. <br /> The weakness of crisis management is exposed by looking at the words separately. <br /> Management is planning and controlling. Crisis is a situation that is unstable, <br /> unpredictable, variable and erratic. Crisis management is not only a contradiction in <br /> terms, it is a false economy. <br /> Goals and objectives, based on need, should be established. Needs can be identified <br /> by safety concerns, requests for service by other City departments and by citizens, <br /> and by the tree inventory itself. A management plan, based on need, identifies tasks, <br /> timelines and locations. This plan not only guides daily operations, but also <br /> establishes a benchmark for evaluating the program implementation. <br /> A management plan should address the following activities: <br /> Planting recommendations identify the species needed for a particular location <br /> or part of town. The plan may cite priorities for specific projects, such as planting <br /> or not planting vacant spaces. Because long -term management of the urban forest is <br /> a primary goal for success, high quality tree species that are appropriate for a given <br /> site should be required. <br /> Pruning recommendations should be made with the needs of individual species <br /> and the geographical location in mind. Some trees require a three year pruning <br /> rotation, others a five year rotation. In some areas, trees grow faster or slower than <br /> in others. Immediate pruning may be required on some trees to protect public <br /> safety, while other trees are identified for pruning as time and resources allow. <br />