The City of Ypsilanti is conducting its first tree inventory in 15 years to help guide future tree management.
Ypsilanti's tree inventory is measuring the health and diversity of its urban forest to improve the city’s climate resilience.
Bonnie Wessler is Ypsilanti’s Public Works Director. She says 2011’s inventory found that not enough young trees were growing that could one day replace mature ones. She says if the inventory shows the problem remains, the city will need to consider ways to reduce Ypsilanti's urban heat island effect.
“I’m hoping that we have a little bit more than we did in 2011. I don’t think that’s the case, given the budget realities of the city.”
Wessler says the inventory will also help determine what tree diversity is needed to make Ypsilanti's urban forest more resilient against diseases worsened by climate change.
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