‘SANTREE’ LOOKS TO PRESERVE ITS THOUSANDS OF TREES AND ADD MORE

Santee, a city sometimes referred to as “Santree,” especially on Arbor Day and Earth Day, is looking to preserve its trees — all 8,399 of them.

The city, which has been a certified “Tree City USA” for 19 years, is also considering a planting plan for 2,347 vacant sites where a tree was located, but removed, or where a tree could be planted.

“Trees are awesome,” said Sam Rensberry, Santee public works supervisor, before launching into an update on Santee’s “Urban Forestry Management Plan” at the City Council’s Dec. 8 meeting.

Santee has 35 families of trees, mostly made up of 27 species of myrtle trees, and 22 species of fabaceae trees — more commonly known as legume, pea or bean trees.

The city’s trees are cared for by West Coast Arborists Inc., which is in charge of the management plan.

The report on the urban forestry plan details the trees in Santee that need pruning, extra maintenance or removal.

It also outlines the maintenance program and schedules, standards and best management practices for maintaining trees. The report also gives the city strategies for plant health care, tree inspection, green waste, urban wood recycling, emergency operations and wildlife protection.

The urban forestry management plan is part of the city’s climent mate action plan — called the “Sustainable Santee Plan” — which aims to have Santee reach certain goals for reducing greenhouse gases and be more environmentally focused in its actions.

Santee also has an Urban Forestry Ordinance that requires the preservation of the visual quality of healthy trees.

As part of the ordinance, Santee maintains the public trees along arterial, collector and residential streets; within parks; adjacent to trails; in its landscape maintenance districts; and around citymanaged facilities.

Rensberry said that the management plan covers how Santee will be able to achieve its Sustainable Santee Plan goal of having shade on 14 percent of its paveduring the summer months by 2030, and 23 percent by 2035.

He said the city is looking into adding more drought-tolerant trees to its landscape and possibly exploring new species to diversify its urban forest.

The city is also reaching out to residents to play a larger role, looking to help offer resources for homeowners and businesses to care for their own private trees.

Rensberry said residents have told the city they are concerned about the drought and lack of care or maintenance of trees.

The city has an ordinance that states that “any person desiring to trim, prune, or remove a protected tree (noted as a coast live oak) must file a permit application” with the city.