A tree notion grows in NLR
Board weighs incentive to plant
The North Little Rock Tree Board is considering a rewards program as an incentive to keep the treescape healthy.
The city has a minimum requirement for the number of trees a business must plant in order to expand, depending on the size of the business and the amount of construction. Board members last week discussed rewarding businesses that surpass the requirement.
“The goal would be to encourage more businesses to include and maintain trees in their site development,” said Ian Hope, a North Little Rock park ranger and chairman of the tree board, in an email to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “The ultimate goal of the Tree Board is to work with all entities in preserving our tree-scape in the City.”
The board was restarted in early 2017 to provide guidance about trees on city property and make tree-related recommendations for private property. Private landowners must contact the board to receive advice, Hope said.
“We do not have any authority over private proper
ty, but through our enabling city ordinance we can and do work with private citizens to provide best practices on tree pruning, species selection when planting and tree removal when warranted,” Hope said.
North Little Rock’s tree canopy provides an estimated $3.9 million in air quality services each year, $1.1 million in carbon storage and sequestration benefits, and $78 million in total stormwater management savings, according to the most recent Plan-It Geo study, conducted in 2013.
The urban tree canopy study encompassed 35,252 acres. Based on the study, the city has 11,913 acres of urban tree canopy, 13,696 acres of possible planting area — defined as non-road, non-building land area where it is physically possible to plant trees — and 9,643 acres that are probably unsuitable for tree planting.
The city’s zoning ordinance requires that a landscape plan be included with all building permits, plats, site plan reviews, rezoning, conditional and special-use permits. The ordinance also requires newly constructed buildings to have one tree per six parking spaces for shade.
Plants should be selected for their ability to serve the intended purpose, be low-maintenance, fit the climate, and fit the site in terms of sun, soil and moisture conditions. Hardwood trees with small leaves and no fruit are preferred, according to the ordinance.
The provisions apply to new multifamily, office, commercial and industrial building permits constituting new primary buildings and major expansions and should not be required with other residential permits. The Planning Commission
can review all screening or landscape plans for major expansions.
Some businesses will plant a tree, quickly forget about it and just let it die after the construction phase is over. The lack of care for some trees in the city has led to branches falling into the road and near bus stops, Hope said at a recent meeting.
“I will drive back a year later and all those trees have died, and [the business owners] have pulled them out and put grass into it,” Hope said. “It’s great to have policies, but we have to have someone to enforce it.”
Instead of punishing this type of inaction, Hope said he wants to inspire people to do right by recognizing those who go beyond the requirements and maintain their trees.
“No money, but a nice something from their city,” Hope said. “Maybe a sign that might say ‘Tree City USA’ or something, where they can hang it in their store’s window.”
Diane Whitbey, a tree board member and city clerk, said she liked the idea of an award.
“It encourages people,” she
said. “Also, people like to be recognized.”
This is just one of many ideas the tree board is considering to keep North Little Rock tree-friendly.
The board is looking at establishing a new tree ordinance as part of its renewed focus on the treescape, Hope said. It would address the planting, maintenance and removal of public trees in the city to promote the benefits of urban forest resources.
The proposed ordinance would aim to promote and protect public health, safety and the general welfare, according to documents.
Hope ordered four new “Tree City USA” signs to place at entrances to the city. He said North Little Rock has been part of the Tree City USA program for 22 years, but when new city limits signs were installed, the tree awareness signs were removed.
“They were pretty worn by then anyway,” he added.
Hope said it’s important for the signs to be displayed for all drivers to see when they enter North Little Rock.
“It shows that the city takes trees seriously as a quality-of-life issue,” he said.