(Fredericksburg, VA) January 31, 2025 – Since 2008, Tree Fredericksburg has assisted the City in managing much of the tree planting and maintenance work throughout our community. Tree Fredericksburg set an aggressive goal, in partnership with the City of Fredericksburg, to plant 10,000 trees, and as of last year that goal had been met. Through their leadership, they created enthusiasm and significant volunteer support to elevate and advance the City of Fredericksburg’s environmental goals. The City of Fredericksburg is grateful for Tree Fredericksburg (and the many Tree Stewards!) for their exceptional efforts in maintaining and growing Fredericksburg’s urban forest.
Last year, Tree Fredericksburg handed much of their work back to the City of Fredericksburg. Knowing this was coming, the City in 2023 hired full-time ISA-certified arborist, Bicknell Robbins. Mr. Robbins has an extensive background in arboriculture and horticulture, along with an ISA tree risk assessment certification. This expertise has empowered the City to make informed decisions regarding the maintenance of Fredericksburg’s important urban forest efforts (and enabled a smooth transition from Tree Fredericksburg.)
The City remains fully committed to development and maintenance of its urban forestry program, and the City is excited to announce the implementation of a City-owned Tree Inventory Program. The ARCGIS software supports the Tree Inventory Program by providing the City with a comprehensive database of its trees, the number of inspections performed, and their overall health. This program allows employees to select specific trees or areas and identify trends within the region, enabling early detection of pests or issues. The program enables staff to catalog all species of trees (190 species of trees are now catalogued in the City) within the City and allows for better data analysis which may lead to the addition of new species and planting spaces. Detailed records are kept for each tree, including maintenance history. This software is transitioning record-keeping from handwritten logs to a more accessible digital format, allowing employees to access essential data while working on the canopy.
In conjunction with the employee portal, a public tree inventory and management program will be launched this year on the City’s website. This platform will showcase the trees the City maintains and highlight areas available for planting. It will provide information about each tree’s history, species, and size and will allow residents to report any concerns about trees, promoting a more efficient way to address issues. Additionally, there will be educational resources available to inform the public about the importance of tree preservation.
The City will soon execute on plans to hire a firm to develop an Urban Forestry Master Plan that will guide the health and sustainability of the canopy for years to come. One of the most labor-intensive aspects of crafting this master plan involves conducting a canopy study and tree inventory, both of which have already been completed, thanks to grants from the Department of Forestry. These grants enabled City staff to gather data on over 13,000 city-owned trees. Additionally, a comprehensive tree canopy study was conducted in collaboration with the University of Virginia and the Green Infrastructure Center. The findings from the tree inventory and canopy study will serve as the foundational elements for the Urban Forestry Master Plan, facilitating improved maintenance for both existing and future trees, funded by a new City “Specimen Tree Mitigation Fund.”
In summary, in Fiscal Year 2024 Tree Fredericksburg planted 549 new trees. During that same time, City staff pruned 1,153 trees, removed 165 trees, and ground 140 stumps. Despite potential challenges facing our canopy, the trees in Fredericksburg are healthy and thriving. The City extends our gratitude to many partners, including the Clean and Green Committee, Fredericksburg Tree Stewards, Friends of Rappahannock, and local garden clubs, for their support in our efforts to sustain the City’s tree canopy.