the dust settle and wait until the area has been cleaned up." Skinner thinks that 2014 will be a good year to replant.
Although most people want to see tree-lined streets in Joplin, planning and implementing urban reforestation is a tremendous challenge. Skinner described a few of the issues. "The City Manager is in favor of tree-lined streets, but the City ordi- nance says that nothing can be planted within ten feet of an underground utility. In most of Joplin, there's a utility on both sides of the street, so that will restrict 90% of the potential replanting." To avoid the problems that arise from monocultures, Skinner says he is encouraging a diversity of spe- cies on both City and private property.
More than a year after the tornado, the tree removal continues. Homeowners watched help- lessly as trees that survived the tornado are suc- cumbing to the worst drought since 1954. New housing and business developments are taking thousands more trees. Clearing land for the new hospital alone required the removal of 100 acres (40 ha) of Ozark hardwoods. Skinner says, "I really think you could have had a couple of truckloads of logs [for lumber] just from the site where they are building the new hospital, but all the wood went for mulch except for some small trees that were dug up to be replanted on the hospital site."
Not all of the wood was buried or ground for mulch. Although most sawmills refuse to take logs
The author cuts a white oak log from a tree that had died during the summer drought of 2012. The mill handles a variety of sizes and shapes of logs, which makes it particularly useful in salvage and urban lumber.
36 City Trees
