City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/625396
One of the many outdoor events that takes place at the center of Old Town Carmel. Photo by City of Carmel indicates a direct link between exposure to nature and healthy childhood development and we're very excited to promote this opportunity to the children of the Little Star Center," said Carol Cavell, executive director of Trees Indiana. How has your community reacted to receiving SMA accreditation? DM: My relationship with the Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA) began when I became one of the students of the Municipal Forestry Institute in 2007. Recently, it has been a great honor to have Carmel's application for SMA Accreditation approved. Our city is proud of this accreditation as it was recently mentioned in the Carmel "State of the City" address. It's a great way to make the public more aware of the accom- plishments of your urban forestry program. Advice for readers who are at the helm of a relatively new urban forestry program? DM: One piece of advice for someone trying to develop a newer urban forestry program is to both customize and standardize. Do not leave the options up to the developers and contractors on how you want to grow your urban forest. The community relies on the urban forester's expertise and ability to set stan- dards. Take the guesswork out of the hands of the contractors and laborers. Among many other guidelines, Carmel has specific tree planting details for the landscape plans, species diversity requirements, approved tree lists, detailed commercial landscape ordinances, minimum soil volumes, and rules against topping. Without these regulations, you leave yourself open to a volcano-mulched Bradford pear tree, planted too deep with the wire basket on and later topped. Anything else you wish to add? DM: I like the Carmel Urban Forestry Handbook preface that says, "Urban forestry combines three professional traditions: that of the arborist, whose focus of concern is the health of the individual tree; that of the landscape architect, who helps find the fit between natural environments and human needs, includ- ing the need for beauty; and that of the forester, whose specialty is the management of the whole forest and its entire life cycle." The idea that urban forestry is an important attribute to a community is one of the many reasons why Carmel, Indiana has been ranked so high in Money magazine's "Best Places to Live." www.urban-forestry.com 15 www.urban-forestry.com 15