Title
2022 Parkway Tree Inventory & Urban Forestry Management Plan Services
History
In January 2021, the Village was awarded a 2020-2022 Urban and Community Forestry Grant (“UCF Grant”). UCF Grants are a partnership between the Morton Arboretum and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to offer forestry grants to municipalities, park districts, and other units of local government.
To achieve an economy of scale, the IDNR required that grant applicants be pooled and a qualified tree contractor selected through a competitive bid process. As such, the Morton Arboretum conducted a request for proposals (RFP #0827-16) and selected Great Lakes Urban Forestry Management (GLUF) to work with grant recipients to complete tree inventories and management plans beginning in 2020 through 2022.
The Village’s Public Works Department subsequently worked with GLUF in 2021 to complete an inventory and assessment of the four thousand nine hundred eight (4,908) trees located on all Village park and facility sites, a GIS database of those trees, and a draft tree management plan. The tree inventory/assessment identified the quantity and quality of these trees, while the tree management plan focused on inventory data analysis. An inventory/assessment of trees located on Village property had never been previously completed.
As a continuation of those efforts in 2022, the Public Works Department is proposing to work with GLUF to complete an assessment/inventory of the estimated forty thousand (40,000) Village parkway trees. The proposed scope of work also includes identifying up to six thousand five hundred (6,500) open locations for new trees plantings, GIS data integration and support, and additional tree management and consulting support. Once complete, the Village would possess a comprehensive tree inventory, an invaluable tool in the management of its tree population. The tree management plan will ultimately be used to draft Village tree ordinances, establish a proactive tree management strategy, and create a five (5) year tree management budget.
Municipalities are required to complete all work associated with the UCF Grant, including any updates to tree ordinances, before the end of the grant period on August 1, 2022. Upon completion of grant requirements, the Village would receive $10,125.00 to offset the cost of the 2021 and 2022 tree assessments and inventory costs. It should be noted that the Morton Arboretum has reviewed the Village of Orland Park’s Tree Preservation Ordinance and has deemed it exemplary, although minor adjustments have been recommended.
If approved, GLUF would begin the parkway tree assessment/inventory in January 2022, and then continue to work with the Village to complete the UCF Grant requirements before August 1, 2022. Staff members from GLUF have proven to be experts in their field, highly responsive to Village staff requests, and a pleasure to work with. It should be noted that several other communities are taking advantage of the Morton Arboretum RFP and a continued relationship with GLUF to further enhance their tree inventories, including Macomb, Ottawa, Joliet, and Bensenville.
The proposal from GLUF for is now before the Village Board for final consideration.
Financial Impact
Funding for the Parkway Tree Assessment was budgeted for in 2022 and will be available in Public Works account 010-1700-443500.
Recommended Action/Motion
I move to approve the proposal from Great Lakes Urban Forestry Management for “Tree Inventory & Urban Forestry Management Plan Services” for an amount not to exceed $122,000.00;
AND
Move to approve waiving the bid process for Tree Inventory & Urban Forestry Management Plan services.
AND
Authorize the Village Manager to execute an agreement with Great Lakes Urban Forestry Management for Tree Inventory & Urban Forestry Management Plan services.