With this funding, the City of Madison Urban Forestry section of the Streets Division will undertake two projects.
First, funds will support establishing a gravel bed holding system for approximately 400 bare root trees. These trees are less expensive, easier to plant, and have a greater chance of thriving than other options. In the gravel bed process, small bare root trees are installed in the spring, lightly irrigated in loose gravel throughout the summer, and transplanted to their eventual home in terraces or parkland in the fall.
The second project is the integration of an efficient watering solution into the Urban Forestry planting program. After planting a new trees, they should be watered every two to three days to ensure their survival. With the grant funding, Urban Forestry will purchase devices called “TreeDiapers” that are installed beneath the mulch at the time of planting. These devices absorb moisture and then slowly release it to the tree, which will help young trees endure hot, dry summers like what we experienced this past year.
