Walk around Salida and you’ll see an abundance of trees, from silver maples and American elms casting leafy shade over city streets to tall spruces in parks, and crabapples in yards blooming in clouds of pink blossoms in spring. Yet Salida wasn’t always a tree-shaded place. Historic photos show trees only along the Arkansas River and larger streams.
Salida’s urban forest was planted and nurtured by the people who settled here beginning in the late 1800s. Their choices of trees reflect those species that could survive the dry, windy climate.
Today, thanks to the buffering effect of the existing forest and to new tree varieties, our choice of species is larger.
The Tree Board for the City consists of a minimum of three members appointed by the Mayor. All must be citizens and residents of the City.
This volunteer board, representing the City of Salida, oversees the portion of the urban forest planted on city property, including trees in parks and “street trees,” which are those trees planted in the space between sidewalks and city streets.
Salida Tree Board Members:
• Marilyn Moore, president & secretary
• Diana Smith, treasurer
• Tom Jacobson, member-at-large
Board members serve two-year terms. The Tree Board chooses its own officers, makes its own rules and regulations, and keeps a journal of its proceedings. A majority of the members represents a quorum for the transaction of business. Interested individuals may attend meetings but will not vote.
The Tree Board is responsible for proposing a written annual work plan that includes recommended practices and associated costs for the care, preservation, trimming, planting, replanting, removal or disposition of street and park trees.
The Board works with the Public Works Director prior to presentation of the proposed annual work plan to the City Council to ensure said plan does not conflict with ongoing and/or proposed City activities. Upon its acceptance and approval by City Council, it constitutes the official comprehensive tree plan for the City. The City Council will attempt to follow, as closely as possible, the plan submitted by the Tree Board.
The Tree Board, when requested by the City Council, will consider, investigate, make findings, report and recommend upon any special matter of question coming within the scope of its work.
More complete details about the Tree Board are defined in Chapter 2, Article XIII of the Salida Municipal Code.
City ordinances related to trees are found in Chapter 7, Article VII and Chapter 16, Article VII of the Salida Municipal Code.
