Tree Board

City of Salida - Trees

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. To learn more about our Salida Tree Inventory and tree varieties, click this link:  cotreeview.com/cotv/     

About the Tree Board

The Tree Board for the City consists of a minimum of three members with an interest in maintaining and increasing our urban forests. For more information about tree board membership refer to Section 2-12-10 to 2-12-30 of the Salida Municipal Code.

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. 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. Upon its acceptance and approval by City Council, this plan constitutes the official Comprehensive Tree Plan for the City of Salida. 

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.

City ordinances related to trees are found in Section 7-4-80 to 7-4-90 and 16-8-40 and 16-8-90 of the Salida Municipal Code.