The $50,000 study, funded with a state grant and trust fund, will help city officials create an urban forestry plan.
By TERRI D. REEVES
Published September 29, 2004
LARGO - By year's end, a $50,000 project to inventory the city's trees in parks and on medians and public rights of way should be under way.
The city has secured a $25,000 state forestry grant, which will be supplemented with $25,000 from a trust fund generated by fees from developers who chop down trees.
"This is a proactive study to determine the health of the trees and give us a plan for the future look of our city. It will help us find out what will best survive and require the least amount of care," said Lara Khoury, management analyst for the city's Recreation, Parks and Arts Department. "No taxpayer money will be used in the study."
The plans for the study took place long before the summer's storms hit, but the violent winds from Frances and Jeanne have left their mark on the tree canopy.
"We lost close to 100 large oaks (during Frances). Largo Central Park Nature Preserve lost about 40-plus trees," Khoury said.
In addition to the oaks, the city lost wax myrtles, hackberries, weeping willows and magnolias.
"Almost all were native trees, and the exotics you wish had blown down survived," she said. Those exotics, which are considered nuisance plants, include Brazilian pepper trees and Australian pines.
An outside vendor will be chosen to execute the project. Bidding should begin within the next few weeks.
The inventory should be done by the end of spring, Khoury said.
