This transcript has been formatted with speaker identifications based on the roll call, the context of the discussion, and the list of officials provided. **Note:** As timestamps were not provided in the original text, a sequential placeholder format has been used. [00:00] **Nick Canela (Chair):** We're up. Oh, we're on air. All right, don't worry about it, just do your thing. All right, we should uh, we should call the meeting to order. Um, so yeah, today is the uh, Tree Board meeting, March 19th, 2024, 5:00 PM. Um, do a call of roll to get that started. Am I doing that in the right order to Dallas? Typically we give it to the—but if you want to do it, so us all read off our names, I guess. All right, yeah, if everyone... we're going to start down there with Mike, work our way this way. [00:00] **Mike Bender:** Mike Bender. [00:00] **Glenn Jaalto:** Glenn Jaalto. [00:00] **Dallas Pearson:** Dallas Pearson. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Nick Canela. [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** Mike Sarla. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** We are missing Marge Saastad right now. She may be here. Yep, she's coming right now. Marge will be here in just a second. Um, but uh, we'll wait for Marge to get here and then we can do the Pledge of Allegiance. Does that go with everybody? Just do the John Stewart thing and arrange my stuff on the desk while we wait. How you doing today, Marge? [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Oh, no worries, sorry I'm late. Marge Saastad is now here. I just got here myself. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Okay, sorry, don't sit down yet. We've got to do this thing. [00:00] **All:** I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All right, did everyone get a chance to look over um, the agenda before we started? Um, anyone have anything to amend or change before we approve that? No? Okay. Do you need to vote on that or just move on? [00:00] **Dallas Pearson:** I move we approve the agenda as presented. [00:00] **Mike Bender:** I second. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All in favor? [00:00] **All:** Aye. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All opposed? All right, uh, agenda is approved. Did everyone have a chance to look over the meeting minutes from last time? [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Yes. Any updates, amendments, changes, additions, subtractions, omissions? I didn't see anything. Yeah, I also didn't see anything. My name was misspelled on page five, but I don't worry about that much because it happens all the time. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Noted, we should get that corrected for the record. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** I move that we approve the agenda as amended. [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** Second. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All in favor? [00:00] **All:** Aye. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All opposed? All right, the January 16th meeting minutes are approved. Um, we are on to the open forum section of the agenda. Does anybody have anything pressing they wanted to bring up that isn't already on the agenda? [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** I'm just wondering how many people watch that that YouTube video that out of Canada that Lauren sent us about um, having um, fruit trees and stuff available to the public? [00:00] **Nick Canela:** I didn't watch it. [00:00] **Dallas Pearson:** I can't remember even reading—seeing the link. [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** Yeah, yeah, he well he sent us an email or I thought it was to the whole board, but I don't know that I... I probably got that and it got buried underneath all the other. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** So apologies for that, but if you watched it, you wanted to fill us in like... tell—love to hear more information about that. [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** Well, it was it was real interesting. It was a group out of Canada was talking about um, you know how they have uh, different areas where they have different fruits or different vegetables that are available to the public and they talked about risk-reward. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Like a food forest situation? [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** Yes. Yeah, okay. And unfortunately my old manager's cap came on and I started thinking more about risk and liability especially of our forest garden, sure. Um, and that's one of the things they pointed out: the things that can happen. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** So what were some of the risks that they were trying to draw attention to as a potential? [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** Um, one person taking everything. Um, somebody killing all—everything off because of other reasons. So, but I mean they talk more about reward about how great, which I thought too. It's, you know, those things are great for communities. The problem is in this day and age things happen for no reason at all. And that's kind of what they were bringing up too. So, but I thought it was real interesting. I think it was um, it was only about um, 20 minutes worth of video or whatever and for some reason you could apply for points afterwards, but I I don't care about points anymore. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Oh, like continuing education stuff? [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** Yeah, yeah, okay. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** So yeah, that's super interesting. I mean is that something we want to like recommend adding to like our work plan is something to look into? [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** We could. I don't know. It's, you know, the only thing I was thinking about is because we've been talking about making that garden more available, which to me was a great idea, but then like I said, when I put my other hat on, I started thinking about the things that could—could go on there and it might not—it might not turn out like we would like it to. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Sure. Well, like fruit production requires input and maintenance. Yes, right. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Yeah, I guess I have heard recently—which I didn't remember when Chris was our Forester and we actually put that in, you know, the forest garden out there—that it was intended to be long-term rewilded so to speak and that um, it would require minimal updates and maintenance. So, um, I'm not sure you know, now with that understanding or that information from way back in 2015 or 16 whenever we put it in, you know if that was the intent and then less about harvestable fruits and ve—whatever, not veggies so much but fruits, you know bushes and trees and shrubs. Um, you know, I don't—I think that changed—that changed my thoughts a little bit on what happens in there and how um, accessible we make it to the public and welcoming. I mean we still want a path in there, I think we still want it to um, more easily access than it is today, but I don't know that we want to be um, proliferating or whatever, you know supporting and managing those for fruit production. [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** Yeah, 'cause what when we made the walk-through there we were talking about really opening it up and making it a nice destination for people, which I think it still can be, um, but if we don't have that um, thought in mind that it has to be um, like an orchard where people could come pick their own, you know? 'Cause that sounds like we maybe don't want to do that and that was not the original intent. It's more about just seeing what nature can provide on its own um, with some minimal maintenance. But anyway, that was kind of news to me that that was the original intent. I think Lauren shared that with me um, somewhere along the the way the past six months or so that it was never supposed to be a fully managed um, fruit production area. So anyway, changes the scope a little bit in my mind. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Yeah, but thanks. And I'll go—I'm going to go back now and look at my email and see if I missed a link from Lauren. Um, I don't know how how that might happen, I'm pretty on top of it, but thanks for bringing that up. [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** Yeah, you you uh... you you uh, I had to uh, go on there and I had to, you know, check in online oh got it because it was only like a course. Yeah, it was only a course for—got it—maybe it was embedded. Yeah, okay. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All right, thanks, Mike. All right, well should we move on to uh, old business? We have an update about uh, the Forester vacancy. [00:00] **Kevin Wold (Fire Chief/Interim Public Works Director):** Yeah, good evening. Um, first uh, I'll I'll just introduce myself. So, um, my name is Kevin Wold, the Fire Chief for the city of Oakdale and I'm the acting uh, interim Public Works Director as well. I'm filling in for uh, what would have been Lauren's role tonight, um, with my new kind of just helping the city out um, during this transition and stuff. So that's—that's why I'm here tonight. So, um, glad to be here and thanks for having me. Um, so the uh, the vacant Forester position as I had mentioned, um, Lauren has um, changed roles. Um, he has um, going to a maintenance worker within the city um, and not in his supervisory role and um, we are working um, in the process of working to fill that vacancy. Um, we're doing some um, some modifications, some restructuring within the Public Works um, division and um, we are creating a um, City Forester position, exclusive City Forester um, position, writing a job description and hopefully trying to get that out and posted here in the next few weeks and get that filled. Um, so what would have been um, Lauren's role as a Forester and a supervisor within that division, now we're reworking um, and moving some personnel under some different um, divisions and then creating a City Forester position um, that'll be exclusively as a City Forester and then that person will be the the Tree Board liaison and work with you folks on on different things. So that's kind of an update on that. Very—ask any questions if you have. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Is there a target date for the posting? [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Uh, we're hoping to get it out in the next two weeks. Okay, about April 1st. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Um, where will people find—will that be on the city website or where where actually will it get posted, I guess? [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Um, we'll—we'll... it'll be on the city website for sure and then it'll be on some of the other um, Public Works and Forestry uh, sites that are out there that we can target as well. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** And you'll be aware of some of those in your capacity? [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Certainly job boards out there for positions like that, for jobs. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All right, I think I saw some last week, actually. Okay, yeah. All right, great, thank you. Anybody else have questions or concerns about those uh, changes? Sad to see Lauren go. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Yes, second that. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Yeah, and he—and he still works for the city. He's still doing forestry stuff, so you'll still see him around and stuff. Um, he's just decided to take a different role. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** So, okay well thank you for that update. Um, I believe the next thing on the agenda is the uh, Peak Ramsey ARB tree giveaway which is coming up here in a hurry. Um, I know we got our four species. Um, some of them weren't available. We ended up getting the Blue Beech (Carpinus caroliniana), the Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa), Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra), and then the Zestar Apple, which is a Malus domestica, a Minneowa variety. So those were the four we were able to get. Um, yeah, should be good. Uh, we're going to do the drive-thru again? Is the plan? [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Yes, yep, yep. We have got a uh um... going to try to streamline things a little bit as far as a registration goal is. We're using a new online registration platform through our OpenGov system that we do a variety of uh, permits and applications and things with the city. Um, so we're—we're going to do the registration through that, um, hopefully to improve and make it more efficient and then um, uh, we'll vet that process the day of the event with driver's license to make sure that they match the registration and stuff. Yep, and then we'll work on the details and how that'll flow through the day of the event. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Perfect. Yeah, yeah, that has worked out really well the last couple years. If we can streamline the registration, I think that people will appreciate that. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Yeah, that's what we've heard is is some feedback. Um, that's why we tried to improve it this year and make it a little bit easier and um, a little bit more streamlined. So yeah. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Awesome. Can I ask, well we still have a Master Gardener table—um, information tables at the end? We've had a little tent there for—and we get a lot of people that come up and ask questions. Um, we park um, after they get their tree. Do you know if that will still be there? Um, has that been in the past? [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Yeah, yeah, we can certainly—yeah, I'm not—I'm not familiar with that, but we can certainly do that. Yeah. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Deb—Deb Mohler in the audience is our Master Gardener liaison and um, she would want to know because we post for volunteer positions to come help for that. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Yeah, sure. Yeah, if—if that's something you've done in the past, yeah, we certainly... yeah, should do it again for sure. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Okay, and then in the past, Lauren has been able to get a few of the um, Watershed District trees—the small bundles of trees that we've been able to give to people who stop by. If that's available, it's a nice little perk um, for people to come ask uh, questions and um, get a shrub or a tree or two. Um, they're the $1... I think they're like a dollar a piece, little trees and shrubs. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Sure. Okay, I'll check with Lauren and make sure that—get some thoughts from him on that. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Right. And I had asked a former colleague of mine uh, who's now at Bartlett Tree. They do um, seedling giveaways as well, and so I had asked Lauren to reach out to uh, Rob to see if he was willing to donate some of those. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Great. Yeah, it's a—it's just a nice thing. People love getting something extra, quote "little mini tree." Yeah, exactly. You know, those actually grow into big trees too. I know they're almost more um, sustainable I think, but um... and then I did see on the website that this is already out there, but it said that registration is not open till April 1st. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Yes, that's correct. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Okay, all right. So people watch your clocks on April 1st. April 1st sign up for a tree. Remind me the date of the—the actual giveaway? [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** 27th. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** April 27th, right there. Yeah, thank you. I knew it was in there somewhere. I yeah, got many papers, not that one. Okay. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Okay, awesome. Well, I'm really excited. I love that tree giveaway. It's uh, it's a highlight of the year. It's going to be fun. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Great, people love it. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Um, okay. Uh, next up is the Tree City USA Growth Award. Um, I know there was a note to look through there and look for activities. Um, did anybody take the opportunity to kind of go through and circle some stuff? Yes. Like you're chomping at the bit. Oh, Mike. [00:00] **Mike Bender:** Not chomping at the bit but well I I highlighted um, D6, D8, um, E13, E16, and E17, and then um, E23 as possibilities. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** 13? I'm just cross-referencing because I had a list too that I had sent out a while ago um, with some of these. Uh, I think yeah, some of mine match the ones that you had. I I know we um... some are duplicates. So my question is how do we actually do this um, as a committee—um, a team from um, representing the city? Um, because some of these are almost no-brainers. If we get a new person on—on this board, um, that counts for some points. There's some things that are almost automatic. Having a work plan now, that's a new thing, right? If we're going to have that every year, that counts for towards points. We need to have 10 points um, to apply. Um, this year we've applied. My understanding—I don't know—would you know, Kevin, if we've been awarded this award yet? [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** It's been applied. We're still waiting to hear um, on the results of that. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Yeah, any idea of timing? I this is the first time... we don't—I don't know what the turnaround is um, getting the actual award—"You've been awarded," you know. Um... [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** I could—I don't know the time frame. I mean, I can certainly check with Lauren and see what's been um, maybe expected in the past, but um, I know we've applied for it. We're just... we haven't—we haven't been notified yet. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Right. Well, since we've never applied for this award in the past, it's—oh this isn't—this will be our first year in 2023 and and my understanding is then he has to apply by the end of the year, the Forester, and then it has to go to the state and then somebody else has to approve it and um... so there's some process in there. Um, but anyway, regardless if we want to apply for 2024, I'm not sure of the actual mechanism of within our group how we get um, our recommendations, you know, to you or the new Forester when they come on board. Sure. Um, but you know, I don't think we need the whole—the whole board to work on this. We need a couple of us I think to say, you know, "Can we do this? Do we need any special events this year?" Um, because some of them do involve things that we haven't done in the past. Um, but some of them are just, like I said, no-brainers. A fall Buckthorn removal, that's, you know, that work that we do every year. It counts for some points. So um, I think it's just a matter of a couple of us putting our heads together, sure, if—if that's okay. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Sure, sure. Yeah, I'd be interested to find out if like our Arbor Day tree giveaway counts as a tree festival. That's what I was just going to ask. We have that and like like E20 would be an easy one because that's an Arbor Day event. That's an Arbor Day event, but that's only two points. The—yeah yeah, festival being four would be almost halfway to... yeah. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Well and then like, and Mike was interested in doing interpretive walks through the—the Tree Trek. Like two points right there. So I can—feels like slam dunk we get these points right. One question I had was um, just on in the first section um, continued education for staff. I know um, we both have been at the Shade Tree Short Course last week um, for two days and I saw Lauren there, but I don't know how many other staff members are there, but um, we can get points for that as well. That's A12 um, under training and we get three points. Um, but I'm not sure uh, I guess they need at least 10 hours of continuing education credits. That would be that event, that class would be so 16 hours yeah. Um, so I I don't know if you can apply like... okay, Lauren would be... how many of the staff were there and did they—we get three points for each person that attends. Um, that's kind of not clear in the description here, but at least somebody um, is if they're going to be attending, there's some points right there as well. So I yeah. Um, and then I'd like to look at some of Mike's suggestions and see what those were or I know they're not all the same as the ones I had, but um, you want me to read them down to you? [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Um, I wrote them down as you went through them. So how can um, Mike and I work on this together and is anyone else interested? And then we can come up at next meeting with a proposal for this year um, and then get it clarified with a new Forester at our next meeting hopefully. Would—does that sound like a plan? [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Sure, yeah, everybody good with that? [00:00] **All:** I'm good with that. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All right, Mike, you and I, let's get together and have—have a sit down, have a coffee or something and figure this out. [00:00] **Mike Bender:** Sure. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** All right. All right, there's lots of opportunities. There's—there's no way we should not be able to get this award every year I think with an active board and so much participation from the city on tree support. So, okay. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All right, my two cents, thank you. Awesome, thank you guys. Um, did anyone else besides Mike and Marge have any input on that, something that they wanted to point out, bring up? [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** Well, I was also interested in the—the E21, the Tree Care Workshops. I mean uh, I think a lot of homeowners especially, they don't necessarily, you know, tree is just the thing in the ground, they don't necessarily know much about actually taking care of them. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Sure, E21. Yeah, are there any others that you guys—the rest of you guys um, didn't already get listed? I my list was about a half a dozen, dozen opportunities, but I mean youth education's always fun and which number is that? 23. [00:00] **Mike Bender:** Oh, and that's the one Mike had listed too. Yeah, Mike, another two. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Yeah, you know and we have our new Tree Squad in Washington County Master Gardeners, so some of those, I mean we could plan that together with that group between Deb and I. Um, we'd be glad to help with some of these. Um, she—Deb already has a um, Junior Master Gardener event um, every year and maybe that could focus on trees. So some here and um, typically they've been doing little annuals, but maybe we could do some of those little um, seedling trees. That that would be really fun to do as a group and just bigger pots. So, all right, great suggestions, thanks. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All right, great. The next thing then is our 2024 Tree Board Work Plan approval. Everyone have a chance to look over that? Yes. Obviously the three big things up there um, the giveaway, the spring planting, and the Buckthorn removal, and then the last thing on there is public education and awareness efforts. One question I have is um, should we have on here um, to fill our vacancy? Because there's one vacancy on the Tree Board and I'm wondering if that needs to be on here for 2024. We—I think there were some um, interviews that were going to be scheduled and I wonder if that's part—should be part of a tree plan or the Tree Board work plan or if it's... [00:00] **Kevin Zabel (Mayor):** Well, that's just something that happens—automatic—new business. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Oh yeah, the applicant update that's on there under—yeah under new business. Jane Klein Memorial update. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Okay, I know, but if this is the document we're using as our kind of menu for—that's not really on us though, that's on Council. [00:00] **Kevin Zabel:** That's my question. Is it not? It's has nothing to do with us. It's more like it's a council—a city council issue. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Okay, thank you for clarifying that. Yeah, I'm just making it up as I go along. Yeah, then I get nods from the audience because the Mayor's here now, so okay. Nick made me feel good, I like that. Okay. All right, thank you. Okay, applicants. Yeah. All right. Um, I have one corre—one correction though under buckthorne. [00:00] **Mike Bender:** Yeah, I think we're taking out the trees, not just the leaves under type four, under item four. So... well does that say only buckthorne leaves or does that say only the buckthorne leaves? Good interpretation. It could go either way. I think we should just say "buckthorn only" or something and take out the leaves. That's confusing. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All right, my—my interpretation was: okay we leave the trunks but we take the leaves. Sure. Uh, I was being charitable. That was pretty cute. [00:00] **Mike Bender:** Okay um, if you take them off often enough... yeah, that's true. Go through like tweezers and pop off. It's—it's a new way they say. Yeah, one thing you could do along the lines of the earlier the—the Growth Award is add a class for buckthorn removal because frankly Lawrence showed me twice and it just goes in one ear and out the other as to what is what—what's which one's buckthorn and which one's something I want to leave. Sure. So a training class especially for the volunteers and any anybody else as part of the Buckthorn Removal Day. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Yeah, well that could be part of like the tree—a Tree Care Workshop. I mean same thing, we that could be included with something like that. [00:00] **Mike Bender:** We can get you some pictures. All right, yeah no, I do like the—I do like the idea of adding a—a buckthorn ID and removal course as part of that. The pictures I've seen are these little tiny things yeah growing in the ground, not the trees that you see when you want to go remove it, so I can't recognize them. They're not as helpful. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** It's—it's... it's a lot of times it's not easy because uh, you get uh, Chokecherries that look almost the same. Chokecherry and the black cherry are grown right mixed in in the stand. Yep, it's fun look-alike. Yes. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Well, we won't be adding that to 2024 though, that would be something in 2025. I mean once this... [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** That's in October. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Yeah, once this plan is created, I mean is this something that we stick to for the year? Can this be amended as we go? We've never had a work plan before. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Can amend it as we go. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** We can? Yeah. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Okay, that's—that's my question. Is this it's a living document. It doesn't have to be cast in stone today for the year. Okay, all right. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** I I do like the idea of adding uh, that as a number—number six under the buckthorn removal description: "Buckthorn ID and Removal Course." Okay. Okay. Um, and then let's see. So yeah, collaborate with other City Council advisory bodies and outside organizations on public education efforts. It would be nice to go meet up with the EMC, talk about stuff, or the Parks Board. How do we make that happen? We did talk about that in January um, at our dinner before the meeting is doing more collaboration, but how—how do we actually facilitate that? We talked about either meeting with all the board chairs, you know once—once or twice a year, or like Parks and Rec or EMC. How do you know, physically, do we make that happen? Just got to coordinate it, make the time and coordinate it with whomever we want with. Yeah, I would think so. Just like reach out like, "Hey, we want to talk about this, any interest in that?" [00:00] **Nick Canela:** So Staff Liaison would be the one who would coordinate that, would they? Okay. City Staff Liaison and we get any com jump? Yeah, help us. [00:00] **Kevin Zabel:** Thank you, Mr. Chair, board members. Um, yeah, collaboration is something that's very important to the City Council, so um, there's kind of two ways we go about this. On a project-by-project basis—so if you think back to say the Bike and Pedestrian Plan, it was something that the City Council initiated and then we worked it through our commissions from their various um, aspects. Um, if there is something that is important to the Tree Board um, that you do see carryover in other areas, um, I think it's appropriate for the Chair to work with your respective liaison and then we can coordinate at the City Council with our staff to figure out the best path to go forward. So I would suggest running it through your Chair and then um, the Chair can figure out working with the the Council Liaison on how to go about that. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Cool, we can do that. You bet, thank you. All right, so to seems to me the conf—the conversation we just had about the tree track—the Tree Trek and um, the Nature Reserve is that would be something with Parks and Rec? I think they managed that park, right? Um, that—that would be a primary thing that we've been struggling a little bit with: how to get that going forward and what the long-term goal is. Um, for me that would be like the one of the primary things that would be great to collaborate on. So if—if we could get that going, I—I don't know, what does everybody else think? [00:00] **All:** I agree. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** So I don't know, could I just make a request to get on the agenda at a Parks and Rec meeting to like have a discussion with that about them? Would that be an appropriate thing to do? [00:00] **Kevin Zabel:** Again, we have to... yep. Um, I I think we have the board's intent, you know, so we can certainly work through that. Obviously the Tree Trek, you know, Parks the Parks and Rec Commission has a role to play there um, but I I assume you're talking about the promotion of Tree Trek and how we get that out to the public. Um, that's a communications function, so that's a staff function internally. Um, so they would be leading that conversation. I know we've mentioned it before, you know, whether it's utilizing our our Ramsey Washington cable commission to produce you know a video explaining what the Tree Trek program is that we can get out to the community, or if it's creating new maps within the park to advertise it. Those options have been put out there. Um, but we—we work through our communications team to figure out th—those avenues. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** What if we wanted to do programming like Marge and Mike lead a walk through the park with the Tree Trek? Like just like, "Here's this tree and this is a cool thing about this tree." And like... would that be something we need to go through like the Parks Board to like coordinate that? [00:00] **Kevin Zabel:** That would probably be the Recreation Department. Um, so I similar to my previous comment, Chair working with Council Liaison to figure out what that path is. I think another avenue outside of the city could be the Wellness 50 Plus group, you know, if you wanted to start there and see what the interest level is amongst those individuals. Obviously they're very active in the Nature Preserve um, so that could be a good path, you know, to—to work through the curriculum, if you want to call it that, and any kinks, you know, to—to work out a nice finished product. Um, but that would be working through your liaison and staff. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Cool, thank you. You bet. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** And I think once the—the new Forester position is added, that's a... will be a good staff liaison that can help guide you, um, whether it's communications or to uh, Council Liaison or whatever it is. So I think that that'll clear things up and help quite a bit. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Cool, thank you. Okay. Um, well I think then at this point we probably just need to decide whether we want to approve this um, work plan as written. Um, unless anybody has any other addendums? [00:00] **Dallas Pearson:** Like a motion? [00:00] **Nick Canela:** I would love a motion. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** I move that we adopt the or approve the Tree Board work plan as amended with point six. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Second? [00:00] **Mike Sarla:** Second. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All in favor? [00:00] **All:** Aye. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All opposed? All right, we have approved that work plan for the year. Uh, and then obviously, Marge, if there's something we want to change or add we can always revisit that. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Perfect, thank you. Cool, okay. Um, then on to new business. Uh, 2024 Jane Klein Memorial spring planting. Kevin, you have an update for that—on that for us? [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Sure. Yeah, so the—the spring planting event is Saturday, May 18th, um, 9:00 to noon. Um, it will be in the area of Oakdale's Goose Pond Park um, around the 40th Street area. Um, and we've got flyers um, made up and that'll be this year's event in that location. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Awesome. Yeah, last year we had it there. It was a nice... it was the only rainy day we had all summer, it was great. Um, it was fun, it went really well. So... [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** One of the gaps we had last year though was the um, students were not um, aware of the exact location apparently or the date and I um, we found this out at the um, the fall Buck event that they had gone to the wrong place or time or something. There was communication gap at with the National Honor Society I think it was at Tartan, not necessarily um, North St. Paul, but um, they said a lot of kids showed up the wrong place and day. So um, that's just an important reminder and we're in that time frame right now, right? Getting it out to the school and making sure that they can get students. Okay. Um, we we did—I mean we got it done on time—but but um, we usually have a big group showing up and it was pretty minimal. I think I was getting a little nervous that we were going to be done um, with the h—with the help that we had that day. So um, anyway just heads up. I know that's on the Forester who's—sure, Kevin you're filling in. Yeah, sure. We'll—we'll make sure we communicate the right location so the students get there and it sounded like the school dropped the ball or had some miscommunication there. Okay. Um, but um... yeah, these events are so great when we have a lot of good community participation, especially the young people because that's the next generation that's going to be taking care of our trees. Absolutely. Thank you, thank you. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Okay, yeah just a heads up. Well and part of that is that at 11 o'clock usually it's done and then there we serve lunch. So is that being coordinated too by somebody? Yeah, will that still be part of—we've done that. What is that what the Forester and Lauren has coordinated in the past? Yeah, yeah, for sure. We've done a Jimmy John kind of a thing, yep. Yeah, we had a lot left over of course without all those teenagers there sure to help us. So, yeah, thanks, that's a good point. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Yeah, well and Kathy being gone—that's right, exactly. I know it's see with the changes going on... yeah, we need coordinate some of that, right? It goes pretty smoothly um, in general. Mm-hmm. And everything is pretty prepared for us to show up and get it done in the morning. So, okay. Believe we get rain just not on that day. This right, right. Be nice. So was few days ahead and is uh, Jane's husband going to be invited again? Because that was nice. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Yeah, it was really nice. He really appreciated that. He kind of hung around with us at the tables, got a little teary-eyed a couple times. Yeah. Does anyone know him personally to extend a personal invitation? Do you know, Deb? Okay, thank you. That would be a kind gesture. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Excellent. All right, so looking forward to Saturday, May 18th, 9:00 to noon. Um, next up on the agenda is Tree Trek improvements. Do we have a—do you have an update on that or was that something that we were going to talk about up here? [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** The only update that I have is that's going to be one of the first things the new Forester will—will address. There's been some things identified as far as signage and some things that need to be addressed throughout—throughout the park and stuff, but that's going to be um... the only update is that's going to be what the Forester will be working on um, when they get on board. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Excellent news. And then we have an applicants update. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** So um, there was two applicants. Um, one of them um, did not fulfill the residency requirement, so they um, could not proceed, and then the other applicant withdrew. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Okay, currently we don't have anybody. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** My understanding on the resident requirement was that it's desired, not required. Um, is that not the case? Because I know personally the person who did require from Newport—very active um, Tree Care Advisor and um, tree steward. But um, she thought she was out because someone else was a resident, but if that person's out, can she reapply? Um, or is that... I think she said the first thing in the application is "Are you a resident?" and you just say yes or no, and she thought once she said no that kicked her out. Is that the case? Do we know that for a fact? I thought my understanding was it was nice to have, not required to have. It's like we're going to get official verbiage. Yeah. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Okay, that would be good if the Mayor's looking that up. Um, because I I was told that this was the only committee that did not require that. That's what I told—what was told when I applied. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** That may have been true when we were a board and now because we're like a... are we a commission now? Right. Yeah, I don't know if that changed. So, Mike, are you—are you a resident? [00:00] **Mike Bender:** Yes. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Yeah, okay. So you're—you're okay either way. Um, just making sure, asking that on the record. Wow. Yeah, but otherwise you're going to kick me out, right? Oh, we need you. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** The the only notes that I had is that they they didn't meet the residency requirement. So, but I can certainly—I can vet—vet that out and check to see what that is. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Yeah, because she—she would be an awesome addition to our board and I tried to convince her to apply and then she actually asked when she saw that on the application. But I thought she went through with it and then she was turned down—got an answer. [00:00] **Kevin Zabel:** Um, yeah, uh, Mr. Chair, board members, I'm not seeing it explicitly stated in the city code under the Tree Board section. Um, I know the City Council, past City Councils, have that... always made that our preference. Um, the only commission I know that has an exception to the residency requirement is the Economic Development Commission. Um, and the only exception there is we um, open it up to business owners or people who work for businesses in Oakdale. Um, so the long-held practice and tradition has always been that an applicant must have a tie to Oakdale if residency is not required. So I don't know how you do that on the Tree Board. They come plant a tree, they help us? I don't know that that's always been our tradition, you know? It is something we could certainly change or look at. Um, but that is probably where staff is coming from in terms of um, looking at applicants. Thank you. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Okay. Um, all right, harder to fill. Okay, the board we're running with and that's good. We do good work, I'm proud of us. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All right, uh, then that's everything under the new business section. Um, so uh, we've been moving on to other staff liaison updates. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Thank you. The only real update I have is that um, we continue to work on the EAB um, project, um, taking advantage of the the weather this winter um, and um doing a lot of work with that. Um, not a lot of frost, some stump removal, some restoration and things like that. So we continue to um, take advantage of that, in fact using some of the other um, divisions to help with certain areas too when we haven't had a lot of snow and things that they normally would do. So um, that's really the only update that I have. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Perfect, thank you. Um, do we—do we keep track of how many Elms that or how many Ash that we do remove? [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Yes, okay. [00:00] **Mike Bender:** Because that's one of the things I was looking at was D6 was uh, plantings to our removals ratio for—for the uh, tree um award. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Yeah, everything is mapped out and tracked and um, as far as the the—the removals and the replanting and so forth. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** This is more for the the public to know knowledge: do we still have a discount program going for treatment for trees for Emerald Ash Borer and and uh, Ash trees? [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Yes, that's correct. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** And how do citizens apply for that? [00:00] **Kevin Zabel:** Uh, Mr. Chair, members of the board, there's no need to apply. So um, our contract is with Rainbow Treecare. So all residents need to do is reach out to Rainbow Treecare to get their tree treated and the discount is automatically applied. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** And I know that because I've done it for years. It's great program, do it. [00:00] **Dallas Pearson:** I just got a question of interest: so if with the mild winter does that—that increase the spread of the Ash Borer or is it... because I know in the past a cold winter was actually a good thing, but so is a warm winter a bad thing? [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Insect replication is kind of high because it's—they didn't get killed by the cold. Also debatable whether the cold winter really killed them off, and if it did, if it did it in any sort of numbers to impact the overall population. Because the inside of a tree is a microclimate, it's warmer in there. Um, that's why they overwinter there. So like, and even if they did survive, the ones that survived are now more cold tolerant. So like was that helpful? Maybe. But yeah, I mean the cold winter or the warm winter is certainly not helping, and plus the trees are stressed because they're already—like it's been a crazy drought for three years and that makes it easier for the bugs to feed because there's less turgor pressure. The sap moving through the tree isn't there, so the bugs have an easier time biting through uh, into the vascular system. A lot working against those trees right now. Doom and gloom. So treat your trees, treat your trees well. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** And am I correct that if the tree isn't already being treated it's too late to start it? Any Ash tree? [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Yeah, at least get it looked at. It's worth having someone come out and take a look at it. [00:00] **Dallas Pearson:** All right, because people have been asking me, "Is it too late?" and I'm like, "I think it's getting there." If it's not—if you're not already too late, it's at least worth having someone come take a look, right? [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Okay, very good thanks. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** I'm seeing tree disease um, signs 30% off down in Woodbury today. Heads up. So um, obviously the comp businesses are trying to you know, encourage people uh, to come do that. But when I saw the signs on a discount I'm like, "Oh, is this a really a good thing? Is it—is it going to work or not? Is it just a sales pitch?" Thanks, it's worth getting it looked at at any rate because every tree is different. But we don't see the signs outside of the tree until the tree's been infested for like three to four years. Great things to keep in mind. Um, Commissioners, anyone have an update for the board? How was Shade Tree Short Course? [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** March, what was the best thing you learned at Shade Tree? Oh my gosh, there was so much good at this event. It's a two-day class um, at Bethel. Um, some good workshops on um, identification of um, invasives. Um, that was excellent. It was a—a workshop type hands-on. I don't know if you got to that but was very, very helpful. Um, and they had good DNR folks there uh, with handouts and uh... and lots of climate change issues. I think one of the things I came away with at this course is there are lists of trees that are recommended or yeah from um, the aspect of different organizations for climate change things to plant, but those lists are not the same from one organization to the next. So it's a little confusing. I left going, "Which list do we use? Do we use the Extension Forestry? Do we use DNR?" Um, there was another one I came across um, recommended trees for climate change. Kentucky Coffee Tree was on some, but not on the other. And so it was confusing. I I felt a little bit like, okay it's just drop in the bucket, pick one and hope it works. Um, but and maybe the research just isn't here yet uh, to know: is it sustainable today and will it be sustainable in 2050 and 2070 um, to to put some of those Iowa trees into our? I mean I'm sure you heard some of those speakers talking about we're going to look like Kansas in 2070? Kansas City, exactly. And then one of the speakers went there to see what kind of trees they're growing right now. Um, but those trees also have to be sustainable until all this thing, you know the weather, the climate changes. So it was... I don't know, good, good and and thought-provoking uh, because there's no straight answers. I think that's the hard thing for a lot of us is we want a black and white: okay what's the list, just give me the—the list and I'll plant one of those. And uh, very few I think that were on all the lists, the three I saw. So I don't know your thoughts. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** It's always a great event. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very. I learned lots, nothing that I would be able to distill into bullet points right at this moment in time. I also have my own presentation to give at it, so I didn't get to see a lot. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Yeah, it's fine. Sorry I missed yours. So many choices, go to something good. Yeah, there's—there's like eight choices to go to for each session. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Awesome, thank you. Yeah, anybody else have an update for us? [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Well, I do have one thing. Um, so Oakdale's not hosting in—in I think um, the Landscape Revival this year. It's been at the fire station, the North Fire Station. It's moved out to Lake Elmo at Rockpoint Church. Um, it's on June 1st. Native plants um, same event. I think they're combining both the Shoreview one and the Oakdale one into one bigger one. So um, just heads up for folks. I've got uh, postcards that we're handing out about it. Um, and so I'm guessing it'll be bigger and better because it's combining two events into one, but um... I I think they just look for a different location. I don't actually—I'm not on the committee, so um... I just know that it's been moved. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Yeah, we uh, we enjoyed hosting that the last um, few years. Unfortunately, this summer Washington County is doing a major road construction project along 50th Street right in front of the fire station. So um, that really didn't allow us to—to have that event this year. So u—maybe we'll get it back in the future, but that's—that's why it was moved and it wasn't able to be at the fire station again. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Okay, thanks for sharing that. Yeah. Um, but hopefully we'll see what happens at the church. I know we'll be there. Um, just uh... and it was a great location, I loved it. Um, but it—it's always... they I think they have about 1,100—1,100 people maybe there last year. So it was really well attended and and people just stream in there, buy their native plants. So check it out. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** The only update I have is with this weird uh, weather Whiplash we've been having... that was great alliteration, excellent good job me. Um, uh, we we have accumulated some environmental heat. Trees are starting to do things and now it's cold. So just keep an eye on your trees. Um, they are uh, probably stressed out because of three years of drought. Um, water your trees as soon as it's safe to turn those outside spigots back on, start watering your trees. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Yeah, you actually I was going to ask that very thing is because of the drought and then our lack of precipitation this winter, I mean how critical—how critically stressed are the trees here? [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Very bad. Yeah, it's bad, very bad. Yeah, like—like uh, Oak trees in particular are being hit super hard by Two-lined Chestnut Borer, which is a super close relative of EAB. Um, they—with the lack of water, they're uh, susceptible to attack from a native bug um, that normally wouldn't attack them if they are healthy, properly cared for. Um, so water your trees and they'll be less likely to be attacked by insect pests. Um, even natives are susceptible when they get stressed. The important thing is don't water by the trunk, right? Full drip line if you can. Yeah, go up by the drip line. The uh, drip line is the edge of the tree where the branches are where it comes down, where if it were raining it would drip down to that. That's where the feeder roots are at, that's where they are taking up their water, not by the trunk. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** We had tree bags for sale last year. How soon should people be putting those back on their trees? I mean the ground is thawed if they can... [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Thaw enough safely get water to the tree. Yeah, I mean as long as the soil—as long as the roots are—as long as the soil is dry and thawed, you can water it. Um, and then that water actually acts as an insulator if we do get cold again. Um, where the ground does start to freeze, that will help protect the roots from desiccating. If the soil's super dry when it freezes, the roots can have a really hard time. So yes, watering is critical anytime the ground is thawed, which it is right now. mm-hmm. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** By the way, Kevin, I think there were a number of those tree bags left that we didn't sell last year, so that uh, should probably be included in the sale again unless the city used them, I don't know. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Okay, I can check into that for sure. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** You know, they were sold at cost, but um... I sure liked having that for the tree I got and it I seem to have better luck already just taking care of my last year's tree than I have in the past. So great. [00:00] **Kevin Wold:** Okay, I'll look into that, thank you. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Yeah, yeah, okay. Thanks for those tips on watering, for sure. Yeah. Council Liaison update is the next thing on the agenda. Hey, you're back, welcome back. [00:00] **Kevin Zabel:** Thank you. Nice to be here. Um, it sounds like you got updates on all the big events happening so I won't rehash all of that. Um, otherwise obviously development is the big story in Oakdale. You know, we see cranes absolutely everywhere, even on roadways that aren't building projects, which is exciting. So um, a lot of that is happening. I believe the Tree Board members are coming on our development tour or invited for our development tour in early May. If not, they will be. Um, May 7th I believe is the date. Um, so we rent a big coach bus, all of our commissions pile aboard and we take tours around Oakdale to see all of the development happening. And um, so definitely put that on your calendars. Um, that's about it. You know, lots going on, but um, I'm also happy to answer any questions. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Any questions for our Council Liaison? All righty, hearing none, thank you so much. [00:00] **Kevin Zabel:** I'll stick around after if anybody wants to chat privately, thank you. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** Okay. Um, does anyone have anything they haven't brought up that they want to bring before I ask for a motion to adjourn? [00:00] **Mike Bender:** Can I get a motion to adjourn? [00:00] **Dallas Pearson:** So moved. [00:00] **Marge Saastad:** Second. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All in favor of adjourning the March 19th, 2024 Tree Board meeting? [00:00] **All:** Aye. [00:00] **Nick Canela:** All opposed? All right, then we are adjourned. All right, thank you. [00:00] **All:** Thanks everybody.