Curious to learn more about our street trees?

In 2005, the Pittsburgh Shade Tree Commission released the City of Pittsburgh Street Tree Inventory and Management Plan. The purpose of such an inventory is to:

1.) Identify hazardous conditions
2.) Provide accurate data for the City’s operational and capital budgeting              process
3.) Prioritize work
4.) Enhance efficiency of maintenance operations
5.) Permit proactive management of disease and pest infestations
6.) Establish basis for compensatory value

Key findings include:

31,524 sites were inventoried. Of these, 30,538 (96.87%) are street trees, 961 (3.05%) are stumps along streets, and 25 (.08%) are park/public space trees.

Pittsburgh’s tree population is comprised of 134 species representing 60 genera.

The tree population has high percentages, 30.78% and 57.81% respectively, of small and medium-sized trees. Small trees (6 inches or less in diameter) represent 30.78% of the street tree population.

There are 55 (.18%) trees in Very Good condition, 7,880 (25.78%) in Good condition, 14,989 (49.04%) in Fair condition, 6,590 (21.56%) in Poor condition, and 547 (1.79%) in Critical condition. There are 502 trees (1.64%) rated as dead.

There are 3,185 trees (10.10%) recommended for removal.

There are 1,546 (4.90%) trees recommended for Priority 1 Prune and 2,386 (7.57%) recommended for Priority 2 Prune. Large Routine Prune is recommended for 14,604 (46.33%) trees, Small Routine Prune is recommended for 1,939 (6.15%) trees, and Training Prune is recommended for 6,904 (21.90%) trees.

Davey Resource Group, the firm hired to conduct the inventory and create the subsequent 7-year management plan, provided a series of recommendations.

The cost for maintenance work proscribed in the management plan is over $8 million. Progress has been made to raise funds to meet these maintenance goals. Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest has raised enough funds to conduct all of the Priority 1 Prune work, and the City has taken on the task of removing dead or dying trees.

Find out ways you can join in our effort to care for our City trees!

You can explore the City of Pittsburgh Street Tree inventory on-line using TreeKeeper. Click here to begin.