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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved Minutes - 2025-07-16 PARKS, RECREATION & NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY • BOARD ij O MINUTES July 16, 2025 oREOot The Board convened at Lake Oswego Maintenance Center,Willow A Room; 17601 Pilkington Rd., Lake Oswego OR 97035 and video stream via WebEx Recorded Minutes:The video recording constitutes an accurate record of the Parks, Recreation&Natural Resources Advisory board at the above dated meeting. The following summary is provided as an overview of the meeting. https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=3055434&repo=CityOfLakeOswego 1. CALL TO ORDER Jason Dorn called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Present:Jason Dorn,Co-Chairs• Patrick Gutierrez,Co-Chairs•Jim Desmond •Sarah Ellison • Rebecca Greene Jymn Meier• David Walters• Greg Wolley•Aditya Deepu,Youth Member• Logan Nelson,Youth Member Alternates: Lee Redmond and Karen Sampson Absent: Matt McGinnis and Trudy Corrigan—Council Liaison Staff: Jeff Munro, Parks Deputy Director; Kaleb Simpson, Natural Resource and Stewardship Coordinator,Jeff Williamson,Crew Leader; Dina Balogh,Administrative Supervisor Guests: Alison HERRELL,Oregon Department of Forestry, Kat Bethea, Oregon Department of Forestry . 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • The Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Advisory Board (PARKS Board) reviewed and unanimously approved the minutes from June 18,2025 with amended changes. 4. CITY COUNCIL UPDATE: NA 5. YOUTH MEMBER UPDATE: NA 6. PUBLIC COMMENT: NA REGULAR BUSINESS: 7. ODF—EMERALD ASH BORER(EAB)PRESENTATION Alison Herrell and Kat Bethea—Managing Emerald Ash Borer in Oregon,2025 updates,Oregon Department of Forestry Urban&Community Forestry Assistance Program. Emerald Ash Borer-Invasive and highly destructive woodboring beetle that kills ash trees. Larvae feed beneath bark,eventually girdling and killing the tree 100+million trees killed since 1990s,highest cost forest pest in the Americas. Emerald ash borer,or EAB,is an invasive and highly destructive woodboring beetle that infests and kills ash trees. Since it is an introduced species,North American ash did not co-evolve with EAB and have little to no resistance.Most ash trees infested with EAB die.It can also infest other tree species in the family Oleaceae,including olive and white fringe tree.The adult beetles lay their eggs on the bark of ash trees,and the larvae hatch and burrow under the bark, feeding on the cambium layer where water and nutrients are passed from the roots of the tree to the canopy.As populations grow,larvae eventually girdle and kill the tree by cutting off the flow of water and nutrients often within 3-6 years after infestation(depending on local EAB density,tree size,and ash species). United States Detections— • 2002:Detroit,MI • 2012:16 states with known infestations • 2013:Colorado • 2022:Oregon The insect was first found in Detroit in 2002.Based upon tree ring analysis,we know the invasion started in the mid- 1990s.Despite monumental efforts for eradication and containment,it has spread to 37 states,and 6 provinces in Canada.Over 100 million ash trees have been killed by EAB.All 16 species of ash native to North America are at risk, with over 94%mortality. Portland is 16 mi from the Forest Grove known infestation;19 mil from the Marion/Clackamas infestation.The two infestations are 22 miles apart with no connectors found yet. EAB is originally from NE Asia but was found in Michigan in 2002 and has spread rapidly across North America in the past 20+years,killing over 100 million ash trees.Likely made its way to the US in the mid-90s in shipping materials (pallets,dunnage)made from infested wood.By 2013 EAB jumps a federal quarantine to Colorado Now in 37 states and 6 provinces. Detected in June of 2022 by Dominic Maze,a biologist with the Portland Bureau of Environmental Science. Had taken the Forest Pest Detectors course several years before. Oregon Detections— • 2022:Washington County • 2024:Yamhill County,Marion County,Clackamas County Alison presented two photos in Toledo,OH Before EAB.The first from 2006 and one from 2009. The two photos from Toledo Ohio show the dramatic impact of EAB can have if ash monocultures are in urban forest. Three years later,most of the trees are dead and must be removed.The impact that EAB has on urban forests is large, with significant costs to cities and landowners.Not only direct costs for treatments,removals,and replanting.There are also indirect costs like increases in heat index and temperature as you lose canopy coverage which can compound the Heat Island effect caused by cities.Other impacts can include decreases in psychological health after seeing entire neighborhoods transformed;studies from the Midwest have found direct impacts to health as heart attack risk increased in EAB infestation areas after these urban forest losses.Additionally,dead ash are brittle trees and increase injury risk to the community. Oregon's EAB Response— Prior to 2013 Oregon Department of Forestry Urban&Community Forestry Assistance Program have been coordinating with local SWCDs,cities,state,and federal agencies(USFS)to set up a traps throughout the state. EAB traps are not the most effective and can produce false negatives but can also be helpful for early detection. Since 2005,only 7 traps out of 1292 traps have yielded positives. • 2018-Oregon has been planning for the arrival of EAB well before it was detected.The EAB Readiness and Response plan was created in 2018 with support from numerous other local and state agencies.The plan was then revised again in 2021 • 2019-Oregon Ash Seed Collection begins-the Department of Forestry staff set about collecting seeds from Oregon ash throughout the state from 2019 to 2022 to preserve the genetic diversity found across the state. • 2022-First detection in Oregon at Joseph Gale Elementary • 2023-Visual surveying+trapping increases throughout Willamette Valley,Slowing Ash Mortality begins,and Biocontrol release.I'll go into more details in just a minute. • 2024-Additional infestations found in Butte Creek watershed Oregon's Response:Agencies— Oregon statewide taskforce • Lead agency—Oregon Dept of Agriculture—has regulatory authority • Leads Survey and Monitoring through visual inspection and trap trees • Oregon Dept of Forestry • Leads prism trap program—assists ODA on other projects • Primary contact for education and outreach • USDA—Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service—APHIS • USFS • Oregon State University • Many,many local partners including Soil and Water Conservation Districts,local and regional governmental agencies and municipalities In Oregon,you will commonly find ash in one of three sites.The first is Natural Areas,which include riparian ecosystems and wetland forests.Ash are also found in urban areas,frequently as a right of way planting.When development comes into contact with a natural area ecosystem you can get a third type which is the Wildland Urban Interface,a site that resembles riparian areas but with the risks of urban sites. Oregon has one native species of ash:Oregon ash-Fraxinus latifolia.EAB will be a problem for all of Oregon—even in areas without Oregon ash,cities often plant ash in landscaped areas. Ash in Riparian Corridors-Oregon Ash(Fraxinus latifolia):Oregon's only native ash tree • Important riparian and wetland tree • Fragmented and altered landscape • Critical habitat for threatened and endangered species • Important cultural resource to Indigenous peoples Oregon ash is common in lowland riparian and wetland ecosystems across the west coast. It's carved out a particular niche where it's one of the only native trees that can handle the unique soil conditions of seasonal wetlands—inundated in winter and dry in summer Losing Oregon ash means the potential loss of forests in these unique ecosystems,where other trees would have a hard time taking their place.This means subsequent loss of streambank stability,water shading,and habitat.All negatively effecting fish populations Also,an important cultural resource to Indigenous peoples of the PNW who use it in woodworking,creating tools,boats, and canoe paddles,as well as medicinal uses. Riparian area ecosystems are an important part of our communities.Do you enjoy fishing?Hiking?Drinking or gardening with uncontaminated water?All of these are impacted by our riparian area buffer zones.Some important functions include reducing excess nitrates from leaching into our waterways,sequestering carbon,increasing wildlife corridors, creating habitat for fish,and flood prevention. Oregon ash are uniquely adapted to flooded conditions,so they tend to grow very close to or even within waterways. They provide critical shade and streambank stabilization,and are capable of absorbing massive amounts of water which mitigates flooding. Ash in Oregon:Landscape Areas— Popular landscape ash species:All are susceptible to EAB • Green ash • White ash • Narrowleaf ash'Raywood' • European ash'Golden Desert' EAB Population Growth—Photos presented and wood samples illustrated the exponential curve of beetle growth.1 adult female can lay 80 eggs per year.By year 2,you could have 3200 eggs.By year 5—loss could be 20%of the canopy each year.This is all from 1 female moving to a new area. Infestation Timeline—Community Scale:The rate of ash mortality may outpace a community's ability to deal with dead/dying trees.So,what does an EAB infestation look like at the community scale? We see a similar trend as we did at the tree scale where ash mortality starts slow but increases exponentially.In the first 3- 5 years of the infestation(green),EAB population remains low community-wide and any ash mortality may be unnoticed. As the EAB population grows exponentially(yellow),ash mortality likewise increases rapidly.By years 6-10 of the infestation,it is not uncommon for 20+percent of the ash trees in a community to die each year.As we enter the later part of the exponential curve,urban forestry costs spike as there is both a heavy community infestation and dying trees to replace.Depending on the ash population in the community,this may very well outpace the community's ability to deal with the dead and dying trees,leaving you with many standing dead trees that pose significant safety risks.As we reach years 13-15(purple),a majority of ash are dead.EAB populations,missing a host species,begins to taper off. All North American and European ash trees as highly susceptible to EAB.Once a tree is infested it can die in as little as 3-6 years.Ash trees hold a lot of water in their wood when they are alive,but as soon as they die,or even decline,they begin to lose that moisture and become brittle.We were just at a conference with professional arborists last week and the safety standard is to not climb an ash tree with more than 30%canopy decline.This may mean a bucket truck or crane has to be brought in to remove a dead or dying ash tree.Removing a dying ash can cost twice as much as a healthy one,and a dead tree can cost three times as much. Two photos presented from Forest Grove,OR,April 2024-Why care—photo from tree removal in Forest Grove in April 2024.Planted in a monoculture,the difference in canopy coverage on this one street showing complete removal of every street tree. Financial Implication-EAB will be costly,particularly when ash mortality is at its peak.So how to manage it?A graph from the city of Ottawa was presented showing actual costs. Graphic from Ottowa,discovered EAB in 2008,and created their management plan.The financial breakeven point for removal vs treatment was a decade later.With canopy losses not being factored in.The dark red line was the estimated cost of"doing nothing".Manage EAB or it'll manage you. • There will be costs,but a strategy to manage this allows control when and how much. • Looking at expenditures from cities across the country that have dealt with EAB,what is seen is a steep increase in municipal forestry budgets,particularly when EAB is around its peak. • Accounting for emergency tree removal costs,insecticide treatments,replanting costs,liability costs, increased staff time • On average,cities have spent 3 times more at the peak of an EAB infestation than during normal operating conditions. • No matter what,dealing with EAB will be costly,but by acting proactively,we can work toward the goal of flattening the infestation curve,which will in turn flatten this cost curve here. • This will have the added benefit of minimizing the safety risk to a community and maximizing ecosystem services. Long term impact— • Ecological:Changes in water quality,species composition,threatened and endangered species at risk,increased water turbidity • Economic:Urban tree removal&replacement costs,significant urban heat increase,air pollution,property value losses,speeding(for ROW trees removed)and even health impacts Management Plan:EAB can spread quickly on its own(—10 miles a year depending on tree density and site conditions), but it often takes advantage of the human vector(transport of infested wood)to make large leaps across natural barriers. For this reason,community education and outreach about quarantine measures and proper sanitation measures for infected wood is critical. Developing a Management Plan-There are different stages to management depending on your proximity to EAB. Think of it like a natural disaster.How do you handle ice storms or a wildfire—Ready,Set,Go Prior to EAB discovery your actions are:build networks/capacity,create policy,inventory,risk assessment,create a management plan,begin local surveying or detection plans If EAB is nearby,within a 10 mi radius,that means you may only have a year.Communication to your populations, continuing surveying,beginning your management plan,and having the support built up will help you tremendously. Policy-Stop planting ash and remove from approved planting lists. Work with: • Development bureaus • Parks departments • Watersheds • Nonprofits In addition,it's time to stop planting ash trees in the Pacific Northwest until we have cultivars that are EAB resistant.As ash trees will inevitably get infested with EAB,it's better to plant trees that have a higher probability of surviving long- term.Ash resistance trials are ongoing,but it will be decades before we see results or a marketable product if that. Work with all involved agencies—who plants trees in your area?Natural area considerations are more complex—how do you build healthy riparian ecosystems without ash?There have been several different approaches,which I'll cover later in restoration. Oregon Tree Inventory- An important first step in preparing for EAB is locating your ash trees.In Oregon,the statewide Tree Plotter inventory has been a great tool for helping cities to track their tree diversity levels and establish meaningful targets.It has allowed for municipalities to create management plans tailored to the amount of ash they possess.This allows the creation of specific plans for pre-emptive removal,treatment numbers,and possible sites for trap trees.This also gives a baseline for budgets to manage incoming ash tree loss.As a majority of Oregon residents live in cities,the loss of urban forest will have a large impact on our state's population. Lake Oswego Street Tree Inventory-An important first step in preparing for EAB is locating LO urban ash trees.An important tool is street tree inventories to locate your right of way ash trees.The statewide Tree Plotter inventory has been a great tool for helping Lake Oswego to track their tree diversity levels and establish meaningful targets. Management Actions-Once an inventory is complete you can explore management options.Any of these options may be appropriate depending on the trees size,health,location,and value to the ecosystem and community. Remove and replace—allows for progressive canopy management.You'll want to define the criteria for removal.Cost is most expensive,but risk is the most controlled. Treatment—for the cheapest cost per year,select 1/2 of your population to protect each year.Cost will be spread out over 2-3 years.When insect population is high,you'll need to increase to 2 year cycles or prepare to remove trees as they deteriorate. Doing nothing—may be appropriate for natural areas,but risky in urban areas.Leaving them to be killed by EAB may be inexpensive up front,but will cost more in the long run. EAB Quarantine Alert-Materials must be treated to be moved out of the county: • Grinding or chipping<1" • Debark and remove at least 1"of underlying wood • Heat treatment min 160F for at least 60min • Incinerate • Processing into secondary materials Quarantine automatically expands with each new APHIS confirmation of EAB in a new county Action—How to talk to the public:3 takeaways— 1. The best way to help our forests is Don't Move Firewood 2. Keep an eye out for signs&symptoms 3. Report EAB if you find any! Much like with managing wildfire,everyone has a role to play in helping slow the spread of EAB.Since EAB can only fly up to 10 miles per year,how did EAB jump all the way from Colorado to Oregon?It turns out that primary vector for the spread of EAB is the transport of firewood.We are trying to spread the message far and wide: • Don't move firewood.Please buy or collect firewood close to where you intend to burn it,and the closer the better.Follow the quarantine • Stop planting ash until EAB resistant varieties are developed. 8. EAB PARKS PROPOSED RESPONSE PLAN Kaleb Simpson,Natural Resource and Stewardship Coordinator and Jeff Williamson Park Managed Property-84 park properties.Total of 637 acres • 521 acres of natural areas • 70 acres developed parks • 46 acres facilities(tennis center, LORAC,etc.) Main objective is to decrease inventory of inevitable hazard ash trees.A hazard tree is defined as a tree with a high value target(house,road,person)AND a high likelihood of impact when the tree is infested. Two maps were shown that Mapped out all park properties in GIS system—One map outlined all property borders with adjacent home,road,utility and Hazard Zone Areas—100 ft depth(Oregon ash ranges from 60-80 feet fully grown) borders from targets.Total Hazard Zone Area:193.34 acres.The second map showed a secondary Inventory:trail borders —50 ft(2026 or later) Tree Inventory City— Limited inventory by arborists following Winter Storm of January 2024:Royal Oaks(West Waluga),Lamont Springs, Southwood OS(incomplete),Cascara OS(incomplete),Ball Creek OS,and Foothills OS,Cooks Butte(incomplete),East Waluga(incomplete) About 26 acres of Ivl 2 risk assessment=$62,699.92(cost of total acreage is roughly 3.2 million) Need a less detailed inventory of ash trees in hazard zone to decrease costs will give information on number of trees and locations for budgeting and later removal/treatment. Internship to collect height,DBH,GPS location(within 1 meter),and tag tree.2 interns starting Monday,July 17 Priority:Remove Imminent Hazard Trees— • Remove all ash trees within hazard zone with potential to hit a high value target ex:20 ft ash 80 feet from border=leave;50 ft ash 20 ft from border=remove • Trees not in hazard buffer and not culturally significant=do nothing(right now) • Can snag trees for habitat in high density ash canopies • Replant after removals with recommended trees(next slide) • Cost to remove infested tree is much more expensive and more dangerous(cannot climb) *Costs increase significantly after infestation(2x-4x)or refusal of bid. *Currently 76 ash identified for needed removal(first 26 acres) Oregon State University graph presented showed alternatives to Ash by Soil Type and Moisture Tolerance Secondary:Injection Treatment-Injection treatment for culturally significant trees or delay removal after local infestation. Cost=$11-18 per inch DBH every 2-3 years Treat from May-October Ex.14"ash=$154-252 per tree every 2-3 years 23"ash=$253-414 per tree every 2-3 years • Takes about 30-45 minutes per tree • Currently treating 20-ish trees in Foothills Park Overview— • Goal is preemptive removal of imminent hazard ash trees in target buffer zones to eliminate/decrease future emergency removals • Currently no local infestation(soon)which simplifies process and lowers costs significantly • We can replant and establish new canopy sooner • Prevent buildup of fire hazards along property borders • Proactive approach maintains/builds trust from community Action Items— • Tree code adjustment to allow for preemptive ash removals(currently only REP is allowed). Narrative permit application for each property with Type 2 permit for each tree (Multiple adjustment options). • Advocate budgeting for tree inventory and removals. Removals will take place over multiple years based on budget/time. 9. STEWARDSHIP PRESENTATION Kaleb Simpson,Natural Resource and Stewardship Coordinator, Crew Leader Work Parties for the 2024-25 Season 28 Events • 14 Friends Group Events • 14 Private or Stewardship Initiated Events 599 Volunteers/Participants 1479 Hours The following 2025-2026 Stewardship Work plans for approval:Friends of Springbrook Park.Friends of Luscher Farm,and Friends of Waluga Park(new). The Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Advisory Board (PARKS Board) reviewed and unanimously approved the Stewardship Work Plans as submitted. 10. STAFF&BOARD UPDATES • The LORAC is up and running and doing very well.There are a lot of happy people using the center.The golf driving range is also doing very well.There is water aerobics,families and kids using the pool and the slide. People really seem to be enjoying the facility and the weight and cardio room are busy constantly. There is a variety of things going on in the LORAC and it is shows by how busy it is. • The issues on the driving range are better with the changes to the netting, low flight balls and to woods only. Drivers are still not allowed. • Park Range Taylor is posted down by lower Millennium Park educating people. In the past five or six weeks Taylor has talked to about 1200 people educating them about going in and out of the lake.There was a closure to the lake for the 4th of July. Parks was able to open it the day after and then closed it again on Sunday. • New Parks Board orientation will be scheduled sometime next month. 11. ADJOURNMENT The next regular scheduled meeting will be Wednesday, September 17, 2025,4 p.m. (No meeting in August) Jason Dorn adjourned the meeting at approximately 5:30pm. Prepared by, Dina Balogh,Administrative Supervisor