TREE INVENTORY
NEARS COMPLETION

Sarasota, FL: The City of Sarasota has nearly 75,000 trees lining its right-of-ways and parks. That’s according to an extensive survey conducted by the City of Sarasota which mapped every tree growing on public property within the City. “It sounds like a tremendously high number. My feeling is that Sarasota is a heavily wooded area for a city,” said City of Sarasota arborist David Daberkoe.

During the 6-year inventory, each tree on public property was surveyed and documented using a GPS system. Staff arborists logged the exact location of the tree, the species, the height, diameter and condition. “Now, we can take the information we cataloged over the years and use it to track tree removals and establish a system for replacing trees,” said Daberkoe.

With the click of a mouse, a City arborist can now locate one specific tree or an entire species throughout the City. “I can find every laurel oak with a 20 inch diameter in poor condition with this program,” said Daberkoe. “If a tree disappears from the right-of-way and someone says it never existed, we have documentation. I can say, ‘yeah, it did exist. It was a traveler’s palm, 40 feet tall, 15 inches in diameter and in good condition.’ Then, we can use that documentation to present a case for the illegal removal of a tree,” said Daberkoe.

The inventory also will be used to determine the location of potentially hazardous trees. A program will be devised to facilitate the replacement of those trees.

Urban and Community Forestry Grant funds received from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry paid for the inventory. Since 2001, the City received three grants totaling $52,155.

Just two areas within the City have not been inventoried: Lido Key and the Public Works Department compound on 12th Street. Trees in those areas will be catalogued in the coming weeks.

For more information on the tree inventory, contact David Daberkoe: 941-954-4105.

For more information, please contact:
Jan Thornburg, Public Information Officer (941) 954-2613
jan.thornburg@sarasotagov.com