Fiscal Note
The City of Madison Streets Division, in collaboration with the Madison Parks/Forestry Section, has applied to the Wisconsin DNR Urban Forestry Grant program for $25,000 to support the costs of the Urban Wood Utilization Project. The Urban Forestry Grant requires a 100% match in cash or in-kind services. The 2013 Executive Operating Budget provides $43,585.70 in the Streets and Forestry budgets for in-kind services needed to carry out the project. This amount is more than sufficient to match the $25,000 requested from DNR for the project. The total cost of this proposed project is estimated to be $68,585.70, which will be available within the 2013 Streets and Parks Operating Budgets. No additional appropriation is required.
Title
To authorize the Streets Division of the City of Madison to apply for and accept a 100% matching fund grant of $25,000 from the Wisconsin DNR Urban Forestry Grant Program to rent a portable sawmill and develop an urban wood utilization program . (Various ADs)
Body
WHEREAS, In a typical year, the City of Madison Forestry Section removes approximately 2,000 trees from public spaces; and,
WHEREAS, Madison anticipates that in the next five years the emerald ash borer, which has been discovered in several nearby communities, will have infested our urban forest, and we will be handling a significantly larger volume of downed trees annually; and,
WHEREAS, Once downed, these trees are disposed of by the City Streets Division, and while a few of these trees have been used by City departments for such items as posts and benches, most have been ground up for use as mulch and animal bedding; and,
WHEREAS, Forestry and Streets staff estimates that 25-30% of these trees could be used for higher value products, such as dimensional lumber; and,
WHEREAS, Staff believes that it may be possible to develop markets for this resource so that wood from our urban trees can be used for higher purposes. It also may be possible t...
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