Downtown Sidewalk Tree Preservation St. Paul Downtown Alliance Public Realm Task Force

6 th +5 th Streets Improvement Project Advisory Group of BOMA, CRC, MetroTransit, DSI, Public Works, PED, Parks & Rec and Design Center Rekindle a sense of Place in central business district Update hardscapes with green Ecology concepts Provide a return on Public Realm investment Improve Connection between Rice and Mears Parks

Importance of Urban Tree Canopy

Early Tree Death from Trunk Damage

Proven Solution – Tree Guards

Return on Investment - Maintenance Average lifetime of tree in downtown = 5-7 years Average lifetime of tree with tree guard = 21 years Expected lifetime of tree guards = years Cost of replacing a downtown tree = $900-$2500 Cost of purchasing and installing tree guard = $500 City budget for new downtown trees = $30k/year New trees installed on 6 th +5 th in the past year = 13

ROI - Trees Pay Us Back Save energy with shading and climate effects Reduce CO 2 with sequestration and energy savings Remove and avoid air pollutants Reduce stormwater runoff Increase property values Study in Minneapolis showed $1.59 in benefits for every $1 spent on tree care. Benefits increase with tree size/maturity ($25 vs $148) Source: Minneapolis Municipal Tree Resource Analysis 20Benefit-Cost%20Analysis.pdf

A better view for Downtown St. Paul

Invest in a little love for our trees Questions?