Management

There are many costs involved with managing urban forests. These costs include the initial and subsequent tree inventories, the purchase of trees, tree care practice, securing permits if necessary and maintaining the integrity of the urban forest.

The cost of the initial tree inventory, as well as subsequent inventories, depends greatly on how detailed the inventory will be. Tree inventories can range from simple to very complex. Simple inventories can be handled by volunteers to hold the cost of inventory to a minimum. However, when an inventory is being taken for management purposes, those experienced in tree inventory should be called upon.

When considering the cost of purchasing trees, you should always invest in higher-quality stock. These trees will have been cared for in such a way that they will have a good foundation and will cost less in maintenance fees.

Tree care can be a major part of your budget as it is necessary to properly care for the trees within the urban forest to prevent a rise in future costs associated with the trees. Some costs involved with caring for urban forests include trunk protection, protection from pests and diseases, pruning and even tree removal.

The cost of securing permits for your urban forest will depend on the policies of the municipalities involved. Therefore, it is hard to expound on any costs that may or may not be associated with this aspect of establishing an urban forest.

Finally, when considering cost of maintaining urban forests, all of the above should be factored into the equation. Urban forests can be quite expensive but the benefits are tremendous and well worth the expense and effort expended.