Boise has an estimated 180,000 trees and Boise Parks and Recreation is responsible for about 45,000 of them. The city is updating a 10-year management plan for its trees, led by forester Brian Jorgenson.
Right now, the tree canopy covers 16 percent of the city. Jorgenson — who calls himself the "tree guy" and remembers almost every tree he's planted in his three decades of working for the city — wants to increase that to 25 percent.
"I think trees are just one of those things, along with clean air and clean water, we take for granted," says Jorgenson.
The city's new management plan wants to bring more diversity among tree species in the city, and create a community framework that would protect mature trees and plan for new ones.
"We live in a forest. It’s something you don’t recognize necessarily when you’re down at ground level—you see all the other grey infrastructure and things along with it — but if you go up above...you can’t see the city for the trees."
The city is asking for public feedback about the management plan through Wednesday. After the survey is closed, Jorgenson will start drafting the final plan and present it to the Boise City Council this fall.
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