Though the Parks and Recreation Department’s goal is to err on the side or tree preservation, we must first prioritize public safety. By removing these willow trees in the fall of 2024, retaining their stumps for bank stabilization, and replacing them with native aspen, ponderosa pine, and river birch in the spring of 2025, we are taking proactive measures to create a safer and more sustainable park for the future.
Golden Willows are a non-native tree species with weak and brittle wood whose limbs grow outwards rather than upwards. By nature, their limbs are more prone to breakage by wind and damage by ice and snow. In isolated locations, willow trees are not a concern, but willow trees near pathways, roads, and parking lots pose a hazard to anything and anyone beneath them. In their current location near the shared use path, they are a significant safety concern for park patrons. Further, their proximity to the storm water pond poses challenges for Public Works as the trees deposit debris into the pond adding to algae growth and blocking drainage.
In addition to the safety concerns and challenges with the storm water pond, the willow trees are extremely costly and difficult to effectively maintain. While all other public trees are pruned on a 3–5-year cycle, these willows require staff to prune them each year. The November 2022 windstorm alone resulted in tree damage of more than $8,000.
The Parks and Recreation Department shares in the community’s love of our urban forest and values the natural landscape of Riverside Pond. We believe this project will only serve to enhance those benefits for the community for generations to come.