Margaret Tyler, City of Minneapolis

Karen Zumach, Tree Trust

Let’s create a new GREEN

initiative for businesses…

• Parameters:

• Sustainability Indicators

• Budget:

Between $1,000-$30,000

Raingardens

• Water quality into the

Mississippi

• Business could get storm

water credit

• Learned the reality

Trees

• Urban canopy assessment

• Canopy busting tornado to

the north side of the city in

2010

• 2013 windstorm

• Emerald ash borer

• Existing partnership

State University of New York College of

Environmental Science and Forestry

Tree Canopy Assessment

• Businesses with >35%

green space on the east

or west side

• 6,000 eligible businesses

• Minus downtown

• Minus skyways

• Minus the university

• Businesses in lower

canopy neighborhoods

• School district

150 Trees

20 Businesses

• Licensing inspector

contacts

• Website update with

information

• Cold letters to ~1,000

PCAB paying

businesses

Dear (Property owner name ),

Re: Property address (es) (list them here)

Our urban forest has been hard hit by storms, pests and diseases. Because of the

emerald ash borer alone we will likely lose nearly 200,000 ash trees in Minneapolis in

the very near future . Now is the time to plant tomorrow’s trees . The biggest

opportunity for tree planting lies on private land (this is where you come in). Because

of this fact, the City of Minneapolis is planting trees on commercial properties for

FREE* in the fall of 2014.

Your business could qualify for a free tree if you :

1. Pay a pollution control annual bill (a “PCAB” or pollution registration for

equipment such as air conditioning units, public restrooms, restaurant hoods,

etc.)

2. Have enough green space to accommodate a tree (not the boulevard).

3. Have the capacity to m aintain and water the tree (especially the first two years).

Our contractor will provide instructions and a watering bag. It is critical that young trees are watered regularly.

You can reserve a tree for the fall planting. Check our website for more details:

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/environment/green/index.htm . Call 612-673-5815 or

email with any questions or to reserve a tree this year. Please email

margaret.tyler@minneapolismn.gov with your tree selection (s).

The trees are available first -come, first-served. There is no limit on the number of trees

you can request, as long as you have the space and ability to water them.

Sincerely,

Margaret Tyler ,

Environmental Inspector , City of Minneapolis Health Department

* Trees must be watered weekly in the absence of rain for the first three years.

75 Trees

17 Businesses

• Licensing inspector

• Green space stalking/Cold calling

• Chamber of Commerce

• 2,000 letters

• Website with Survey Monkey to place order

• Council members/neighborhood group newsletters

Is there

space?

200 trees

41 Businesses

• Meet with property

owners

• Utility locate

• Create site maps

• Create route maps

• Order the trees,

mulch and gator

bags

• Plant the trees

75 Businesses