Managing the urban forest is a key part of the city of Springfield’s climate resiliency plan. The city has a new building from which that effort will be carried out.
The city’s $4.6 million forestry building in Forest Park was dedicated Monday with Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno saying the facility will serve the city for many years to come.
“This is a key component of our climate resiliency plan,” Sarno said.
With space to house and maintain equipment including bucket trucks and woodchippers in addition to administrative offices, the new building will improve the city’s urban forestry operations, said City Forester Alex Sherman.
“That includes response to severe storms, which we are seeing more-and-more of due to the changing climate, and as well tree-planting and revitalizing our tree canopy in the city to mitigate the affects of climate change,” Sherman said.
Because the shade afforded by trees can dramatically lower the amount of energy needed to cool buildings, the city’s climate plan calls for planting tens of thousands of trees in the next several decades. Most of the plantings will be on public property, but there is a program to plant trees on private property in some neighborhoods where the urban tree canopy is thin.
“We do take requests,” Sherman said. People who would like a tree planted can request one by calling the city’s 3-1-1 call center.
Many of the trees the city will plant in the years to come are being grown in a nursery next to the new operations center, said Sherman.
“We grow all varieties (because) the key to a healthy urban forest is diversity,” he said. “We are looking to plant a wide variety of trees that will thrive.”
The new operations center is named for Ed Casey, who worked for the Forestry Department for 40 years – 26 of those years as City Forester, the second-longest tenured person in that position, noted Sarno.
“A good-good guy and a dedicated public servant,” Sarno said of Casey.
Addressing an audience that included family members and former co-workers, Casey said he had always wanted to consolidate the Forestry Department in one building.
“I am overwhelmed that it is named after me,” Casey said.
The biggest challenge of his career, Casey said, was when a tornado carved through a third of the city in 2011. He led a crew of city employees and contractors to clear the streets for public safety.
“We got through those things and the dedication to the city, caring about the citizens of Springfield, caring about the trees of Springfield is something that is always in my heart and will always be there,” Casey said.
Within 48 hours of the tornado, Casey got together with David Bloniarz of the U.S. Forest Service to put together public and private resources to fund the replanting of thousands of trees that were lost.
That initiative eventually became ReGreen Springfield, a nonprofit organization that still operates today.
