City crews are still working through storm damage from the most significant tree-damage event in more than a decade, and the full toll on Bozeman’s urban forest won’t be known for weeks, Parks and Recreation Director Mitch Overton said Wednesday.
The city’s Forestry Division has received more than 200 service requests since heavy snow hit Sunday, Oct. 11 and into Monday, Overton said in a phone interview. Crews are responding first to hazards that threaten public safety, including limbs hanging over streets and trees blocking roads and driveways.
“Our first order of business is public safety,” Overton said.
In his 14-plus years with the city, no storm has damaged trees as badly as this one.
The city does not yet have a count of how many trees were damaged or lost. Forestry tracks each tree it inspects or works on, he said, but calls are still coming in and some damage is not reported right away.
“It’s likely going to be a couple of weeks before we see the true toll of the damage,” he said.
The Forestry Division, part of Parks and Recreation, manages about 27,500 trees in city parks, the city cemetery and public rights-of-way, including boulevards, the strip between sidewalks and curbs.
Maples, ash and elm trees suffered the most damage, while lindens held up well. The most serious damage has been in the downtown area, where the city’s larger trees are concentrated, he said.
The snow came while many trees still had their leaves, and Overton said that kind of early, heavy snowfall can damage even healthy trees. The city’s regular pruning cycle helps, but a diverse mix of species matters, too.
“You’ve got different species to rely on, and it’s not just one,” he said.
The fire and police departments, solid waste and streets have helped keep people safe until specialized crews arrive, blocking off roads and areas where trees are down or dangerous limbs are hanging.
There was no formal plan for that coordination. It developed as damage began Sunday, with departments alerting one another to downed trees and blocked roads.
“This one did happen a little bit more organically,” Overton said.
He’s also concerned about crew fatigue and wants to keep workers safe. Having trained professionals trim and remove broken branches properly also improves the trees’ chances of survival, he said.
Resident should not try to remove broken or hanging limbs themselves, Overton said. Hidden hazards, including downed power lines, can be present, and branches under tension can snap back.
“It’s a dangerous endeavor, and there’s a reason forestry is one of the most dangerous jobs in the country,” he said.
Anyone who sees a downed power line should call 911 immediately.
Residents with limbs and debris on private property should take it to the Bozeman Convenience Site off Story Mill Road or the Logan Landfill. Piling debris at the curb slows the city’s response, he said.
