Title
Approve Tree and Asphalt Replacement Plan for Jackson Park
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Approve Tree and Asphalt Replacement Plan for Jackson Park
BACKGROUND
On September, 12, 2019, the Recreation and Parks Commission discussed a play area at Jackson Park and also directed staff to bring back a maintenance plan for Jackson Park that addressed the asphalt pathways and trees.
This report provides information and location of the existing trees, a plan and options for replacing trees and the proposed areas of asphalt pathway to be replaced in 2020 (Exhibit 1).
DISCUSSION
Pathway Asphalt Replacement
The Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) is allocating $80,000 toward asphalt replacement this fiscal year for Jackson Park. The areas noted in red on Exhibit 1 highlight which pathway locations will be replaced with this funding allocation. The asphalt replacement will occur in 2020 and specific locations may vary slightly based on field conditions. The areas being replaced are the most degraded areas and pose the highest safety risk. It includes a large portion of the asphalt pathways on the southern portion of the park and approximately half of the pathways in the northern half between San Jose Avenue and Encinal Avenue. ARPD will allocate additional funding in the next two fiscal years to complete the asphalt replacement at Jackson Park.
Trees
The sycamore trees along the streets where there are no sidewalks are under Public Works’ responsibility. Any trees either within the park or located on the park side of sidewalk/pathway are ARPD’s responsibility. The ARPD Parks Foreperson met with an arborist from West Coast Arborists, the City’s tree management company, who stated that all of the sycamores at Jackson Park are declining due to the following factors:
• The planting locations between street and pathway were a poor choice because it does not provide enough space for the roots to grow due to the adjacent concrete. See Exhibit 2 which shows that these large trees are within inches of the concrete gutter.
• The sycamores are also not an appropriate species for Alameda because there is too much salt from our shallow water table. The same problem is seen on Bay Farm Island.
• The pruning practice in decades past was done poorly with large branches cut and that practice can create decay in limbs and the trunk during regrowth. This type of pruning of large branches is no longer done unless there is a dead/decaying branch or it is significantly weighing down the tree and the entire tree will benefit from that weight reduction.
Redwood and oak trees are recommended by the arborist to be planted in Jackson Park and they thrive in environments closer to the ocean. ARPD will be considering and consulting on other species as well. ARPD also has a magnolia in stock that it plans to plant in one of the circles near Encinal Avenue that previously had trees. The final location will be dependent upon the approved location for the landscape play area. Two potential locations for the play area are indicated on Exhibit 1.
The arborist recommends planting 50 or more trees over the next several years with a minimum of 20 feet between each tree. There is enough space available in open areas as well as declining tree replacement for the next 3-5 years.
This fiscal year, ARPD will be planting the magnolia tree and additional trees throughout the park. We have also has allocated $10,000 to purchase palm trees. This can fund either three palm trees that are 20 - 25 feet (approximately half the size of existing trees) or 4 - 5 smaller palm trees that are 10 - 15 feet tall. ARPD recommends planting the three taller trees in the circle around the bandstand due to the historical nature of that area. The palm tree that fell down, behind the Isabelle Clark memorial bench could be replaced with another palm tree in the coming years, however ARPD staff recommends a different species that provides shade for the bench such as an oak tree. Palm trees are being discouraged for planting in Alameda because the fronds are not compostable and do not contribute much to carbon sequestration since they do not have a broad leaf canopy. These replacement palm trees will be a slightly different species than the existing palm trees but will look similar. The current species is not recommended anymore because when they get diseased, it creates a light dust that easily spreads to the other palms.
Staff is seeking input and direction from the Commission on this tree and asphalt replacement plan.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
ARPD is allocating at least $90,000 in FY 2019/20 from the Park Maintenance Replacement Capital Improvement Fund, which totals $175,000.
RECOMMENDATION
Review, discuss and approve a plan to replace trees and pathway asphalt at Jackson Park.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Exhibits:
1. Jackson Park Tree and Asphalt Replacement Plan
2. Tree Photo Examples