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City of Missoula, Montana Item to be Referred to City Council Committee Committee: Conservation Item: Agreement for implementation of GIS based street tree inventory and UFORE ecosystem analysis Date: 2/3/10 Prepared by: Ben Carson Initiated by: Donna Gaukler Action Required: Approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the agreement with Montana DNRC in an amount not to exceed $37,799.60. Recommended Motion: I move the City Council approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the agreement with the Montana DNRC to facilitate implementation of a GIS based street tree inventory and allow for the carrying out of a UFORE ecosystem analysis of Missoula. These projects will be funded by a 100% match Montana DNRC program development grant, which in total shall not exceed 37,799.60. Timeline: Referral to committee: February 5, 2010 Committee discussion: February 10, 2010 Council acts to set hearing: February 22, 2010 Background and Alternatives Explored: The city of Missoula was recently awarded an Urban Forestry Program Development Grant through the Montana DNRC. The two projects proposed for the grant will help to lay a sound foundation for future enhancement of Missoula's Urban Forestry program.(The grant application and narrative have been linked.) It is crucial for the City of Missoula to complete a GIS compatible street tree inventory in order to fully understand the size and condition of the Missoula's urban forest. The information provided by a comprehensive inventory will allow the Urban Forestry Division to operate more efficiently, and it will also give staff the ability to quickly generate service reports and track cyclic maintenance programs. In 2003 the Urban Forestry division updated the city street tree inventory through a DNRC grant. The software used in the past update has become obsolete and the data is somewhat outdated. However, the data collected in 2003 will be converted to establish a baseline for future updates and expansions within the future inventory. The conversion of old data into a new system will save a substantial amount of staff time because the majority of the trees identified in 2003 will still be present, and they will only require size and condition updates. The Urban Forestry Division is still exploring the available inventory/management software applications. The prices for software purchase and data conversion in the detail of expenditures are based on quotes received to implement ---PAGE BREAK--- Treeworks, an industry leading software that is currently being used in multiple cities throughout Montana. Understanding the qualitative and quantitative benefits of a city's green infrastructure helps to provide answers to the frequently posed question, "What exactly are the benefits of the trees in our community". The UFORE ecosystem analysis system developed by the U.S. Forest Service and partners, was created to provide tangible numbers to define the benefits a community's trees. Defining the benefits of urban trees will help to justify the need for appropriate management, enhancement, and expansion of this natural resource. The data collection for the analysis will occur on a randomized plot basis, and is slated to be carried out by student interns from the U of M or other college. Data collected is submitted to the USFS for analysis, and a report will be provided to the city to report results. Financial Implications: The grant is a reimbursable 100% match grant administered by the DNRC. The grant amount awarded is $14,000 which must be matched through either in-kind, cash, or volunteer sources. The majority of the match will be fulfilled through in-kind staff salaries. Approximately $5050.00 will be matched through purchased services, and supplies accounts currently in the Urban Forestry budget. The attached detail of expenditures outlines anticipated costs associated with grant completion. Attachments: Budget Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Grant Proposal Grant Agreement 2010 PD Grant Grant Application