Advisory Concerning Tree Trimming Operations at the Bureau of Forestry
Summary
The Office of Inspector General identified ongoing inefficient use of City resources at the Department of Streets and Sanitation’s Bureau of Forestry and an opportunity to immediately improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the City’s urban forestry program. The issue was identified during an OIG investigation involving the Bureau of Forestry, which is responsible for trimming trees and responding to tree emergencies throughout the City.
Executive Summary
Before the advent of 311 in 1999, DSS used a grid-based approach, which involved dispatching crews to trim all the trees in grid-sized sections of the City. This systematic approach allowed DSS to trim City trees on a five-year, rotating schedule. DSS currently trims City trees using a reactive, 311 request-based approach. Accordingly, the City relies on residents’ calls to 311 to identify trees in need of trimming, rather than using a systematically proactive, arboriculturally based approach. When residents want a tree in their area trimmed, they call 311, their request is logged, and, if the request does not involve an emergency, DSS handles the request in the order it was received. Since DSS crews must travel throughout the City to handle individual 311 requests, they spend more time traveling and fewer City trees are trimmed. In addition, since some area residents do not regularly call 311 to request tree trims, many City trees have not been trimmed in over 10 years.
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