It’s a fact that Manitou residents love their trees. The mere mention of tree removal in any of the city’s neighborhoods has the potential to ignite a citizen protest.
And it’s a reality that is not lost on Matthew Nelson, the city’s new arborist/horticulturist who began his job about five weeks ago. With a degree in forestry, years of work with a tree service company and an arborist certification from the International Society of Arboriculture, he can relate to residents’ concerns about the welfare of the city’s trees.
“We all want the trees to be happy and healthy,” he said, “and we’re all on the same team. My job is helping maintain and improve the urban (tree) canopy, and to make sure everything is safe and an asset to the community.”
Nelson said his love of nature began when he was a Boy Scout growing up in Spokane, Washington, and he went on to earn a degree in forest management from Colorado State University.
In Manitou, the overall tree population is “in pretty good shape, but it’s a bit of a monoculture,” he said, pointing out that the town’s variety of trees is limited.
“The main species are Siberian elm, willows and our native trees, gambel oak and ponderosa pine. I’d like to get to a more diverse canopy. That way if you have a weird bug come through, such as the Emerald ash borer, the problem is not so widespread and destructive.”
Among the city’s upcoming projects is replacing the dead trees along Manitou Avenue.
“We have a lot of planting to do,” Nelson said, “and we want to bring in some new species such as bur oak and swamp white oak, which are both tough trees, and a couple of lindens, ornamental maples and ornamental lilac trees.
“But we’re running out of time in the planting season, once it gets hot with all the heat island effects and concrete. We’ll be planting for the next couple of weeks and then we’re looking at a fall planting blitz.”
Nelson emphasized that risk reduction is also an important part of his job.
“I don’t want a kid getting clobbered by a falling branch or branches falling on cars,” he said. “A lot of problems can be mitigated by putting the right tree in the right place. For instance, you don’t want to put a cottonwood next to a building, or if a tree is hollow and has a bunch of dead wood you don’t want it hanging right over a playground, swing set or pathway.
“I’m very risk-adverse.”
Nelson pointed out that, since he began working in Manitou, he has met and talked to many residents, and understands their concerns.
“I’m here to help,” he said. “If you have a question or concern, just call or send me an email. If you have a tree that looks sad, ask me about it and I can probably tell you why.”
Nelson reminded residents that the city is currently conducting its Residential Tree Voucher Program, and has doubled the value of its vouchers to $100.
The vouchers are available for all Manitou Springs residents to get discounted prices on trees at three area nurseries. To get a voucher, fill out the form at bit.ly/MSTreeVoucher. The limit is one voucher per household.
Nelson can be reached at mnelson@manitouspringsco.gov or 685-2547.