The Soulard Community Improvement District (Soulard CID) has built a partnership with the City of St. Louis Forestry Division over the last several years. By committing its own funds to supplement City resources, the Soulard CID has been able to provide additional maintenance to the tree canopy within its boundaries, including the pruning of trees and the removal of dead or dying trees.
Last year, the Soulard CID also partnered with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MHDC) to assist in the updating of Soulard’s tree inventory and to create a forestry management plan.
During the current fiscal year, the focus turned to tree planting in order to expand the tree canopy in Soulard.
The recently completed project included:
- Removal of tree stumps and remaining grindings at 19 sites throughout Soulard. Planting sites were cleared of stumps through grinding and all woody material debris was then cleared from the site in order to physically allow for replanting.
- Placement of new topsoil with Bio-Char additives in order to improve the site for replanting.
- Purchase and placement of Missouri native species trees into the newly configured planting sites (with planting provided by the City Forestry Department)
Planting sites included areas on 7th St., 8th St., 9th St., 11th St., 12th St., Geyer, Ann, Lami and Sidney.
The planted trees are expected to have a survival rate of 90% over the three years after planting. Trees have been mulched at planting and will become part of the Soulard CID’s broader forestry watering program (which now includes more than 350 recently planted trees).
This is a cost share program that is sponsored by the MHDC. In return for the Soulard CID’s participation, and program funding for this project, the MHDC will be reimbursing the Soulard CID $6,400 of the total project cost of $24,622.50.