About 1000 local residents will receive an invitation this week from the City’s Urban Forester to share their ideas on caring for Missoula’s more than 20,000 street trees.

Missoula Urban Forester Chris Boza said the survey is being done because many trees in Missoula are coming to the end of their life cycle, and will need to be replaced.

"There are significant issues with our urban forest," Boza said. "In at least five neighborhoods we have the same species of trees planted roughly in the same time frame, and they're beginning to die out," Boza said. "There are other areas where there have been no trees planted, and then where we have been planting trees, they're not succeeding very well, and so our long term management plan will help us down the road."

Boza said he hopes to have the surveys back and the information compiled in time to present a draft to the city council by the end of the summer. 1,000 residents received a postcard inviting them to take the survey, however, anyone who lives in the city is welcome to fill out the poll, available through the Parks and Recreation website.

Missoula Urban Forester Chris Boza

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