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Q&A
Councilmember Krishnan inquires about efficiency and timeline of tree planting program
1:41:53
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Councilmember Shekar Krishnan engages in a discussion with Parks Department officials about the efficiency and timeline of the tree planting program. The conversation focuses on the rationale behind the current nine-year cycle for tree planting and the potential for reconfiguring the process to reduce the timeline.
- Parks officials explain that the current approach aims to improve efficiency and reduce costs by allowing contractors to work on entire blocks or districts at once.
- The department emphasizes that the current timeline is based on market capacity for growing trees and contracting.
- Officials express openness to potentially adjusting the pace as they learn more about the program's implementation and market response.
Shekar Krishnan
1:41:53
Thank you, Councilmember Ressler.
1:41:56
One follow-up question.
1:41:57
You know, I do understand the need and importance of efficiency too as a goal.
1:42:01
Is there is it because the way it's divided up that the areas are divided up into thirds that it creates a nine year cycle?
1:42:10
Is there any way to do, even with the current framework, to reconfigure how it's divided up to reduce the amount of time?
1:42:17
Is that Have you all considered that?
1:42:19
Or how do you look at that?
Susan Donoghue
1:42:23
I think when we talk about efficiency, it goes back to you think about it, if we're responding to individual street treatment requests, we're trying to deal with costs coming down, so we're sending contractors, two in Brooklyn, Two in Queens, it's not the most efficient, and it impacts price.
1:42:41
So remember, we're trying to address concerns that have been raised here and across the city about how do we bring price down per tree planting, so it makes sense if a contractor can do a whole block, alright, or a series of blocks, or a whole community board district in one planting, and we talked about this council member, you saw it with our block pruning.
1:43:04
You saw how effective that was in your neighborhood all of a sudden, and that's standard seven year pruning cycles nationwide.
1:43:11
That's a standard.
1:43:12
And so that's what we're looking to replicate here is to have an impact that is efficient, that's equitable, and that will help us to drive cost down.
Jennifer Greenfeld
1:43:22
And I'll just note, council member, that I understand it's you're not necessarily questioning the approach but the pace of it.
1:43:29
And we really have learned over time that there's a limit that the market can handle in terms of growing trees and contracting and all of that.
1:43:37
And so we are trying to be really realistic in terms of what we understand the capacity of the market is.
1:43:44
And we may learn as we do this that because it's more efficient, we'll attract different folks that will be able to grow the trees we need.
1:43:52
And we ask for you to understand, and maybe we'll learn, and maybe the pace will be picked up.
1:43:57
But we looked at what we think is possible and are trying to make really sort of appropriate, set appropriate expectations.
Shekar Krishnan
1:44:07
Right.
1:44:07
Right.
1:44:07
I understand.
1:44:08
And like I said, I understand the goals.
1:44:10
I was looking specifically about the time and the pace itself.
1:44:14
But I appreciate the further conversation with all of us on it too.
1:44:17
Councilman Buenarcis?