Cookeville Fulfilling Urban Forestry Grant With New Trees On Neal Street

The Cookeville Tree Board planting new trees on Neal Street as part of an Urban Forestry Grant.

City Forester Jaime Nunan (Jamee Noon-in) said the city has added trees to Neal Street since 2021 through the Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program. Nunan said the Tree Board had planted 30 trees the first year, then 15 in 2022. She said they had applied for 10 this year.

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“Trees in a city area are not nearly as likely to survive in a city area as they would in a natural area,” Nunan said. “So that’s why we’re just constantly managing replanting, watering, dong all the things we can do to increase the survival rate. And if they don’t make it, to replant.”

Nunan said they would be done with Neal Street after 2023. She said they would likely plant the final trees from this grant in November but if one does pass away they would replace it so there is no open gap.

Nunan said the survival rates for trees are affected by unnatural soil composition, heat coming off of the road, mowers occasionally hitting the trees and even damage from vehicles.

“We don’t have a documented plan for tree planting,” Nunan said. “We either plant out of the Tree Board budget and we apply for this grant. Generally we look for areas in the right of way or in our parks.”

Nunan said they look for areas with no shade coverage or no low tree canopy. She said they take suggestions from people as well, and then they evaluate the area to see if it is suitable.

“A lot of times we have to look at utilities because if we have underground utilities and not a lot of soil space, not usually a good spot,” Nunan said. “So there’s a lot of factors to consider.”