Edmond’s Arbor Week celebrations commenced Monday, with a slate of events set to encourage tree planting and care in the city.
Leigh Martin, an urban forester with the City of Edmond, helps prepare the weeklong festivities. Martin has worked in the city’s Urban Forestry Department since 2009, and she said she feels honored to serve the Edmond community and work with residents who significantly value their trees.
In the following Q&A, Martin discusses her love for forestry and expounds on ways for the community to engage with the environment. Responses have been lightly edited for grammar, style and length.
What made you want to enter the field of urban forestry?Â
Growing up, I was always interested in nature, and I learned about the field of forestry from a friend when I was preparing for college. Oklahoma State University had a forestry department, and I chose that as a major upon enrollment.
While I believe I thought I was headed in the direction of becoming a park ranger or working in the forest recreation side of the field, I quickly became fascinated by forest ecology and trees in general. As I went further in my degree plan, I chose to focus on urban and community forestry. Growing up in a city myself, I loved that this niche of forestry emphasizes the connection between people and the trees in their community. I knew that I wanted to become a steward of community trees and to help foster that connection.
Can you tell us about a day in your life as an urban forester?
It varies a lot based on time of year, and our division administers a broad scope of programs and services. In addition to tree planting and tree maintenance, our division oversees Edmond Electric’s utility pruning, and we administer the city’s landscape ordinances related to development.
We also do a lot of outreach and education, working with volunteers and community groups. We are also planning maintenance for public trees in medians and streetscapes as part of our pruning cycle this time of year, which involves creating maps, performing inspections of trees within an area to determine pruning needs, and then writing tree maintenance specifications for a contractor.
I also work on reviewing landscape and tree-related language in the drafted Unified Development Code. I frequently receive calls from residents with questions about their trees or am sought out by other departments to consult on tree-related concerns. Each day is different.
What do you wish people to know about Edmond’s urban forestry program?
I think there are a lot of people who don’t realize that Edmond has an urban forestry program, so generally, I would like to increase awareness.
Trees are often looked at as a beautification element, but they are truly vital infrastructure for our city, providing important benefits related to air quality, cardiovascular and respiratory health, stormwater management, cooling and energy conservation, wildlife habitat/biodiversity and impacts on mental well-being.
Edmond Urban Forestry is a resource for the community in enhancing these benefits, and there are many ways to get involved. From seeking guidance from our arborists on tree concerns, to picking up a tree at a distribution, participating in a volunteer event, attending a class or serving on the Urban Forestry Commission, City of Edmond Urban Forestry offers many opportunities to learn and contribute.
What role can residents play in caring for the health of Edmond’s trees?
One thing I always try to emphasize is the interconnectedness between people and the natural world. Everyone has a role to play in the future of our urban forest, and I encourage residents to embrace that and find a way to get involved. Planting trees is one simple way to contribute at home, but this could also mean selecting a tree species that will not conflict with overhead utilities and avoiding known invasive species when planting. Work with an ISA-certified arborist for tree maintenance needs to ensure trees are cared for by a professional who is knowledgeable about proper tree care practices. Learn about how to prevent damage to trees from construction and set up adequate protection before beginning a home project that will impact trees in your yard.
I mentioned some of the broader, community-based roles above, but I would be remiss if I did not mention the advocacy efforts of residents that have historically shaped the advancement of urban forestry in Edmond. Emphasis on the importance of trees and forested areas has been documented as far back as the late 1990’s through the Tomorrow’s Edmond community visioning project. This directly resulted in creation of the Edmond Urban Forestry Commission, a city board that has contributed to urban forest planning and policy development for over 25 years. We would not be where we are today without the engagement that we have historically seen in the community.
How does forestry differ in Edmond from other communities?
Urban forestry programs are vastly different from one community to another.
Edmond has a larger staff than most other programs in the state, and the city has led the way in urban forestry policy development. In 2021, Edmond became the first community in the state to adopt requirements related to preservation of forested areas.
Progressive landscape code language incentivizing tree preservation was first added to the city’s zoning ordinance almost 20 years ago. These high standards valuing the ecosystem services of trees are one thing that stands out.
If you could be any tree, which one would you be? And where would you want to be planted?
As a forester, the words “this is one of my favorite trees” frequently come out of my mouth. It is hard to choose just one, but the magnificence of a mature bur oak is an awe-inspiring sight. I am always enamored with the branching structure, large leaves and texture on the acorn caps. There are so many massive bur oaks along waterways in Edmond that make you stop in your tracks — that’s probably the type of site I would choose.
