Municipal Tree Restoration Program

The mission of the Municipal Tree Restoration Program (MTRP) is to reduce tree/utility line A street tree - utility easement conflict. conflicts by educating, influencing and encouraging people to recognize the conflict, remove problematic tree/utility situations and plant appropriately.

The goals of the MTRP:

  • Increase awareness of potential tree/utility conflicts by general public
  • Recognition of tree/utility problems by municipal tree managers
  • Removal of utility unfriendly trees in municipalities (on public property and/or public right-of- way)
  • Identification of utility appropriate trees based on research and on-the-ground experience
  • Increase availability of utility appropriate trees in the nursery trade.
  • Increase market demand for utility appropriate trees
  • Awareness of potential tree/utility conflicts in new plantings by developers/city planners/site plan reviewers, etc.

Funding for MTRP projects comes from annual dues paid by member organizations. The demonstration projects are funded by the Virginia Department of Forestry Urban and Community Forestry grants. The utility companies provide on-the-ground support with personnel and equipment.

A street tree - utility easement conflict in New Market, Virginia.Planning trees and shrubs for overhead utility easements? Read this VCE publication first.

Avoiding Tree & Utility Conflicts - from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).

Trees for overhead utility easements - list of preferred trees.

Agencies and Organizations involved in MTRP:

  • Virginia Department of Forestry
  • Scenic Virginia
  • Hampton Roads Agricultural Research & Extension Center (Virginia Tech)
  • Virginia Cooperative Extension Service
  • Virginia Tech Community Design Assistance Center
  • Mid-Atlantic Chapter - International Society of Arboriculture

Utility Companies

  • Appalachian Power Company
  • Dominion Virginia Power
  • Allegheny Power Company
  • Rappahannock Electric Cooperative

Projects
There have been demonstration projects installed in:

  • Abingdon (Appalachian Power)
  • Luray (Allegheny Energy)
  • Winchester (Allegheny Energy)
  • Chesapeake Arboretum (Dominion Virginia Power)
  • Hahn Horticulture Garden (Virginia Tech)

Posters - Utility Line Arboreta | Utility Friendly Trees

See our Membership List

Rappahannock Electric Cooperative - learn about our Right of Way maintenance program.

Last modified: Monday, 13-Aug-2012 16:01:25 EDT

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