Parks & Forestry Division

PARKS AND FORESTRY FUNCTION

The Department of Public Works constantly works to maintain over 25,000 trees and 700 acres of city parks for City of Sheboygan residents to enjoy! With more than fifteen enclosed building and park shelter rentals available, there’s always an opportunity to enjoy Sheboygan’s green spaces.

About Our Parks

City Parks

The City of Sheboygan has numerous parks including larger community and neighborhood parks. With assets like beachfront access, splash pads, and skate parks, there is an opportunity for residents young and old to experience what Sheboygan has to offer.

SIDEWALK PROGRAM

Sometimes tree roots lift sidewalks creating tripping hazards. The City Sidewalk Replacement Program is an annual program that enables the city to maintain safe sidewalks for pedestrian travel. Citizens are also given a credit of 40% of the cost of two (2) squares of walk per tree if city tree roots have caused that area to be cracked/raised. This amount is only credited if they choose the city to do the replacement. The City also picks up the cost of removing the tree roots which caused the sidewalk to heave. Often times a certain hazardous area has been reported to our office, due to a trip or fall resulting in an injury.

The City of Sheboygan DPW Forestry Department maintains the trees located on the city right of way within the City of Sheboygan city limits. Contact the City Forester, Tim Bull at 920-459-3395 or Timothy.Bull@sheboyganwi.gov if you notice large dead limbs, limbs obstructing sidewalks, roadways, your driveway, or traffic signs. The City Forester will assess the situation, make a determination and advise the adjacent property owner of anything that can or will be done.

The City Forestry Department uses a blue dot to represent an ash tree that has been treated for emerald ash borer. An investment has been made to save these specific ash trees from dying. The treatment consists of injecting an insecticide into the tree through small holes drilled about an inch under the bark around the base of the tree. This treatment is repeated every 2-3 years.

Yes, the property owner adjacent to the tree has the option of keeping the wood. Wood from removed trees is left as is and will not be cut to firewood length. **Be sure to check state and local ordinances prior to moving firewood.**

No. Tree selection is done by the City Forester. There are many variables that influence what species of tree may be planted.

A properly maintained tree can provide years of benefits; shade, aesthetic beauty, habitat, reduce stormwater runoff, carbon sequestration, etc. You can help your tree by providing adequate water during prolonged dry periods. Newly planted trees require heavy, infrequent watering. For a small tree 20 gallons of water a week is a good general guideline. Additionally, mulch added after planting provides nutrients to the tree and better moisture retention. Mulch should be 3-4 inches in depth, ideally, but should not be piled against the trunk. Weed whips and mowers can cause severe injury to tree trunks. Please avoid contacting the trunk with any equipment. If you feel your tree requires any maintenance contact the City Forester 920-459-3440. For more information, see the “Guide to Watering Trees and Applying Mulch” above.

No. The City does not allow individuals to cut or load.

The street trees in the City of Sheboygan are an important part of the Urban Forest. The Urban Forest provides a multitude of aesthetic, economic, and environmental benefits to citizens, businesses, and visitors. The overall monetary value of the Urban Forest is over a million dollars. The City of Sheboygan values every individual tree. The Forestry Divison's mission is to protect trees. Trees are only removed when they pose a safety hazard.

When a street tree is damaging a sidewalk this also creates a safety hazard. The City has a sidewalk program where it works with the residents to inspect damaged sidewalks. View the City of Sheboygan’s Sidewalk Program for more information.

No. City ordinance prohibits homeowners from pruning terrace/right-of-way trees. Contact the City Forester if your tree is in need of pruning.

If a tree is placed on the removal list, our tree crew or a private contractor may be performing the removal. Please understand the tree may not be removed immediately. Typically, trees are removed in groups, as this is the most efficient use of personnel and equipment groupings. The entire tree will be removed and the stump will be removed at a later date. No parking signs will be posted the day before where tree removals are scheduled for the following day. Vehicles will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense for violating these parking signs. Adjacent property owners to a city tree will receive a letter notifying them of tree removal prior to the tree being removed.

As with tree removal, stump grinding may be done by Public Works staff or by a private contractor. Public Works will make every effort to grind stumps in a timely manner, however, stumps are a low priority in our work schedule. The stump grinding is a process that involves contacting the utility companies to mark the underground utilities prior to work. As with tree removal, this work is done in groups, as this is the most efficient use of personnel and equipment.

The Forestry department typically plans tree planting in the spring and in the fall. Trees planted in the spring are ordered in the winter and trees planted in the fall are ordered in the summer. The start and end times of planting are weather dependent and also depend on when our suppliers are able to deliver trees. If you would like a tree planted in the city terrace adjacent to your property please contact the City Forester 920-459-3440.

All ash trees located in the city terrace will be maintained according to the City of Sheboygan’s emerald ash borer management plan. Half of the city’s ash trees have been injected with an insecticide to mitigate the effects of the emerald ash borer. The other half either have been removed or will be removed by the City Forestry Division in the next several years.

If you have a private ash tree in the City of Sheboygan it is safe to assume that it is already infected with emerald ash borer and you have two options, either get the tree treated by a certified pesticide applicator or remove the tree. It is often cheaper and safer to remove a tree before it dies. If you do not want to invest in the chemical treatment then you should remove your ash tree sooner than later. It may be in your best interest to use a contractor that is ISA Certified and to get estimates from multiple contractors.

If you notice a tree or tree branch down blocking the street or sidewalk or hanging branch that is potentially hazardous and it's Monday-Friday 7:30 am to 4 pm call the Public Works Department at 920-459-3440. If it is outside of these days or hours please call the Police Department 920-459-3333.

Emerald Ash Borer

Information & Resources

TREE TRIMMING

The natural resources within our city require regular maintenance for our citizens to enjoy. Part of the Department of Public Works – Forestry Division's responsibility is to maintain over 20,000 street-side trees through planting, pruning, removing, and stump grinding. Each newly planted tree undergoes "training pruning" during the first 5-10 years to maintain the tree's health and prevent improper growth into streetlights or nearby buildings. Each tree is put on a regular maintenance prune cycle after ten years old to remove dead and dangerous limbs. Hazardous trees are entirely removed, and their stumps are ground out and replaced with topsoil or a new tree. City Ordinance prohibits residents from pruning and cutting street trees. This ordinance prevents improper pruning and protects citizens from the hazards of having to do tree work themselves. However, the Forestry crew could use residents' help to maintain some street trees by sucker pruning.

City of Sheboygan has been named Tree City USA for the 40th year

Tree City USA

The City of Sheboygan places a lot of value on its Urban Forest. A symbol of this was shown in 1978 when the City of Sheboygan met the qualifications and became a Tree City USA Community. That same symbol of value has been shown every year since 1978 and gives the City of Sheboygan the longest running community membership in Wisconsin. To qualify as a Tree City USA community the City has to meet four standards established by the Arbor Day Foundation and National Association of State Foresters. These standards were established to ensure that every qualifying community has a viable tree management program.

Tree City USA Standards 41 Years

PARKS & FORESTRY

Division Contacts

Joe Kerlin

Superintendent of Parks & Forestry

Tim Bull

City Forester

News & Updates

Recent Parks & Forestry News & Updates

Evergreen Park Cleanup

The City of Sheboygan Department of Public Works will be cleaning up storm damaged trees in portions of Evergreen Park starting the week of March 11th and finishing approximately the first week of April.

Read More

Now Hiring Seasonal Maintenance Workers

The Department of Public Works is now hiring Seasonal Maintenance Workers for the fall/summer of 2024.

Read More

REQUEST SERVICE

Is there a pothole that you would like to see fixed? Or a city tree that needs to be trimmed?

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