As soon as the AIPCA Natural Environment Committee was established we commissioned a series of studies by natural resource professionals to assess the health and status of the trees, lakes, dunes and wildlife. Almost 400 pages of reports were generated over the next two years.

For our road canopy a sample of 2,700 trees were given a Level 2 - extensive - assessment by certified Master Arborists. Summaries of their findings are shown below. For this sample of less than 7% of all our mature trees the results indicate that our trees had not been properly maintained.

This spring a team of Committee members examined the other 93% of the tree areas not covered by the Master Arborists and concur that the professional judgments seemed to apply in all other areas as well. Much more work to be done to properly maintain and to recover from years of inadequate maintenance of our forests.