RELEAF CEDAR RAPIDS
SUPERIOR (continued)
(Native, Large, Food Web Supporters)
Cultivar for Consideration
Bitternut Hickory Carya cordiformis Shagbark Hickory Carya ovata Butternut Juglans cinera Black Walnut Juglans nigra American Elm / Hybrids Ulmus x
ALLOWED
(Large to Medium, Native or Adapted)
Princeton, Regal, New Horizon, Triumph, Accolade, Pioneer
Cultivar for Consideration
Yellow Birch Betula alleghaniensis River Birch Betula nigra
Heritage, Dura-Heat
Quaking Aspen Populus tremuloides Black Cherry Prunus serotina Black Willow Salix nigra Ohio Buckeye Aesculus glabra
Early Glow
White Pine Pinus strobus Limber Pine Pinus flexilis Tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera B
A key aspect of the ReLeaf Tree List is that it groups trees by desirability. Trees are either Superior, Allowed, or Contingent. To maximize community and ecosystem benefits, only trees from the Superior category should be planted. These trees are not only large and hearty; they also support the food web; all are either natives or native cultivars that support caterpillars. Ideally, newly planted trees would be sourced from this list alone, up to the point that any one species, genus, or family meets the 10-20-30 rule. However, the “Right Tree, Right Place, Right Reason” rule means that the Superior list is not enough. So does the supply chain of trees: there just aren’t
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that many natives to be had on short notice. For that reason, the Allowed category includes additional big, locally adapted trees that may not support the food web but are preferable to a hole in the canopy. Finally, there is the Contingent category, so named because there are certain places where a large tree truly won’t fit. Most often, that is under transmission wires. These trees are smaller, but none of them are exotics with no roots in Cedar Rapids. The ReLeaf Tree List encourages us to plant Superior trees whenever we can and plant Contingent trees only when we have no other option. Residents are, of course, free to plant whatever they want on their private property but will be encouraged to learn about the ReLeaf Tree List and to follow its guidance. The Tree List orders trees by their contribution to the food web, with the shape of the canopy and growth rate also shown. The Tree List shows the right place for each tree. Finally, the List identifies which trees produce flowers, fall color, or edible fruit.
Illustrations by Chad Jewell
T
he heart of this plan is a new citywide tree list for Cedar Rapids that embodies the first four of the ReLeaf Rules: “Right Tree, Right Place, Right Reason,” “Citywide Diversity & Local Character,” “Locals Not Imports,” and “Big Not Small.” The new list is a modification of the City’s previous list that more fully reflects the ReLeaf Principles.
Emerald City
Appendix B | Page 3 of 5
