What action is the city taking to ensure that trees remain healthy my minimizing mulch?

The Carmel Urban Forestry Program has created tree planting standards and details that illustrate proper mulching methods. These details are provided to developers, contractors, and private citizens – all of whom play a role in planting and caring for trees.

The City’s yearly streetscape mulching contract requires the raking back of older mulch and limits newly added mulch to only a light application to remedy past improper over-mulching. Additionally, creative methods like root-collar excavation – a process where a tree specialist arborist removes the mulch from the tree’s lower trunk to inspect the roots and let them breathe – are being reviewed to address the effects of over-mulching.

Two years ago this month, the Carmel City Council founded the Carmel Climate Action Advisory Committee which it tasked with ensuring that the City’s Climate Action Plan remains a priority for the City’s administration.

• Click to see Instructional PDF on Proper Mulching
• More information about the Committee can be found here.
• More information about the plan at its specific priority initiatives can be found here.