MILITARY COMMUNITY FORESTRY PLANNING OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE—A CASE STUDY

Offutt Air Force Base is headquarters for the Strategic Air Command and center for many activities of national importance. This community differs from most communities because the short residency of its inhabitants means increased management of vegetation by the base staff. Most vegetation activities had low priority and were not guided by a comprehensive plan. In 1987, a contract was initiated between the Air Force and the Nebraska Forest Service to develop a Community Forestry Plan for Offutt. Existing trees were evaluated and new plantings designed. Maintenance activities were recommended. The plan provides for future community forestry action and is a model for other military communities. The plan also relates to non-military communities. Resume. La base de I'armee de I'air d'Offutt est le quartier general de I'armee de I'air et le centre de nombreuses activates d'une importance nationale. Cette communaute differe des autres parce que la courte periode de residence de ses habitants demande des efforts accrus de gestion de la vegetation par le personnel de la base. La plupart des activites de gestion de la vegetation avaient une faible priorite et n'etaient pas guidees par un plan de gestion. En 1987, un contrat fut conclu entre I'armee de I'air et le Service forestier du Nebraska afin d'elaborer un programme de foresterie urbaine pour Offutt. Les arbres en place furent evalues et de nouvelles plantations furent designees. Des travaux d'entretien furent aussi recommandes. Le plan definit les actions futures en foresterie urbaine et est un modele pour d'autres bases militaires. Le plan se rapporte aussi aux communautes civiles. Arborists often prepare proposals or bids for landscaping and/or maintenance work. This large and complex project was completed on federal property and has application for municipal officials and other non-military communities to predict costs and benefits of Community Forestry Plans. Offutt Air Force Base, in eastern Nebraska near Omaha, is the Strategic Air Command (SAC) national defense headquarters and center for many activities. This base is home for about 40,000 military and civilian workers and their dependents. Offutt frequently hosts visiting dignitaries and is a showcase for the Air Force. Land for the facility was acquired in 1888 and in 1896 the original buildings and landscaping were completed. Many of these buildings and some of these plantings still remain. Offutt is a small city but unlike many communities where stability is the norm, the military residents are constantly changing as they transfer in and out of the base. This short term residency makes the community forest even more important than in the traditional, stable community. The residents have no long term attachment and rarely expect to stay long enough to reap the benefits from tree planting. Very few plantings are undertaken by the residents which means these responsibilities are ignored or left for the base operations staff. Morale, a vitally important aspect of military life, depends largely on the quality of the living and working environment. Thus, an overall Community Forestry Plan was requested, to improve base morale. Background Over the years, considerable work was done with the tree resource as a part of routine maintenance, including planting of many trees and shrubs. The majority of this work was accomplished as funding and other priorities allowed. Often, vegetation took a lower priority and this is reflected in the current status of the base. While much was accomplished, the efforts were not guided by a plan. Some areas were well planted while other areas were overlooked and in dire need of planting. The base's 13,000 landscape trees include many species, with a wide variety of size and condition. Nebraska is sparsely populated, about 20 people per square mile. Despite the rural image, most of Nebraska's 1.6 million residents live in cities and towns, with a wide range of community forestry activity. Arbor Day was created in 1. At the time of this article, authors were Vegetation Management Program Leader, Community Forestry Specialist and Program Leader, and Deputy State Forester. 126 Schmidt et al: Military Community Forestry Planning Nebraska, Nebraskans are proud of their "Tree Planter's State" heritage and there is much interest and support for tree programs. 1987 saw 41 communities in Nebraska receive Tree City USA recognition by the National Arbor Day Foundation. These 41 communities are home to 47 percent of the state's population. The Nebraska Forest Service (NFS), a part of the University of Nebraska, is active statewide in community forestry. NFS assists cities, towns, and villages with forestry-related activities, ranging from drafting a formal tree ordinance to helping organize the planting of two trees in the village park. The amount of assistance is limited by personnel and funding restrictions, but the NFS tries to give at least some help to each community that seeks aid. Plan Initiation The NFS was contacted by the Base in the spring of 1987 for help in developing a Community Forestry Program and Plan. The NFS Community Forestry Program (CFP) had worked with the Air Force for several years on small programs and projects. Most previous efforts were initiated by the Air Force, asking for services NFS offered. Other contacts between them occurred through professional organizations such as the International Society of Arboriculture, the Society of American Foresters, and the Nebraska Arborists Association. Through these on-going contacts, a working relationship was developed. The NFS assistance level was sufficient at first, but the base's need proved greater than NFS could provide. The NFS Table 1. Inventory results: condition class summary for Section 6, the Capehart Housing Area.