MISSOULA — You may have noticed colored tags popping up on trees around Missoula.
This is part of the Urban Forestry Department's debris clean-up process following the July 24, 2024, storm after thousands of trees were damaged when extreme winds ripped through Missoula.
City arborists and staff, along with volunteer support have been canvassing neighborhoods on foot to identify hazards.
Seeing where and which trees were most impacted helps staff plan for Missoula's urban forest of the future.
Contracts are being finalized to get dangerous trees trimmed or removed throughout the coming months. Financing for this project comes from the City with support from FEMA disaster recovery funding.
"Yellow tags mean that there is a hanger in the tree. So, that could be a limb that is completely broken off and stuck in the canopy or a partially broken branch that's still a little bit attached but needs to be removed," Marie Ducharme, programs specialist with the City of Missoula's Urban Forestry Department detailed.
She added that orange tags have also been placed on trees.
"Those ones are trees that have been identified as potential removals under the FEMA regulation. So, if it does need to be removed, that original orange tag will be pulled. A green dot will be placed on the street side of the tree on the trunk and then a City of Missoula orange tag will be stapled on the tree," shared Ducharme.
Ducharme added that work is slated to begin first in Missoula's slant streets.
Residents are asked to leave tags in place and avoid standing under broken or damaged branches. For more information and for answers to frequently asked questions click here.
