Drought takes toll on older Cedar Rapids trees, but young ones hang on

CEDAR RAPIDS — This summer, Linn County reached the driest level it has been in a decade — and that’s taking a toll on established trees in Cedar Rapids.

Recent additions through the ReLeaf program launched after the 2020 derecho are faring better, thanks to strict watering regimens. But adult trees have been having a tough time over the last three years of drought, said Mark Vitosh, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources district forester for seven counties, including Linn and Johnson.

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Stressed trees are using up their reserves to stay alive. That weakens them and makes them more vulnerable to threats like diseases and insects.

Local drought conditions can affect any tree species.

Vitosh has seen stressed hackberry and black cherry trees that are displaying early fall colors, a sign of dry conditions. He has received several calls this year about dying oak trees in Cedar Rapids, especially older white oaks. For a decade, Iowa foresters have been watching century-old white oaks wither and die in just a few weeks — which drought plays a role in.

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Even if the region gets a wet spring, that won’t solve the trees’ problems if it’s followed by a summer of drought. Trees won’t be able to build their defenses back up in time and could face mortality.

“My biggest concern is that these conditions are going to continue to predispose our existing trees to future problems if they don't get a chance to turn things around,” Vitosh said.

The drought could make another dent in Cedar Rapids’ canopy just years after the devastating derecho, felling older trees that originally survived the storm. But thankfully, younger trees are faring better — even oaks.

“There's still hope,” Vitosh said. “It's not that we're losing everything.”

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About 669,000 Cedar Rapids trees were lost in the 2020 derecho, accounting for about two-thirds of the city canopy.

ReLeaf, a partnership between the city of Cedar Rapids and nonprofit Trees Forever, is planting 42,000 trees on public land in a 10-year span to replenish the canopy. It will take an estimated $37 million. The effort last Thursday received a $6 million award from the U.S. Forest Service.

So far, 5,922 trees have been planted since the derecho, said Carole Teator, the city’s ReLeaf manager. Between 10 and 15 percent of those trees have died — or about between 600 and 900 trees. But that’s to be expected based on historical tree mortality rates in the city, Teator said.

“I want to say that's the expectation in urban forestry in general because they're tough places for trees to get started, especially along the streets,” she said. “Those first two years are the most critical years for tree to get established.”

Each tree comes with a two-year warranty. If a tree fails within its first two years, contractors are required to replace it at no cost to the city. Crews must water the trees every seven to 10 days within those first two years, unless the plants receive an inch of rain in that time.

The last time Cedar Rapids received more than an inch of rainfall was Aug. 11, according to the National Weather Service Quad Cities bureau.

“It does wake me up in the middle of night,” Teator said. “It's a stressful time for a tree to be taken from where it’s growing. … It would help to get rain.”

Trees Forever cares for about 2,000 trees in Cedar Rapids rights of way. This year, the team devised watering routes for staff and volunteers to most efficiently travel between water sources and trees.

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The nonprofit will be planting 500 more trees throughout fall. Molly Stuelke, Trees Forever’s ReLeaf Cedar Rapids director, said the team must water the dry soil before planting trees to make it softer and easier to dig through.

Volunteers are always welcome to join Tree Forever’s efforts, Stuelke said.

Cedar Rapids residents can also sign up to be a Tree Bud and water city trees when needed. So far, 73 trees are being watered by Tree Buds. Interested residents can call the city’s forestry department at (319) 286-5747 or stop by the Parks and Recreation Office at the City Services Center at 500 15th Ave. SE.

The next few months of rainfall will determine how well Cedar Rapids’ trees can recover from the drought.

“We feel like we're in a rut right now,” Vitosh said. “But if we can get into a more normal cycle, there's still chances for some of these plants to turn things around.”

Brittney J. Miller is the Energy & Environment Reporter for The Gazette and a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.

Comments: (319) 398-8370; brittney.miller@thegazette.com