MMSD Green Solutions Tree Planting Program

In 2016, Menomonee Falls started to participate in the Milwaukee Metropolitan (MMSD) Green Solutions Funding Program to install stormwater trees within Menomonee Falls.

About

The Green Solutions Funding Program is to aid municipalities in creating green infrastructure projects that increase water quality and increase infiltration while reducing stormwater runoff that flow directly into storm sewers and into our rivers. Communities are encouraged to do projects such as porous pavement, vegetative swales, filter strips, stormwater ponds, infiltration basins, turf grass filters, cisterns, constructed wetlands, native landscaping, Green Alley, rain gardens, green roofs, and stormwater trees. After the project is completed, the municipalities are reimbursed for their expenses.

In accordance with the agreement with MMSD, a large tree planting project was proposed, designed and completed. After completion, the expenses for this project is then reimbursed. A maintenance plan is also a requirement as well as inspections on the trees for a 10 year period.

Purpose

This initiative for planting stormwater trees is to help increase infiltration of rain water into the ground rather than overland flow into our rivers directly. Infiltrating stormwater also aids in filtrating our water instead of carrying pollutants and flowing directly into the rivers. A tree, depending on the species, can soak up, or in other words, infiltrate as much 2000 gallons of rainwater a year. A continuous tree canopy can intercept and infiltrate over 100,000 gallons of rainwater in just one acre of space.

Find additional information at the Arbor Day Foundation website.

2016 Tree Planting Program

Sixty-Three trees were planted throughout several village properties including:

• Future Aero Park
• Kiwanis Park
• Lime Kiln Park South
• Ridge Road Right-of-Way
• Rivers Edge Park
• Riverside Park
• Shady Lane and Joper Road parkway space
• Shady Lane and Kiosk near Custer Lane next to the Tamarack Perserve