Plano embarks on a major urban forest renewal along 15th Street, replacing aging and damaged trees with native species better suited to the area.

PLANO, Texas — The City of Plano is replacing dozens of aging trees along the median of 15th Street between Custer and Coit roads as part of an effort to improve the area’s long-term urban forest.

Plano’s Urban Forester is Marc Beaudoing, and while he can identify hundreds of tree species, he also knows when a tree has reached the end of its life.

“Trees only last 25-35 years, that’s it,” according to Beaudoing. He is referring to the existing trees along medians that are declining due to limited soil space, damage from Winter Storm Uri in 2021, and invasive insects. Pointing to one red oak, he explained, “What they’ll do is they’ll eat down this layer underneath the bark.” 

The city plans to remove every tree in the median between Custer and Coit along 15th Street. That amounts to 35 trees, which include Bald Cypress, Lacebark Elm, Red Oak, Ash, Chinkapin Oak, Cedar Elm, and Mexican Sycamore. Those trees will be replaced with native species better suited to the location, like Lacey Oak, Monterrey Oak, Cedar Elm, Crepe Myrtle, Texas Redbud, and Vitex.

“We want to make sure we plant the right tree in the right place,” Marc said.

The city adds that the current irrigation system is not operational. All of the grass in that stretch of the median will also be replaced by mulch.

Steve Korner, who has managed The Mailroom along 15th Street for 25 years, supports planting new trees but worries about construction impacts.

“Now it seems like a never-ending churn of what’s the next thing to work on on the same streets,” Korner said.

“We’re in a place where it’s convenient, they go. If it’s not, they don’t come to us.”

The city is also continuing to remove ash trees threatened by the invasive Emerald Ash Borer.

“Emerald Ash Borer has been positively identified in Collin and Denton counties,” Marc said. “It is cheaper for me to remove it today knowing that it’s going to die and plant something new.”

Plano says about three dozen trees will be removed and replaced with 164 new trees. The removal and replanting project is expected to continue through January.