Plant the Parks
Greetings from the Tree Department.
It’s been a dry hot summer and the trees are feeling the heat just like us. We are already seeing trees start to shed their leaves prematurely and we have lost some to the extreme drought. On the bright side, the vast bulk of the 124 trees we have planted to date are doing well.
In the past 16 months we have had to remove 14 dead trees from Fairhaven’s Parks. We have also had to remove one live tree that was in such poor structural shape it posed a risk to a playground it was next to.
This fall we are making an initiative to plant 50 trees in our parks as well as some street trees.
Fairhaven’s parks are a real treasure. One we all can see and feel on a daily basis. A big part of the value and beauty of the parks are their trees. They provide shade, physical beauty and a host of other benefits.
Unfortunately trees are like people in that they have a lifespan. In a forest setting they can fall and be allowed to rot to provide sustenance to the greater ecosystem. That doesn’t work well in a public park.
What does work well is sequential planting, meaning having a diverse age group of trees in a park. Plant now so that when the big trees go over in a storm, succumb to drought, or simply die, new smaller trees are nearby to replace them.
Now more than ever trees are important for, among other things, the cooling effect they offer. Numerous studies show that a healthy well-kept tree near or on your property makes your property more valuable. That’s a fact! And a park without trees is only a field.
The Park Department has no money for replanting trees. The Tree Department has $5000 per year for new trees. That pays for about 20-25 trees. As a whole the town loses at least 50 per year due to various reasons.
This fall’s initiative to “Plant the Parks” will involve Maples, Oaks, Lindens, Elms and a few others. The price tag for the trees alone is $6600. Myself, my tree crew and volunteers will plant and care for the trees this November.
The Tree Department is looking for sponsors to help pay for this effort. Howe Allen Realty, a long term donor for so many public benefits is leading the effort with a pledge to donate one tree for each real estate transaction they are involved with between now and June 30, 2023.*
As an individual you can donate to this effort by sending a check made out to the Tree Memorial Gift Fund. Just drop it off or mail it to the town hall at 40 Center Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719, Care of the Tree Department.
If you are a business and would like to contribute please reach out to me at 508-922-1222.
Every tree makes a difference to a greener Fairhaven and a cooler place to live.
Thank you,
Don C. Collasius, Fairhaven Tree Warden
*Tree Warden determines variety and placement of tree to be planted. Value of each tree is approximately $250.
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