Greetings from the Tree Department

Greetings from the Tree Department

As of July 1 2024 I will no longer be the Tree Warden in Fairhaven. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that supported my efforts of the last three years and two months. The list of our accomplishments is significant and I’m proud of what our team has achieved over the last 3 years. Specifically, the Tree Department has:  

• Planted 328 trees

• Removed 186 high risk trees

• Fulfilled 468 requests for service, achieving an over a 90% approval rating

• Created and passed a Public Shade Tree Bylaw required to achieve Tree City USA status;

• Established a Jr. Deputy Tree Warden program with the help of the amazing librarians at the Millicent Library;

We could not have done any of it without the help of many people including: the folks at the BPW, Town Hall, the Police Department, my part time staff and the wonderful citizen volunteers who came out to plant trees, Eversource for their help with taking down dangerous trees and their donations of trees, and the Fairhaven residents who donated funds to expand our budget for purchasing and planting trees.  

So what happens to the Tree Department next? I’m working with the town on a transition plan so there is good continuity of service and ongoing protection and preservation of our tree canopy. Ideas are being considered about how to most effectively move forward. 

What are my plans? My hope is to expand on the Jr. Deputy Tree warden program that has created so much enthusiasm from the kids and I’m standing by to help plant trees. As I have said before. There is nothing we can do to prevent trees from aging and dying, there is little we can do to ward off pests and pathogens. All we can do is care for the trees we have and keep planting new ones and be optimists. 

Thanks and be green, 

Don Carlos Collasius, Fairhaven Tree Warden

PS: Please water the newly planted trees in your neighborhood,

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