Submitted by Fairhaven Tree Warden Don C. Collasius
It’s been a pretty windy month and we have been busy with downed branches. We also started a systematic survey of the town looking for hazardous tree conditions starting with main roads. If you see something please let us know.
Almost every day I learn something new about trees, the town and its tree canopy. Here is some of that.
The Massachusetts Tree Wardens and Foresters Association was organized in 1913. From the earliest days of the profession, arborists were aware that tree care is constantly changing. As early as 1894, Dr. George E. Stone of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts) gave a course of college lectures dealing with shade tree management.
Recognizing that a practicing tree warden also needs current technical information the organization currently offers a six-day course to qualify a Tree Warden. I took this class paying for it myself and driving 12 hours to Sturbridge Massachusetts and back to do so.
During that class my observation was that MTWAFA is very closely tied to the Massachusetts Department of Recreation and Conservation. DCR had representatives at every class and taught some topics. DCR are the folks we have applied to for a $20,000 matching grant to do a partial street tree survey.
I learned a lot at that class. But what I learned most, as often is the case when one actually takes a class, I found out there was so much more I didn’t know. I constantly try and remediate that.
Spring planting is coming up. The Tree department hopes to plant 55 trees this April. If you would like to have a tree planted on your street, help plant a tree, water a tree throughout the growing season please contact me at 508 992 1222.
I have requested that the BPW starts grinding stumps to 16” of depth in locations where trees have been removed and are good places for them. This is not currently done.
They are ground in such a way that replacing the tree is difficult or impossible. Having spoken with the contracted party who grinds the stumps for them it is not much more money. I have been informed by people in the know the money is there to do that. MTWAFA highly promotes this practice of grinding and replanting. They are the experts.
I have also asked the BPW for permission to plant some trees in our parks to replace the dead ones we have had to remove. Ten dead trees from Cushman Park alone have been removed so they won’t fall on somebody or something. We need to replace these trees successively in order to maintain the beauty of our parks.
Thanks for all the good words and support so far. We continue to do the best we can with what we have. If you care for trees and want to see Fairhaven’s Tree Canopy improved and restored please reach out to us.
Be well and be green.
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