About Arlington Trees
Tree Division Annual Calendar
ALL YEAR: Prompt removal of damaged or fallen trees that block public thoroughfares or otherwise endanger the public takes precedence over any other tree-related activity.
FEBRUARY: Tree Division orders at least 100 new street trees, which are shipped as bare-root saplings.
MID-APRIL: Trees are delivered to Mount Pleasant Cemetery and "heeled in" until planted. (If new program starts: residents who have ordered trees can pick them up for planting.)
LATE APRIL: Town crews have approximately two weeks to plant 100+ trees before they leaf out in May.
LATE MAY/EARLY JUNE: Tree Divisions assesses street trees and decides which individual trees should be removed because they are dead, diseased, or post a public hazard. Tree Division posts notice removal notice on tree; neighbors have chance to respond.
YEAR-ROUND: Crews remove dangerous or unhealthy street trees.
Arbor Day
Like other Massachusetts communities, Arlington celebrates Arbor Day 2005 on April 29. Every year, the DPW Tree Division and Arlington Schools distribute 250 seedlings to fifth graders in selected schools. Schools participate on a rotating basis, and this year fifth grade students at Hardy, Thompson, and Stratton will be involved.
This national holiday originated in 1854, when pioneers who had moved to the Nebraska Territory from the East grew homesick for the forests they had left behind. A newspaper editor, J. Sterling Morton, did such a good job promoting the first Arbor Day – which took place on April 10, 1872, that more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on that date. The idea spread quickly and Arbor Day is now observed in all fifty states and in other countries, too. The most common date is the last Friday in April, although warmer states generally celebrate earlier to make the most of ideal tree-planting weather. For more information, visit www.arborday.org.
Tree City USA Certification
On March 4, Arlington DPW learned that the town's application for Tree City USA status had been accepted by the DCR Urban Forestry Program. Municipalities are eligible if they file a proper application and complywith four requirements, all of which Arlington meets. These are having a tree warden, following state law for regulating the community forest, celebrating Arbor Day and having an annual forestry budget that exceeds the required minimum of $2 per capita.
Being a Tree City USA reflects a town’s commitment to environmental protection in general and the community forest in particular. On a more pragmatic level, communities with this designation are sometimes given preference over others when competing for state or federal grants directed at trees or forestry programs. For more information, see www.arborday.org/programs/treecityusa.cfm
Planting street trees
The Arlington Tree Division orders about 100 bare-root trees in late February or early March, at a cost of $70 - $90 each. This year the order will be placed by March 18. These are delivered in mid-April and are heeled in at the cemetery for temporary storage. Town crews rush to plant the young trees within two weeks, before they leaf out in May. The crew leaves written watering instructions at the home nearest the planting location.
Many of these trees are already spoken for when they arrive. Residents who have requested replacement trees are at the top of the planting list; the remaining trees are planted in locations chosen by the tree warden. Due to budget constraints in recent years, the town has not been able to replace as many trees as it loses each year.
This year, DPW is trying a pilot program that could reverse this trend by making 50 additional street trees available. For the first time in recent years, this will enable our community forest to expand instead of shrinking. The Adopt-A-Tree option enables Arlington residents to choose from five species recommended by the tree warden. The resident pays $40 for the tree (about half its cost) and agrees to pick up the bare-root tree in April, plant it promptly in the curb strip, and provide ongoing care. The types of trees available are October Glory, Red Sunset and Crimson King maples, flowering pears, and a few oaks. For information about this pilot program, contact Tree Warden Jim Dodge before March 18 at 781-316-3311 or jdodge@town.arlington.ma.us
A third option is for residents to select and purchase a new street tree at their own expense, then make an appointment for a DPW crew to plant the tree in the curb strip. There is no charge for this service. If you are interested in doing this, please consider purchasing one of the trees on the recommended planting list.
Trimming and removing street trees
Residents should call DPW to report street trees that are dead or dying, as well as dead limbs that pose a hazard to sidewalks, roadways, or privately owned structures. The Tree Warden identifies street trees for removal beginning in late May or early June, when healthy trees have leafed out and dead or dying specimens can easily be identified. Tree crews also keep an eye out for hazardous dead limbs. Trimming and removal work takes place year-round, depending on weather conditions.
Tree removal is generally a three-stage process, and the work may be spread over several days. Step 1: The crew removes upper limbs, down to the main trunk. Step 2: The main trunk is cut into lengths and removed. Step 3: The stump is ground.
Healthy street trees cannot be cut down – either at the request of residents or the Tree Warden – without a hearing. The date and time of this hearing is publicized on a placard affixed to the tree, in the legal notices section of the Arlington Advocate, and on the DPW web site. Anyone who objects to the removal must protest by writing to the Tree Warden or by appearing at the scheduled hearing. The removal request will be turned down if there are any objections. In this case, the resident who wants the tree cut down can file an appeal with the Board of Selectmen.
Residents who ask for removal of a healthy street tree are legally responsible for all costs associated with this process, including notification, conducting the hearing, removing the tree, and planting a replacement in a nearby location.