Tree Planting by the Town
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.
Please note: only one tree per household.