photo by Julia Malakie
Newton’s aging street trees have taken a beating lately. Recent storms have taken their toll on unhealthy trees, like the many Norway Maples lining Newton streets. Yesterday, several neighborhoods took part in plantings to add new diverse and more resilient varieties of trees to our environment. Members of the Newton Tree Conservancy, in conjunction with Newton’s Forestry Director, chose the sites, tested for hazards like gas leaks, and selected the right species to plant for each setting. Residents took part in planting the trees and will fill the Treegators as needed while they get established. Thanks to the Newton Tree Conservancy and their many volunteers for making this wonderful event happen.
Thanks, Adam, for the kudos to the Newton Tree Conservancy. Huge thanks have to go to Marc Welch, Newton’s Director of Urban Forestry, for his time, energy and expertise in getting the planting program started and keeping it going. It wouldn’t happen without all his behind-the-scenes organization.
Nor would the plantings happen without all the labor and care from great volunteers like you!
This is wonderful! Thank you.
It was very satisfying to get another bunch of trees into the ground, including some species which we personally have not planted before, like Accolade cherry and Kentucky coffee tree (very stick-like starting out!). One of Marc Welch’s and our goals in restoring the urban forest is to diversify the species so we will never again have a monoculture as we have had with Norway maples being 78% of Newton street trees. (I’m not sure this percent still applies, as so many Norway maples have been/are coming down.)
As I said before on another thread, it’s not that hard to plant a tree if you start with a small tree, and it may be just as fast to plant small and watch it grow, as opposed to waiting for the city to plant your spot. Key things: 1) don’t plant too deep; the root flare should show above grade, 2) water deeply weekly spring through fall, and 3) if you plant on berm, run the species by Marc Welch especially if it will be under utility wires.
And you can start really small if you want. I planted 18″ tall sweetgum seedlings (from Arbor Day Foundation) in grow bags in spring of 2011, that are now 6 feet tall. Time flies. Beats staring at an empty spot.
Adam, how smart of you to link to the TreeGator site! TreeGators are the easiest way to water, just fill them once a week. But if you’re starting with something really small, you can get the same drip irrigation effect with a hose on drip, or filling plastic milk jugs with holes punched in the bottom. TreeGator also makes a smaller donut shaped bag that’s perfect for smaller trees.