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TreeMINUTES6-9-05 Minutes June 9, 2005 Lexington Town Tree Committee, Lexington, MA Present: John Frey, Chairman, Jim Jones, Jeanne Krieger, Selectman Liason, Karen Longeteig, David Pinnsoneault, Superintendent of Public Grounds, Susan Solomon, Anne Senning, Nell Walker, Scribe. Absent: Jim Woods; Guest: Gerry Paul. 1. The minutes of April 14 and May 12 were accepted as amended. Scribes are urged to report where trees are planted as well as species and any other particulars such as Arbor Day, Grants, Memorial Trees, etc. 2. D. Pinsonneault report on tree activity under the 10/1/01 Bylaw: Total calls: 333; Approved for removal - 393; Required to replant-889. Data for further breakdown (number of trees resolved, removed and planted) will be available next month. D. Pinsonneault provided further information on Town Clerk Donna Hooper’s note re Bylaw wording changes as voted by Town Meeting. Clarification is needed. In addition, the Tree Memorial Gift account approved by TM has the following procedure: donor calls Tree Warden, makes check out to the Selectman’s Tree Account. When the Revolving Fund starts July 1, a simple transfer from the Tree Account can take place since this is a budget item and not a Bylaw change. 3-4. Lot 1. (State owned land of some 46 pristine acres in Lexington in jeopardy). J. Krieger gave background information on the Town’s effort to save it from development. The Tree Committee supported the coalition of public and private statements and drafted its own statement to protect the native Oak forest in the heart of the property. Keith Ohmart of CLC led some Tree Com members on a guided tour of Lot 1. 5. Phase II of the Tree Inventory will be launched with 2 training programs: June 15th at the DPW Barn, volunteers will run through a tree i.d. session taught by K. Longeteig. The second session June l8 at Cary Library will introduce the new toys for mapping and analysis. We will use a handheld computer (iPAQ) and a clinometer. 6. Tree ReLeaf Grant planting at Bikeway/CVS pkg. lot, June 4: A warm Sat. morning greeted 27 HS and adult volunteers who assisted the DPW backfilling, installing a 4 inch diameter x 8 feet. plastic perforated hose in the holes, and watering 17 trees by hand. Two Red maples were planted but not watered at Camellia Pl. behind the Fire Station and near the Bikeway, so John gave them 30+ gallons of water the next day via buckets in his car. John contacted Cheryl Gall and her husband who said they would water throughout the summer. 7. The DPW has a watering truck which would have been useful June 4. DPW promises to water the new trees weekly. 9. The Colonial Times reporter Jeri Seder interviewed J.Frey on the Memorial Tree Program. 10. The two large street trees on Oak St., which were slated for removal to make snowplowing easier, will stay after a hearing before a crowd of pro-tree citizens. 11. The pros and cons of the herbicide Vine-X were discussed. Lethal to all plants. 12. Karen and John attended the Center Collaborative charrette on Saturday June 11. 13. John attended the 6/8/05 Planning Board hearing on a proposed subdivision at 58 Colony Road. The Planning Board is working with the developer to save the 36” oak at the entrance. 14. A new Sidewalk Committee needs some education on how to protect the pavement from tree roots. Some think that trees should not be placed near sidewalks. John (and any other Tree Committee member who wants to) will attend their next meeting Monday June 27 at 11 AM in the Selectmen’s meeting room. Next regular meeting is July 14, 2005 at Room 111, 7:30 a.m.