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RECEIVED 2022 21 Mar,4��00 pirn Minutes for virtual Tree Committee (TC) meeting, February 10, 2022 roWN CLERK UEMNG'T NAA The meeting began at 7:33 am. Attendees were: Gerry Paul, Gloria Bloom (scribe), Nancy Sofen, Martha Kvaal, Marc Connor, Jim Wood, Pat Moyer and Mark Sandeen. Also present were Marc Valenti, Marcia Gens, Charley Wyman, Barbara Tarrh, Dan Miller, and Rick Reibstein. The minutes of the January 13 meeting were approved. Updates from Marc Valenti: UVM canopy study is not ready yet. They are waiting for 2021 lidar. The tree inventory is almost ready to go online. Battle Green tree selection will go before SB on Feb. 28. Jim Wood reported that 4 to 6 sites on the Green need trees. They are looking for fall color. Choice of species will be sent to TC before Feb. 28. The TC needs a new member to replace Marty Kvaal. There are 2 applicants. We discussed adding an associate member, which would be up to the SB. Useful knowledge in a new member might include experience in arboriculture, legal experience, knowledge of how the town operates, a passion for trees. Article 33 subcommittee will meet 2/14 with IT. The TC voted unanimously to approve the subcommittee report on implementation (attached). Marty Kvaal attended a Planning Board meeting where the subject of Norway maples came up. They are invasive but not on lawns where mowing keeps the seedlings down. Marty will draft a policy statement from the TC to the PB, about the Norway Maple. Tree removal by Eversource at Bowman School. TC believes the trees were on town property and Eversource violated the bylaw. The DPF (which is in charge of school grounds) asked them to remove vines and brush, not trees. Chap. 87 requires advance notice about tree removal. We should follow Chap 87 and the bylaw. They should mitigate or pay the fee. It was generally agreed that we need to investigate further, get more facts, understand what went wrong, and recommend practices that would prevent it from happening again. After a long discussion of alternatives, we agreed that Gerry Paul would ask Jim Molloy to enforce the bylaw and that Gerry will share his response with us. There was an informal discussion of how to preserve large trees and how to spend tree fund money most effectively. Among the ideas suggested were: Should large shade trees be considered public property or a public good? How can we raise public awareness of the value of trees? Should we seek professional advice on bylaws, a public awareness campaign, the use of social media or other methods of public outreach? Can we connect loss of property value to canopy destruction? Should we have a list of recommended companies that try to save trees (for example Savatree, Boston Tree Preservation, Another Level Landscaping)? Should the TC work with other groups that share our interest in tree preservation, such as Lexington Living Landscapes? Would requiring a permit to remove a large shade tree help increase awareness of their value? Gerry will outline possible ideas for using tree fund money for purposes other than planting trees. A special meeting on this topic will be at 8 am on Feb 24. Meeting adjourned at 9:31 Attached: Review of New Tree Permit Viewpoint Implementation