HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-08-14-TREE-min Minutes
Lexington Tree Committee
8.14.25
1.Meeting called to order at 7:32 AM by co-chair Pat Moyer. The meeting was held on Zoom.
2. In attendance were Ben Fein-Cole, Nancy Sofen, Gavin Grant, Gerry Paul, Joe Pato
(Select Board representative), Rachel Summers, Charlie Wyman (guest).Absent, Mark
Connor, Barbara Tarrh.
3. Minutes of our 7/10/25 meeting were approved as amended.
4. Pat shared that she had discussed Mark's availability to continue on the committee with
him. He feels he is too busy with work to serve as he wishes to do. He will resign effective
in September, when his renewal comes due.We will be down one member then.
5. Dave P. has submitted an RFP for help with the Urban Forest Master Plan to Davey Tree.
Town regulations require him to submit to two other entities. We should be hearing back
from Davey on 8/22 per Dave.WE WILL MOVE OUR USUAL MEETING FROM 9/11 TO 9/4 SO
THAT WE CAN REVIEW WHAT COMES BACK FROM DAVEY.
6.Nancy and Barbara have been working with Julia Flood (Town IT)to update our website.
The Tree Bylaw Working Group (former Town Manager's name for the"Bylaw Enforcement
Working Group") is mentioned on the current version of our website.We debated whether
to keep this entity(whatever its name) as a potentially active group, since the initial version
of the group (11/23-6/15 or so) no longer meets. We felt we might inhabit that group
again—so kept it.
7.Pat read the email Barbara sent about Nancy and Barbara's meeting with Chris and Joel
re: Fall Planting. (placed below)
Aug 13, 2025
Notes of meeting with Chris F and Joel C along with Nancy S to discuss Fall 2025 planting
(and the new Quick Start Guide for developers—Nancy can report on that.)
1) Forestry and residents are happy with Wagon Wheel's efforts for this past spring's
tree planting. That was WW's first season under their new contract. Chris reports
very good references including from Mass.WW also has a watering contract. Chris
and Joel are positive about watering to date.
2) Follow-on discussion about how residents receive info about watering. In the
future, in-person contact with setback tree recipients can be supplemented with a
QR code that might be attached to trees when planted. TC to develop and fwd to
Forestry to be printed. Tyvek was suggested for weather resistance.
3) Tree Committee to provide public service announcement to residents to water trees
due to hot and dry conditions. Info sent to Communications Dept.
4) Joel would like to have a list of TC preferred trees for fall 2025. Barbara will forward
List developed by TC members last year.
5) Wagon Wheel will source larger balled and burlapped trees per TC prior request.
These are more expensive; proper watering as provided by new WW contract for
town trees, and more resident education via QR tag should result in higher success
rate.
6) Forestry&TC will advertise fall setback planting program via town outlets and during
public events once tree species are known. Oct/Nov actual planting dates.
Barbara Tarrh
And further from Barbara
Hi Joel and Chris,
Today I mentioned the 'preferred tree list'as a possible starting point for a species list for fall planting. However, a
recent webinar from the Ecological Landscape Alliance provides some great suggestions for high-survival street
trees. Here are species that did well in Leominster and Worcester.
Littleleaf linden*
Honey locust*
Pin Oak*
River Birch
London plane
Elm (Patriot)
Freeman Maple
Crabapple-great survival, toleraes harsh conditions but often "looks a little rough"
Yel lowwood
Tulip tree*
Red oak*
I believe Barbara or Nancy will forward our preferred small tree list to Joel and Chris as well.
One member wondered what kind of availability Wagon Wheel actually had?
8.We briefly discussed some way of keeping track of the trees' survivability. The tree inventory
already done, if properly kept up, should give us that information.
9. Nancy related further efforts of the Planning Board to develop sustainability recommendations
for building sites, going forward. These included a desire for shaded gathering spaces,
remediation of compacted soil, and a following of the Georgia Tech recommended process:
after de-compaction, the laying on of compost, topsoil, and finally, plants.
10. Nancy visited some active building sites in town. Of those she saw, 5 had conditions
violating tree protections as per the bylaw. She communicated with Chris, who let us know he
visited all sites and communicated the above to workers on site. Nancy visited 1-2 weeks later.
Only 1 of the 5 sites had remediated the problem. We feel more stringent enforcement needed.
All of the active building sites with trees in the setback needing protection will be listed by Pat
and Nancy; all members present committed to taking several sites and visiting every week or
so, and forwarding violations to Nancy, who will let Chris (Tree Warden) know.
11. Two community gatherings coming up where tree education can be done: Sept. 16 (booth
at the Farmers' Market, 2-6 pm)and October 3 (booth at the E. Village Fair, 10-3.)
Rachel, Nancy and Gerry can do the Farmer's Mkt. Rachel, Nancy, Pat, Ben and Gavin (?or
Gerry??). will people the Fair. Pat will out of town 9/16. She will get supplies to Nancy. She is
available for set up, being there, and take down on 10/3. We will set up a firmer schedule on
9/4 (next meeting).
12. Rachel brought us up to date on the Lincoln Park Pocket Forst initiative. Site prep, with
wood chips supplied by the town will be on Sat 9/20. Cardboard is needed. Planting (300+
small trees!) will be on 11/1. Rachel is preparing information for the public, ordering the trees,
and organizing volunteers.
13. Chris has asked the committee to add to our Tree Lists more varieties of columnar trees.
(Developers like to use these). The idea of giving 2x incentive for these was discussed. He
asked for a subgroup of us to meet with him on a Wed/Thus AM. Nancy, Gavin, Rachel, and
Ben were interested in participating.
Chris also noted confusion about the purpose of arborist attestations, using them both for
hazardous trees, and to affirm that tree protections are in place, though the form mentions only
the former. Nancy will work with Chris to clarify. This may require changes to the regulatons,
which will need future Tree Committee and Select Board approval
14. Meeting adjourned at 9:15 AM.
Respectfully submitted, Pat Moyer
*The starred species were observed to grow quickly. And the Linden, Honey Locust and Pin Oak were suggested for
curb strips because of their smaller lateral root systems. Also, Amelanchier would make a nice ornamental setback
option, and an alternative to Redbud.