HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-03-14-TREE-min Lexington Tree Committee
March 14, 2019
The meeting convened at 7:30 AM. Present were Gerry Paul, Anne Senning, Gloria
Bloom, Nancy Sofen, Jim Wood, Jewel Kuljian, Pat Moyer, scribe. Absent: Chris
Filadoro. Bob Creech attended the first portion of the meeting.
Bob Creech of the Planning Board came in response to our interest in data on tree
removal on private properties in town. He emphasized the need for a data search to be
focused on answering the question we are interested in. Our interest was articulated as
"doing what the town can do to decrease global warming via care and preservation of our
trees." Bob will look at information he has; Jim will research the tree bylaw in re this
matter.
We considered the request from a number of town residents including a Girl Scout Troop,
and several high school students, to support Lexington's becoming a"Bee City". We
agreed to support this project. Gerry will write a letter of support to the Select Board.
Gerry reviewed what he learned by going to the open meetings about the Cambridge
Urban Forest Master Plan. This group has a website. They have data on changes in their
tree canopy. Do we have such data? Nancy reviewed methods by which this data can be
obtained. A consultant helped the Cambridge group. The sense was that we could
benefit from similar knowledge about Lexington.
Chris Filadoro sent us the list of trees planned for Spring, 2019, planting and we
reviewed it. We do not know the method by which these trees were chosen, nor where
they will go. There are 76 trees in all. They are/will be all bare root, coming from
Schichtel's.
We reviewed the Q and A sent by Gerry to Chris, attached. Some items for further
discussion include:
a) our hope to have the town plant large shade trees in appropriate sites
b) we'd like to monitor the progress of homeowner requests for trees
c) getting the trees planted by 5/1, instead of 6/1.
d) Encouraging the EAB infested tree removal, and injection of town ash trees.
We reiterated the need for communications between us and DPW personnel to be
respectful and productive.
We concluded at 9:35 AM.
Respectfully submitted,
Pat Moyer