HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-04-09-TREE-min
Lexington Tree Committee Minutes
4.9.26
1. Meeting called to order at 7:31 AM. Meeting was held on zoom. Present were
members Ken Prescott, Pat Moyer (chair and minutes), Barbara Tarrh, Nancy Sofen,
Alicia Morris, Gavin Grant, Rachel Summers, associate member Ben-Fein Cole,
guest and hopeful associate member Frances Frankenburg, guest Gerry Paul.
2. The minutes for March were approved unanimously
3. 250 Tree Giveaway was discussed. Dave P. of the DPW actually ordered 360 trees,
of which 333 are spoken for. Final plans for May 2 and 9 giveaway made. Nancy will
have “how to plant a tree” printed. We are asking recipients to bring containers for
taking away mulch; Ben, Nancy, Rachel, and Pat will bring some for those who
forget. Nancy will craft and send 3 reminder emails, Pat will bring the tent, Barbara,
Pat and Gavin will organize the tree when they arrive, and all are invited to help cut
fencing which the Tree Warden is ordering (sturdier than last year’s).
Personnel for the days: May 2: Nancy, Pat, Alicia 9-11, Ben at the beginning, Barbara
May 9: Nancy, Pat til 9, Ben at the beginning, Barbara,
Frances
4. Joel Custance has recently assumed the Tree Warden vacancy left by Chris’
departure.
5. DPW Spring Planting. Barbara and Ben have been working hard on this. DPW sta?
are accepting the use of jotform, IT is working with all to set up, the jotform will
direct folks to the TC website. Hazard Trees identified in the 2019 street tree
inventory are now being removed by Marquis. Those sites (around 150 of them)
could become planting sites.
6. Pocket Forest update. Rachel alerted us of extensive rabbit damage to the slips
planted last November, and need for sturdier fencing. Rachel understood the DPW
to own/provide for essentials. Pat will write a letter to Dave and Joel after 4/20,
th
when the 250 celebration responsibilities will greatly lighten.
7. Arbor Day will be 4/24. Barbara and Frances (?and Gavin) are free to attend.
Commemorative tree will be planted at ??Tower Park.
8. Birthday Trees. Gavin’s brainchild! To implement, we need to work with DPW,
publicize, and create tree tags. No definite plans made
9. Urban Forest Master Plan. Pat and Barbara updated the group. One meeting so far,
with attendance from Dave, Joel, Karen and Evan from Conservation, members of
Sustainability, Disabilities, the Planning Board attended. No subsequent meeting yet
planned. Questions from us: how do we transmit scientific into to the process?
Should we use “planting matrices”? Can we ask for a 5 year pruning plan? Nancy
has written an economic argument for robust tree care/budget, on which she cc’d
us—how to insert it into the process. How to get the Town and its citizens to
understand the values of trees?
10. Planning Board issues. Nancy updated us on her planned comments to the PB re
Hartwell Ave (healthy, robust vegetative plan); 439 Marrett (15 apts on ½ acre)
conflicting unsatisfactory data submitted, errors and dissatisfaction to be voice; 16
Clarke continued pressure to plant non-espaliered stree trees. The group approved
Nancy’s moving forward with these comments.
11. Discovery Day 5/23/26. Ideas for information to be “peddled” to the public. Rachel,
Pat, Nancy, Frances and Alicia can all attend (schedule to be decided at May
meeting. Information: Pat will create a flier about upcoming Urban Forest Master
Plan; possibly a QR code referring to arborists, Pat will go over existing literature,
quantify, recommend re-printing as needed; Nancy will make a clay model of the
dreaded “mulch volcano” to illustrate its undesirability. Other ideas I caught
vaguely, please update: tree stickers, something about soil, pesticides,
neonix,microscopic organisms.
12. We adjourned at 9:37 AM. We meet again on May 14, 7:30 AM.
Respectfully submitted, Pat Moyer