HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-07-09-TREE-min
Lexington Tree Committee
Minutes for July 9, 2009
Attendees: John Frey, Chairman, Jeanne Krieger, Jewel Kuljian, Karen Longeteig, Gerry Paul, Anne
Senning, Jim Wood, and Susan Solomon.
1 Jewel Kuljian was appointed as scribe and the minutes of the June 11, 2009 minutes were
approved with corrections.
2 Tree Warden's agenda items: David Pinsonneault(absent)
a) Tree removal applications and activity. Unknown
b)Tree Nursery staking, landscape fabric. A date was set for Tuesday, July 14th at 1 P.M. to
stake the identified trees. Two stakes per tree will be installed by slitting the landscape cloth
and hammering in the stakes on the outside of the tree bag. Jim will speak with Dave about
securing the number of stakes needed. Karen offered to bring material for the ties. Other items
needed are scissors, knives, and small sledgehammers.
c)Tree Inventory 2009 update. Tree Committee members donated $5.00 each to cover the cost
of the tree I.D. books given to each of the interns. Anne reviewed her 2009 Tree Inventory
Report (attached). Sixty five percent of the town has been inventoried. Jeanne indicated that this
does not include unaccepted streets, approximately ten percent. Anne feels that the inventory
could be completed next summer if two interns can be funded through a grant and work
continues on the inventory during this summer on Tuesday mornings at 8:30 A.M. An email will
be sent to the Committee as a reminder. She also reported that a work order system has been
developed and Dave has been given ten work orders as a result of this new feedback system.
Jim wants to write the next DCR grant and Karen offered to help him, using Anne's resources.
d)Belfry Hill status. A weeding plan for Belfry Hill is needed to pull various weeds, especially
Norway Maple seedlings that continue to sprout. Thursday mornings at 8-10 a.m. is suggested
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on a regular basis. Note: This conflicts with the July 23 8:30 A.M. meeting of Friends of
Trees. Those attending can be encouraged to help with the weeding after the meeting. Karen
suggested broadcasting Carex pensylvanica (sedge) seed or plugs as soon as possible. She
agreed to discuss this with Dave and find out if it can be funded through the revolving fund and
whether Matt Foti is to do this work as part of his contract.
Three white oaks have died and the basswood trees that were transplanted on Belfry Hill have
only base suckers alive. All were big transplants.
e)Spring 2009 planting status of 35 street trees and Matt Foti's 4 donated trees. Unknown.
Jewel believes that one of the donated trees(Tupelo) has been planted at Hastings Park. Karen,
Jewel and John agreed to assess the status of the fall tree planting. No pruning will be done as
the trees are likely to be under warranty. Jewel will bring copies of the fall planting
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spreadsheets for the addresses. They agreed to meet at the “white house” on Tuesday, July 21
at 8:30 A.M.
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f)Marrett Rd. and Concord Ave. tree hearings. Matt Foti has been asked to look at the trees in
question on Concord Avenue for an additional opinion prior to a decision. Pending any further
action, two trees on Marrett Road (related to the Spring Street project}are likely to be taken
down, one a healthy Basswood and the other a Norway Maple.
g)Tree Manual status. The new Tree Manual has been printed and four hundred copies are to be
delivered by Lexington Graphics to the new DPW facility today.
h)Battle Green Master Plan. Continuing with the discussion and agreement by the Tree
Committee in support of the concept of a perimeter of trees around the Battle Green, Jim
suggests that the Tree Committee come up with a structure/plan for trees on the Battle Green.
Results of an agreed upon structure/plan would be presented to Dawn McKenna, Master Plan
group, and to the Board of Selectmen. Jim has been giving thought to this project and will be
emailing members about his thoughts. He could not discuss the topic further as he had to leave
the meeting. Most likely there will be a sub-group to complete this work. Jim is interested in
being Chair and was designated as such.
i)Listing Elm at Depot. Jewel reported in passing she recently had a quick conversation with
Dave about this Elm tree. He said that Matt Foti had taken care of the problem. Jewel also
reported that she straightened the leaning Sourwood tree on Meriam Street damaged this
past winter. At the same time she weeded, edged, and put some compost at the base of each
tree.
j) Off-berm planting status. Dave is to contact Town Counsel regarding off-berm planting.
3. CPA funds for tree preservation (bittersweet eradication). Gerry has been given the go-ahead
from Town Counsel to seek CPA funding for bittersweet eradication. Preliminary applications
are due in October. All agreed that the site chosen should be very visible and this should be a
multi-year project. Gerry will speak with Emily and plan to go to the Conservation Committee
Meeting. John suggested the Hingham Project as a possible resource/model. Gerry will work
with Dave and Karen on this project.
4. Friends of Trees. Gerry will inform members about the Belfry Hill weeding plan at the next
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meeting to be held on Thursday, July 23 at 8:30 a.m .
5. Web site update. Karen will update the web site with the new Tree Manual.
Other: Jeanne asked about having some standards about native plant material for the fall deadline of
the Hartwell Avenue project. Nell, John, Keith Ohmart, Duke Bitsko and others are working on this
topic.
Respectfully submitted,
Jewel Kuljian