Trees in Trouble

   Due to a disconnect between city departments, the majority of the forty-three new trees planted at the Community Senior Center are in serious distress, either dying or already dead. Somehow, a plan was never put in place to see to it that the trees would be watered throughout the summer. Any new street trees planted by the Tree Commission are automatically put into the budget to be watered weekly for a period of two years, the necessary time to establish  an adequate root system so that the trees can ultimately be self-sufficient even in times of drought. However, trees planted under contract at city buildings fall under a different jurisdiction. Over one hundred  new trees at the Bresnahan Elementary School have also been neglected all summer long.  The Senior Center tree situation has now been rectified, the trees have been wrapped with Gator Bags and will be watered weekly for the remainder of the summer.  There is no known plan to water the trees at the Bresnahan School.
     Unfortunately, many of these trees are beyond saving and will need to be replaced. The Tree Commission hopes to be consulted in the future on city projects so that they can collaborate with city officials and developers with some advanced planning to prevent a similar fate.

Dying tree in front of the Senior Community Center

Dying tree at the new Bresnahan

Senior Center Tree near Bresnahan 

Brand new trees struggling at the Bresnahan

Attempt to save this Senior Center tree with a Gator Bag

Cedar near Bresnahan tennis courts

Unlike the trees at the Bresnahan and Senior Center, this Bartlett Mall sapling's watering needs were met by the Tree Commission and has survived nicely during one of the hottest and driest summers on record.

     In other tree related business, the Tree Warden reports that as of Aug 1, eighty-five high hazard trees have been removed already this year, with another fifteen to go. The norm for tree removal per year in Newburyport is fifty to sixty but there has been a backlog of orders from the last three years that are just getting taken care of now. Look for Fall tree planting on Green Street after sidewalk construction is completed. Friends of Newburyport Trees continues to seek out grants and donations to fulfill its goals for new plantings at the gateways to the city on both ends of High Street.
    Donations to Friends of Newburyport Trees are tax deductible and can be sent to FONT, Box 1155, Newburyport, MA 01950.