NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city has about six months left to acquire the remaining 39 trees available through the Franklin Land Trust grant and a little more than $1,000 in funds.

 

The Tree Commission recently was setting plans for the upcoming growing season as well determining what it's mission and goals are. 

 

The commission was re-established late last summer to take over the work initiated by the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and the Franklin Land Trust. Its first planting was the memorial tree planted at Noel Field in honor of William Evans, a Drury High graduate and U.S. Capitol Police officer killed in the line of duty. 

 

"I am very excited to plant more trees this spring," said Commissioner Danielle Galietti. "We did our first inaugural tree in the fall ... So that was really nice to to get to be able to break some ground and to get some new life started and looking so forward to adding some more the spring."

 

Commissioner Dianne Olsen had some concern about the ability to recruit volunteers during the pandemic but thought by the time any plantings would start, the case numbers would have dropped off. 

 

Commissioner Francesca Olsen agreed, saying, "if it's anything like last summer, I think we will be able to at least coordinate one tree planting with volunteers. That seems reasonable to expect at this point."

 

About 20 volunteers had signed up to help over the past couple years with plantings and Galietti said she would contact them to see if they were still interested. 

 

Commissioner Kevin Boisjolie said working in smaller groups of people outside would make a big difference. 

 

"Looking ahead, I'd like to check with the people that are going to supply the trees that we get and see what kind of shipments we can get them in," he said. "I don't know if they've ever sent 39 trees at once. If that's a normal order, or can be broken down into maybe, I don't know, what the minimum is."

 

Galietti thought the delivery fee itself was standard and not based on quantity and that she would speak to the commission's contact with the trust about the remaining balance and fees. 

 

"I think looking at it more so through that lens might give us a little bit more clearer direction," she said. "While I don't want to kind of waste resources for just one tree, all things considered. It's kind of contingent on, I believe, it's just like a one flat rate for delivery fee."

 

Commissioner of Public Services Timothy Lescarbeau attended this meeting, in part in his role as the city's tree warden. He informed the commission that trees could be delivered to the City Yard but he could not guarantee that city crews would be able to help in delivering them to specific sites or in planting. 

 

"The city has limited resources and I'll help you the best I can," he said. "But if I have some other issues going on, those will be priority. And we always have a lot of issues. If I can help, then I will. That's not an issue because I fully support this program."

 

He said his concerns included where the trees will be planted because of considerations such as underground wires and other hidden infrastructure. The commission should also be aware of street and sidewalk work, such as being planned for parts of Ashland Street. And research the best trees for where they plan to plant. Trees on Church Street, for example, are being removed this summer by the utility company because they've grown into the wires and have to be repeatedly cropped. 

 

"They look terrible," Lescarbeau said. "I believe they're all Norway maples, which are junk trees."

 

Norway maples are considered an invasive species. Lescarbeau suggested the commission confer with Bret Beattie, the former coordinator of the effort, on what trees would be more suitable. 

 

Galietti suggested reviewing the city's Vision 2030 master plan, which has some details on greenspaces. 

 

"I was just looking at it for some work," she said. "And I'm wondering if there are specific areas listed that are, you know, these areas are primary for greening and we could maybe start there. That could give us some guidance."

 

Dianne Olsen also provided the commissioners with a mission statement that she had written up for their review. The statement was written broadly with four parts: That the commission's mission is to plant trees to enhance the city's environment, health, beauty and community spirit; to offer educational opportunities, such as workshops, lectures and tree walks to improve public appreciation of urban trees; to serve as a resource for residents and organizations on incorporating trees in the urban landscape; and to liaison with city departments such as public works, tourism and community development. 

 

Galietti and Olsen suggested that the commission contact similar commissions to see how they operate and consider applying for grants if they wanted to workshops and outreach projects.  

 

One thing the commission agreed that it did not want to become is a complaint board about trees. Last fall, the commission had been approached by a resident about a tree near her home. The commission pointed her in the direction of the Public Services Department, and agreed that deferring to city departments should be the standard. 

 

"I think the best thing we can have is directions on where these type of complaints should go to, so we can tell people very clearly, very quickly about who they need to contact," said Boisjolie. 

 

Lescarbeau said complaints like that should go to his department. 

 

"If they're healthy trees, and people just want to take them down? I got a problem with that. You know, if they're a dangerous tree, I have the authority, I'm the tree warden ... I'm gonna take it down. I'm not gonna come to the Tree Commission first on that," he said. "Those are my only issues and everything else we can work around."