Tree Planted for Arbor Day First of 100 Planned Around Watertown in 2021

Trees for WatertownTeam members from Hartley Greymont tree service company and Watertown Department of Public
Works help to install the new Dawn Redwood tree planted at the Lowell School on Arbor Day, 2021. The following piece was written and submitted by James Briand of Trees for Watertown Watertown:

Tree Warden Gregory Mosman celebrated Arbor Day last week with the planting of a magnificent Dawn Redwood at the Lowell School, assisted by Steven Kendall representative of tree service provider Hartney Greymont and former Deputy Tree Warden for the City of Boston. Joining Mosman and Kendall were volunteers Marbin Sanchez and Jon Quinn, and David Andrad of the Watertown Department of Public Works. The tree planting was recorded by Trees for Watertown board member Jessica Grimsby, who is preparing a short how-to video to encourage residents to plant trees on their own property. Next year Arbor Day will turn 150 years old.

Watertown Residents Can Request a Tree be Planted in Front of Their Homes

The following announcement was provided by Trees for Watertown:

Are you trying to forget our brutal summer that featured heat wave after heat wave? Now it’s official: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that June through August 2020 was the hottest summer on record for Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. As hot as it was, on walks around the neighborhood (what else was to be done during a global pandemic?), I felt instant relief as I passed beneath the green canopies of street trees. The immediate cool I felt was not only due to the leafy parasol above sheltering me from direct sunshine, it was also thanks to the lack of heat radiating off asphalt and sidewalks, which store up solar gain and turn our streets into ovens. Evaporation from trees helps cool the air, too.

LETTER: Full Time Forestry Supervisor Key to Protecting Watertown’s Tree Canopy

On behalf of Trees for Watertown, I want to publicly thank our DPW, and in particular Bob DiRico — who is Acting Forestry Supervisor on top of his already-full-time job as Supervisor of Parks and Cemeteries — for the care they’re taking of our town trees during this extended period both without a full-time Forestry Supervisor/Tree Warden and now with reduced DPW staffing because of the pandemic. As we all know we had a very severe windstorm yesterday. Watertown’s tree canopy took a real beating. Our DPW did a tremendous job responding to this. Bob DiRico and his support team were up until 11:30 last night working on clearing the worst of the damage and already were at it again early this morning.

Free Family Event at Arsenal Park in Celebration of Arbor Day

The public is invited to the 2019 Arbor Day of Service, a free family friendly celebration. The event will be held Thursday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Arsenal Park near the tot lot, rain or shine. Activities at the Arbor Day celebration include: tree pruning demonstrations, story time, sing along, sweet treats, crafts, games, and truckies (aka selfies in a truck). The Forestry Supervisor, Tree Warden & Commander’s Mansion would like to thank: Watertown Recreation Department, Watertown Conservation Commission, Watertown Stormwater Advisory Committee, the Watertown Department of Public Works, Trees for Watertown, Watertown Savings Bank, Armenia Tree Project, Massachusetts Arborists Association, The Icing on the Cake, Watertown Free Public Library, and Friends of Bees.

See How Watertown Will Celebrate Arbor Day

Some of the tables at the Town of Watertown’s Arbor Day Celebration. This year it will take place on April 25. Watertown will celebrate Arbor Day with a day of service, and also provide information for people interested in trees, gardening and other related topics. On Thursday, April 25, Watertown Tree Warden Chris Hayward will work with local companies to do maintenance on trees in Arsenal Park. “The trees need trimming and removal of some branches,” Hayward said.

Hearing to be Held About Two Trees Proposed to be Cut Down

Watertown Tree Warden Chris Hayward will hold a hearing to discuss two trees that are proposed to be taken down. The Tree Hearing will be held on Thursday July 13, 2017, at 11:30 a.m. in Town Hall in the 3rd Floor Meeting Room. Location
DBH
Type of Tree

137 School Street
8”
Kwanzan cherry

1 Howe St (on Boylston St)
17”
Norway maple

Please note that you do not need to attend the Tree Hearing to be heard, Hayward said in the announcement. If you cannot attend but are for or against the removal of any of the trees listed and want your thoughts to become public record, please email the Tree Warden at chayward@watertown-ma.gov. Your concerns will be read into the public record at the hearing. Your email must be received by me by 10:30am on July 13, 2017.