Trees Growing Over Cambridge Water Pipe Through Town Will be Removed

Unbeknownst to many in Watertown, 20 foot wide piece of land stretching from one end of town to the other is actually owned by the City of Cambridge, and that area has become a source of confusion and controversy now that Cambridge announced the removal of trees on the land that sits above a large water pipe. The water main, 4 to 5 feet in diameter, connects Cambridge to one of its main water sources – a reservoir in Waltham. Over the years, trees have grown over the pipe and the roots of some have infiltrated the pipe. The Cambridge Watertown Department informed Watertown Tree Warden Chris Hayward at the end of January that 25 trees will be removed from the area along Linear Park (behind Town Hall) and along the Community Path between Whites Avenue and Waverley Avenue. The work will take place between Feb.

Town Has Free Street Trees, See Which Species are Available

The Watertown Tree Warden has street trees available to be planted on the street in your front yard close to the sidewalk. 

If you would like a tree to be planted, please email your top three choices to Tree Warden Chris Hayward at chayward@watertown-ma.gov. He will come out to your site to see if there is a suitable planting location and let you know whether a tree can or cannot be planted. Keep in mind, if you are interested, that trees can also be planted on private property within 20-feet of the public right of way. Watertown Fall 2016 Street tree availability list Species (Common ) Species (Botanical ) with height and then spread listed. Small and Front Yard trees

Celestial dogwood Cornus rutgan 15′ to 25′ 12′ to 15′

Canada red cherry Prunus virginiana 20′ to 25′ 18′ to 20′

Coral burst crab Malus × moerlandsii ‘Profusion’ 10′ to 15′ 10′ to 15′

Snowgoose cherry Prunus serrulata “Snowgoose” 20′ to 25′ 15′ to 20′

Kwanzan cherry Prunus serrulata “Kwanzan” 20′ to 25′ 20′ to 30′

Medium sized trees

Cleveland select pear Pyrus calleryana ‘Cleveland select’ 25′ to 35′ 15′ to 20′

Hop-Hornbeam Ostrya virginiana 15′ to 30′ 12′ to 25′

Sun valley maple Acer rubrum “Sun Valley” 20′ to 30′ 20′ to 30′

Large Shade Trees

Pin oak Quercus palustris 50′ to 70′ 30′ to 40′

Red oak Quercus rubra 75′ to 100′ 60′ to 75′

Elm “Princeton” Ulmus spp. 50′ to 70′ 30′ to 50′

Ginko Ginko biloba 50′ to 80′ 35′ to 45′

Skyline Honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos inerms 45′ to 60′ 25′ to 35′

Autumn blaze red maple Acer rubrum 40′ to 50′ 30′ to 40′

Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua 50′ to 70′ 30′ to 40′

Tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera 60′ to 90′ 30′ to 50′

Horsechesnut Aesculus hippocastanum 40′ to 60′ 30′ to 40′

Black gum Nyssa sylvatica 40′ to 65′ 30′ to 40′

Find Out What Happened to the Trees on Arsenal Street

One of the trees along Arsenal Street near the new apartment complex was ripped out of the ground recently when a tractor trailer struck it, and other trees in the area had to be trimmed to prevent further damage. Tree Warden Chris Hayward said the damage occurred in mid-June while Arsenal Street was being ripped up to remove old trolley tracks. “Because the center of the road was now closed, traffic had to be pushed to the outer edges of the roadway,” Hayward said. “Around 3 p.m. on Thursday June 16, a tractor trailer truck clipped a large leader that had not been pruned in advance of this new traffic pattern. That tree was literally ripped out of its planting location.”

Several Trees Along Arsenal Street Slated to be Removed

A hearing will be held this week about a string of trees along Arsenal Street that are on the list to be removed. Most of trees are on the north side of the street, and stretch between Lexus of Watertown and the new apartment complex being built on Arsenal Street. According to the Watertown Tree Warden Chris Hayward’s announcement, seven honeylocust trees at 222 Arsenal Street are scheduled to be removed to make way for the proposed bikeway. Another tree on the other side, at 191 Arsenal Street, is also slated to be removed to accommodate widening of the roadway. The Tree Warden will hold hearing will be held on Thursday, May 12 at 11:30 a.m. in the Lower Hearing Room of Town Hall, 149 Main St.

See the Trees Available From the Town to Plant in Front of Your Home

Watertown Tree Warden Chris Hayward released the list of tree species available for residents for the Spring of 2016. There are 17 trees available, and the come in small (15-25 feet tall), medium (25-40 feet) and large (40-90 feet) sizes. See the list here. Hayward sent out the following information:

If you would like a tree to be planted, please email your top three choices to the Tree Warden at chayward@watertown-ma.gov. He will come out to your site to see if there is a suitable planting location and let you know whether a tree can or cannot be planted. Keep in mind, if you are interested, that trees can also be planted on private property within 20-feet of the public right of way.

Eversource to Start Pruning Trees Soon, See if Your Street is on the List

Eversource will begin trimming trees in a few weeks and will be working on dozens of streets in Watertown. Most of the streets are in the west end of town, and maps of the areas to be pruned can be seen by clicking here. Watertown Tree Warden Christopher Hayward sent out the following announcement:

It is anticipated that starting on Monday February 29, 2016,  Eversource contracted tree pruning crews (Lewis Tree) will be starting their Spring 2016 circuit pruning.  The routes the crews will be pruning are advertised in map and list form on the Watertown Tree Warden’s web page at http://www.watertown-ma.gov/index.aspx?nid=352  A copy of the signed Tree Warden’s permit is also posted on the Tree Warden webpage. If you have any questions or concerns about this work, please contact the Watertown Tree Warden, Chris Hayward, at 617-972-6426 or chayward@watertown-ma.gov.

Here are the streets on the list for Eversource’s tree pruning in the spring of 2016

Wesminster Avenue
Bemis Street
Waverley Avenue
King Street
Carey Avenue
Cleveland Road
Morrison Road
Brookline Street
Webster Street
Warren Street
Bancroft Street
Edenfield Avenue
French Street
Homer Street
Myrtle Street
Middle Street
Purvis Street
Olney Street
Main Street
Oakley Street
Acton Street
Lexington Street
Howard Street
Waltham Street
Edward Road
Green River Way
Rutland Street
Evans Street
Bromfield Street
Pine Street
Jensen Road
Brandley Road
Falmouth Road
Puritan Road
Pilgram Road
Morrison Road
Morton Street
Olcott Street
Gilbert Street
Prescott Street
Longfellow Road
Whitman Road
Emerson Road
Partridge Street
Gleason Street
Stuart Street
Wilmot Street
King Street
Copeland Street
Hersom Street
Chapman Street
Grandview Avenue
Heather Road
Desmond Road
Highland Avenue

 

Town Losing an Old Friend in Watertown Square – a 90+ Year Old Tree

A familiar sight in Watertown Square will be gone after nine decades when the town cuts down a large shade tree in the Watertown Delta on Tuesday. The Norway Maple has stood in that spot since at least 1927, and was one of three tree planted there at the time. It has grown as tall as the next door Watertown Savings Bank building and has been lit during the holidays. The tree, however, is splitting apart and is literally being held together by wires, said Watertown Tree Warden Chris Hayward. In July, a major limb came crashing down from the tree, and Hayward worried another limb could fall – and this time hurt someone.