Monson Tree Committee
Thursday September, 8, 2011
In Attendance: Hope Bodwell, Leslie Duthie, Evan Brassard, Dick Annabel, Audra Staples, Kathryn Dreyer, Leona Brahen, Martha Prybylo, Valarie Beaudoin, Nicholas Beaudoin, Don Vacon
Introductions
Ms. Bodwell spoke about public trees on public land. There will be a visioning workshop working with PVPC september 14th 6:30pm at MHS. Looking to get "the whole town" to talk about "What do we want for downtown Monson?". Not just trees but also public safety, streetlights, parks and recreation, signs, buildings, etc. We are trying to build a downtown blueprint. EX: tennis courts- if we were to add 2 there would be enough for the school to have a tennis team. Huge brainstorming committee.
First step for tree committee is to go to the workshop- see what the community wants and then take charge of the tree planting part.
Resources: People's Bank donated $10,000 just for the planting of downtown trees. They did this in all tornado impacted towns. They also gave 1 symbolic Elm tree which has been planted behind the backstop in Veteran's Field. The Amherst Nursery is donating "seconds", trees that are too big or a little off for every day yard planting. This is for a spring planting- the tree committee will work with them through fall and winter- they have also offered great discounts to all people impacted by the tornados. There is a Conservation Commission from Eastern MA that requires people to plant a tree if they violate a by-law or the wetlands protection act. This committee is offering the donation of the retribution trees currently owed to the town.
Ms. Duthie met with John Perry for the Urban Strike Force. They not only look at replacing down trees but they also look at salvaging damaged trees. They will be in Monson 19th, 20th and 21st with a team of arborist to make recommendations for the community. John Morrell is currently working on identifying the tree buffer on each impacted street.
Mr. Vacon asked about soil work. Ms. Duthie said the Arborist and the strike force will look at soil types but that most of their recommendations are generic and broad.
Ms. Dreyer asked about the bottom of Ely road- from The Keep Homestead Museum property and down. Ms. Duthie said that the Department of Conservation and Recreation has volunteered to come and do clean up work from Dr. Rogers Field up to the top of Mt. Ella and back towards the Keep. Ms. Duthie said they won't be doing a full clear-cut because it is important to leave "material" on the ground as the logs will become nurse logs and they provide protection to smaller vegetation. The DCR will be looking for a middle ground between fire hazard and clear cut.
Mr. Annabelle asked about the stripped trees. Ms. Duthie said a lot of that repair or replacement will depend on individual land owners. She said there are programs available to assist homeowners with this clean up.
The Council On Aging is selling (along with MASS COA) paper trees that they are decorating the senior center with. That money comes back to the town to replant public trees. The Lion's Club had a new National President this year and prior to the tornado he announced that his new goal for this year was to plant 1 million trees world wide. They are hoping to get members from the other towns that were affected by the tornado to assist in planting trees here in Monson and in turn they would go help to plant in their town. Mr. Vacon is going to invite the Monson Rotary Club to work with the Lion's Club on this.
Rick and Kathy Carr have put together a golf tournament. All money raised is for downtown tree planting. They have more teams than they ever expected. They are looking to raise thousands of dollars.
The money for public trees will all be funneled through "gifts to the town". It will all be spent by the town through a restricted account.
Ms. Prybylo works for a large company in Boston who works with a vendor that has donated tote bags and t-shirts to sell to raise funds. She has contacts in Eastern MA nurseries that are eager to help. She is happy to be the conduit to the Eastern part of the state and funnel the fundraising to Monson. There is a booth at Brimfield Flea Market selling these t-shirts and tote bags. Ms. Brahen works for an Arborist out of NH and her nephew is also an Arborist from UMASS. Committee members should be thinking of places to sell the bags and T-shirts.
Opacum Land Trust has agreed to channel funds for private trees for the time being. People can make a donation to Opacum and write "monson trees" on it and it will go directly to homeowners and private lands.
National Grid and Mass Turnpike have grants available for homeowners. Ms. Duthie said there has to be a cost associated with the trees for private owners because if something is free then there is no value to it.
Look at regreenspringfield.org- Ms. Staples will send a copy of the link when she emails the minutes. Mr.Vacon's daughter Carrie is a web-site designer. He will ask her to design a website for the tree committee.
Ms. Brahen made a motion to use the Replanting Together logo for the Tree Committee's official logo. Mr. Brassard second the motion. there was no discussion, all in favor, so voted.
Mr. Brassard asked what the fundraising goal was. Ms. Bodwell said there is currently no limit to the fundraising. Mr. Brassard said he feels that the public gives more when they see the progress of the fundraising. Ms. Bodwell agreed that he is very right and that while we do not currently have a goal, we will eventually be making one.
DCR event:
Ms. Duthie said that the biggest part that we don't have is how much we will need per tree. The DCR is helping by doing the clearing at Flynt Park as well as giving the town 10-15,000 worth of trees with a list of pre-approved nurseries. The town can either take the money, take the trees or do any combination there of. The DCR is pushing for a fall planting event- they want the community members to see the rebuilding start and to see the DCR as a community partner.
Veteran's Field and Cushman Field are two Parks & Recreation areas that were badly damaged. Since the DCR wants to do a fall planting event Ms. Duthie thought these would be good places to start. The DCR had talked about 2 weekends- September 24th & 25th or October 1st & 2nd. October 1&2 is Bulky Day and the Pumpkin Festival at the church. Ms. Bodwell felt it would be "unneighborly" to hold our community event on the same day as these previously planned events.
The DCR is bringing the trees and some man power we will need volunteers. So far Ms. Duthie has two girl scout troops, the boy scouts and church teens that are all interested in digging and planting. Ms. Bodwell said she would talk to Parks & Recreation about their involvement. Mr. Beaudoin asked if the school could donate community service time in lieu of class time. He is also going to talk to Mr. Linkenhoker, the high school principal, to see if they could do a school day "field trip" to volunteer. Being that the fall planting will happen on a saturday, these events would best suite the spring planting events.
Ms. Staples said that her husband works for Leahy equipment. She said that the company owner may be able to donate some equipment to be used for planting.
At Cushman Field, Ms. Duthie was thinking shrub material along the smaller brooks up each side of the field. It is easier to plant for smaller volunteers as well as a good barrier for the "balls" from the sports fields.
Ms. Duthie explained about the need for shade trees along the brook- keeps the water an acclimate temperature for the fish.
There were concerns expressed about "poisonous berries". The committee doesn't want to put anything that is harmful if eaten by children.
Mr Brassard asked what the goal of this planting was and Ms. Duthie said it was to plant and let nature take over. He also asked if we would be looking for Hemlocks or other ornamentals- Ms Duthie said she feels that Birch would work really well.
Mr. Beaudoin expressed concerns about birch trees growing up and dying and Ms. Duthie said that she understood his concern but if the committee decided to use birch trees they would only plant a few because the less you have the better off they do.
Mr. Beaudoin is going to look for volunteers and signs to be made at the High School.
At Veterans Field, Mr. Pascale of the Parks & Rec. would like to keep the trees 80 inches off the fence. Ms. Duthie was thinking of elms along that fence line. She would like to use silver maples along the brook. She is working with Parks & Rec. and the Highway on placement in reference to the fence. Mr. Beaudoin recommended mixing sugar maples in with silver maples for variety.
Ms. Duthie made a motion to use all Elm trees along the fence on State Street. Ms. Brahen second the motion. All in favor, so voted.
Ms. Staples will take "before" pictures of each field.
Ms. Duthie made a motion to plant a combination of Sugar and Silver Maples along the Chicopee Brook at Veteran's Field. Mr. Beaudoin made a recommendation that if the committee was using two types of Maples they should also add in some Oak trees and Walnut trees. Ms. Duthie amended the motion to include the use of Red Oak, Silver Maple, Sugar Maple and Walnut trees along the Chicopee Brook at Veteran's Field. Ms. Brahen second motion. All in favor, so voted.
Ms. Bodwell asked Mr. Beaudoin to rally students for the Visionary Meeting on September 14th and to get them to participate. Mr. Beaudoin said he would, he is also going to ask for volunteers to come to the fall planting.
Ms. Bodwell will find a location for the next meeting and will let everyone know. The date will be Monday the 19th at 6PM.
Ms. Staples made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Brassard second the motion, all in favor, so voted. Meeting adjourned at 7:42 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
The Monson Tree Committee
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