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Westport Tree Warden Bruce Lindsay recently updated First Selectman Jim Marpe and the Westport Tree Board on tree-related accomplishments.
Throughout the past year, additional trees were planted at a number of town properties, including Town Hall, the Town Transfer Station, Staples High School, Veterans Green, Jesup Road and Longshore Club Park by T. Palmer Landscaping, Eastern Land Management, Izzo Landscaping and Giunta-Bolduc Masonry.
Many of the trees planted in 2014 were donated by Planters’ Choice Nursery in Newtown from a charitable donation of 34 trees delivered in December 2013. Planters’ Choice donated an additional 52 trees in December 2014, many of which will be planted in 2015. These donated trees will be used in various town projects in 2015, including Main Street improvement, Parks and Recreation plantings, roadside plantings and Tribute Tree and Arbor Day projects.
The Public Works Department, with the assistance of the Westport Parks and Recreation Department, embarked on a tree inventory for the Longshore Club Park and Compo Beach in January. Davey Resource Group inventoried all the trees on both properties, covering a total land area of 200 acres. Davey’s certified arborists indexed all trees via GPS, species diversity, diameter size class, distribution, general health, risk factors, maintenance needs and potential threats to trees from pests and diseases.
The tree inventory will be merged with the town’s Geographical Information System (GIS) in an effort to remotely streamline locations, species and conditions of the parks’ trees. The town is planning to inventory its trees on all public properties in forthcoming years to generate an Urban Forestry Management Plan, which the Tree Warden and Tree Board can use as a guide for many years to come.
“Westport is fortunate to have a dedicated Tree Warden, Tree Board, Public Works, and Parks and Recreation staff, all of whom provide services to benefit us all. They have been instrumental in the initial stages of revitalizing various town properties, raising public awareness and keeping citizens safe," Marpe said.
"Also, we are very grateful to a number of generous residents, the Westport Woman’s Club and Smith Richardson Foundation who donated funding, trees and planting services last year. We look forward to further collaboration with them and many others in 2015."
To learn more or to participate in public tree-related activities throughout Westport, contact Lindsay at 203-341-1134 or at treewarden@westportct.gov.
Westport’s Tree Board is actively seeking volunteers to join the board to advise and assist the tree warden, educate the public and promote maintenance, restoration and the planting of desirable trees on town property.
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