citizen forester, september 2013
DESCRIPTION
Monthly newsletter of the DCR Urban and Community Forestry Program.TRANSCRIPT
Massachusetts is home to a diverse landscape of white
pine, hemlock, oak, beech, birch, and maple. Yet only 2%
of the wood we use in Massachusetts is grown,
harvested, and manufactured within our borders. As a
result, we place a greater strain on forested resources
around the globe, and money that would have come
from locally-produced forest products does not circulate
in our communities.
Our forests can provide us
with an abundant natural
resource that can be used
to grow our local economy
and create sustainable jobs.
Many of our trees can be
manufactured into high
quality products including
beams, hardwood flooring,
furniture, paneling, and
mulch. Purchasing Massa-
chusetts wood products
not only supports local
businesses, it connects us
with the land and helps us understand the significance of
responsibly managing it for the future. Working wood-
lands help maintain beautiful, healthy forests that sustain
local jobs, produce clean drinking water, conserve wild-
life habitat, and provide recreational opportunities, but
they need your help.
By supporting local forest-based businesses you are
making the choice to invest in the future of our forests
and our communities.
Regulatory Requirements Timber Harvester License
To participate in Commonwealth Quality, a harvester of
raw forest products must be licensed by the Common-
wealth of Massachusetts as a timber harvester. Massachu-
setts is one of the few states in the country to require
(Continued on page 2)
This month, we’ll take a step
back from the urban forest and
look at forests in Massachusetts through the eyes of the
Commonwealth Quality program.
A brand designed by the Massachusetts Department of
Agricultural Resources, the Commonwealth Quality seal
identifies locally-sourced products of four business
sectors – produce, forestry, aquaculture, and lobster -
that are grown, har-
vested, and processed in
the state using practices
that are safe, sustain-
able, and eco-friendly.
Commonwealth Quality-
certified growers, produc-
ers, harvesters, and proc-
essors meet stringent fed-
eral, state, and local regula-
tory requirements and em-
ploy best management
practices and production
standards, to ensure that
consumers receive the safest, most
wholesome products available, with
minimal impact on the environment.
The Commonwealth Quality program
recognizes forest product companies
based in Massachusetts that meet
program guidelines. As a consumer,
look for the Commonwealth Quality
symbol, and if you are in the forest
product industry in Massachusetts,
consider joining the Commonwealth
Quality program. The following is
adapted from the Commonwealth
Quality website.
Forestry in Massachusetts Did you know that Massachusetts is
over 60% forested?
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3
Up Ahead:
Commonwealth
Quality 1
Tree Wardens 4
Species
Spotlight 5
Growing
Greener 6
Growing on
Trees 7
News 11
On the
Horizon 12
Commonwealth Quality in Massachusetts By Mollie Freilicher
Wood from a Commonwealth Quality business comprises the new
raised walkway through Hawley Bog.
Commonwealth Quality in Massachusetts
d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n
T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3
that timber harvesters be licensed. To become licensed,
a harvester must pass an exam that demonstrates his or
her knowledge of state timber laws and best manage-
ment practices pertaining to harvesting. Harvesters who
wish to renew their license must accrue nine hours of
continuing education credits within each three-year certi-
fication period. Continuing education curriculum includes
courses on subjects such as wetland identification, values,
and functions; rare species habitat protection; wildlife
management; forest products measurement and grading;
and safety. Licenses are issued by the Department of
Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
Sustainability Requirements Massachusetts Forest Cutting Practices Act
(Chapter 132)
Commonwealth Quality requires that forest products
must be harvested in accordance with the Massachusetts
Forest Cutting Practices Act (Chapter 132). In addition,
the program requires that forest/wood product manufac-
turers provide documentation to certify that wood used
for processing was harvested in accordance with this
law.
The Forest Cutting Practices Act was created to ensure
harvested land remains in a condition that does not jeop-
ardize public interest. It states that public welfare
requires the rehabilitation, maintenance, and protection
of forestlands for the purposes of:
Conserving water
Preventing floods
and soil erosion
Improving the
conditions for
wildlife and
recreation
Protecting and
improving air and
water quality
Ensuring a
continuous supply of forest products for public
consumption, farm use, and the wood-using
industries of the Commonwealth
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
administers Chapter 132. A forestry committee, ap-
pointed by the governor, develops cutting practices and
guidelines to ensure the above objectives are met.
(Continued from page 1) Committee members change every one to three years.
The forestry committee consists of eight members,
representing:
Forest landowners
Primary wood-using industries
Licensed timber harvesters
Consulting foresters
Environmental organizations
Water supply agencies
Fisheries and wildlife
The public-at-large.
The Forest Cutting Practices Act regulates commercial
timber harvesting on both public and private forestland
when a volume of 25,000 board feet or 50 cords of
wood are to be cut on any one parcel of land at any one
time.
MA Forest Cutting Practices Act (Chapter 132) Resources
MA Forest Cutting Practices Act (Chapter 132) Bulletin (PDF)
Long-Term Harvesting and Land Use
Harvests done under the auspices of Commonwealth
Quality must qualify as “long-term” harvests. This means
forester and harvester work together to achieve multiple
objectives, while preserving future forest conditions. The
art and science of forestry is applied to protect large-
diameter and/or high-value species (such as oak) that
could act as a seed source for growing future trees of
high quality or provide food for wildlife. As a result, a
long-term harvest can ensure that the residual forest
stand is not dominated by poor-quality trees and low-
value species.
Commonwealth
Quality program re-
quirements also certify
that harvests are not
done for the purpose
of converting land to a
non-agriculture or
non-forest land use.
This extra measure of
protection helps guarantee that harvested land is not
commercially developed, thus preserving valuable Massa-
chusetts landscape for agriculture, wildlife, or recreation.
Massachusetts Forestry Best Management
Practices (BMPs)
Commonwealth Quality program participants must ad-
here to practices outlined in the “Massachusetts Forestry
P A G E 3
Commonwealth Quality in Massachusetts
T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R
d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3
Best Management Practices” document, as well as pro-
gram-specific best management practices (BMPs) refer-
enced in Exhibit B. Together, these BMPs are designed to
protect the environment and our natural resources,
while ensuring the consumer receives the highest quality
product possible.
The forestry BMPs were developed by DCR as a means
of minimizing the overland speed and volume of water
that carries sediment and nutrients that impact:
Wetlands and water bodies
Drinking water supplies
Fish, amphibian, and reptile habitat.
Forestry BMPs also serve to
prevent rutting and improve the
looks of a timber harvest, which
is important to landowners and
the general public.
Many of the forestry BMPs are
required by the Massachusetts
Forest Cutting Practices Act
(Chapter 132) that governs har-
vests; however, others are rec-
ommended guidelines developed
by DCR.
Massachusetts Forestry Best Man-
agement Practices (PDF)
Companies that meet these re-
quirements are eligible to apply to the Commonwealth
Quality program.
For more information on the Commonwealth Quality
program for forest products, contact Sean Mahoney,
DCR Outreach Service Forester,
[email protected] 413-545-5743, or the Com-
monwealth Quality Program Coordinator, Michael
Botelho, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural
Resources, [email protected], 617-626-1721.
Resources Commonwealth Quality: www.thecqp.com
Commonwealth Quality for forest products:
www.thecqp.com/forest
MassWoods (for information related to forest cutting
laws and best practices): http://masswoods.net/
Thanks to Sean Mahoney for comments on this article.
(Continued from page 2)
Forestry Best Management Practices Manual For those of you who clicked the link last month and could not find the revised edition of the Massachusetts Forestry Best Manage-ment Practices Manual, the document is now available at the website: www.masswoods.net.
Paul, Jennifer, and John
of Gurney’s Sawmill,
East Freetown, MA.
Find participating forestry producers on the CQP website.
P A G E 4
Mass Tree Wardens & Foresters Association Visits Georges Island
d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n
T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R
DCR Tree Steward Training—Register Today! October 25-26, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA The 2013 DCR Tree Steward Training will take place Friday, October 25 to Saturday, October 26 at the Harvard
Forest in Petersham. At this year’s session: learn about tree biology, benefits, preserving trees during construction,
tree planting, i-Tree (extended session), working with your utility arborist, pruning, tree ID (extended session) funding
urban forestry programs, and participate in a roundtable discussion on working with trees and people in your commu-
nity. We’ll have a mix of indoor and outdoor sessions.
Registration is now available on the DCR Urban and Community Forestry
website
(http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/conservation/forestry-and-fire-control/branching
-out-additional-programs.html)
Deadline to register: October 15.
Questions—Contact Mollie Freilicher, 413-577-2966 or [email protected]
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3
With the forecast for Thursday,
August 15 promising sunny skies, low
humidity, and temperatures in the 70’s, around
two-dozen Massachusetts Tree Wardens’ and
Foresters’ Association (MTWFA) members and
many of their families met at the Long Wharf in
Boston for a daytrip to Georges Island. The pur-
pose of the visit was for the Executive Board rep-
resentatives to have the opportunity to casually
meet, discuss the goings-on of the past year, and
reflect on many of the events that have sur-
rounded the 100th anniversary of the organization.
A short 20-minute ferry ride from Boston and
modern amenities such as a dining facility, gift
shop, and visitor’s center made Georges Island a
natural selection for this outing.
Located just a few miles off the shore from downtown
Boston, Georges Island’s main feature is the Civil War-
era fort known as
Fort Warren,
which was commis-
sioned in 1847.
With its granite
archways, grassy
parade grounds,
and abundant look-
outs, this structure
offered many sce-
nic views of the
surrounding islands
and features of the Boston Harbor. Learning via a live,
guided tour about the structure’s unique history as a
Civil War prison and later as
a training facility for WWI
and WWII soldiers was a
highlight of the day. The fort
was decommissioned in 1947
and is presently operated by
DCR. It is open to the public
from May – Columbus Day
weekend.
David Lefcourt, MTWFA
President, said, “I felt strongly
about us making the time to
enjoy a one-day summer retreat this year,” he added
“with the 100-year celebration under our belts, it has
been a busy year, and this has been a great day to not
only meet and talk, but to relax and enjoy one another’s
company.” As Tree Wardens and other urban forest
professionals across the state gear up for fall activities
like tree planting initiatives and educational events, this
relaxing late-summer’s day trip was enjoyed by all.
To read more about Georges Island visit:
www.bostonharborislands/georges
Rick Harper serves as Extension Assistant Professor of
Urban & Community Forestry, UMass Department of
Environmental Conservation, Amherst, and is also an ISA
Board-Certified Master Arborist.
By Rick Harper
View of Boston skyline from
Georges Island.
MA Tree Wardens attend an interpre-
tive tour of Georges Island.
P A G E 5
Species Spotlight—American beech, Fagus grandifolia
T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R
d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3
We all can probably picture
that stately beech tree on a
large lawn, park, or golf
course or recall the
smooth, gray bark of a large tree. Beech has long been a
tree of choice for planting; colonists in North America
used American beech in their gardens, and it continues
to be popular today.
American beech is
native to North
America and
grows from south-
ern Ontario, east
to Cape Breton
Island, south to
northern Florida,
and west to east-
ern Texas. It is
hardy in USDA zones four to nine. It is a long-lived tree
and can reach heights of 120 feet, with a wide-spreading
crown that can equal the height. More often, it reaches a
height of 60 to 70 feet, with an equal spread. The current
national champion, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, is
112 feet tall, with a 103-foot spread, and a trunk diame-
ter of over seven feet. Lower branches of American
beech will often grace the ground. American beech is
found in rich, upland soils and well-drained lowlands. It
often grows in pure stands, often from root suckers, and
you can often find these stands
across Massachusetts.
The American beech is late to leaf
out in the spring. When the leaves
do unfurl, they are alternate, sim-
ple, ovate, two to five inches long,
and approximately one to two-and
-one-half inches wide. They are
acuminate, coarsely
serrated, and shiny
dark green above and
light-green below.
The leaf margin of American beech is flat-
ter, compared with that of European beech
(Fagus sylvatica), which is wavy at the mar-
gin. Leaves of American beech are also
more sharply toothed than European beech,
which typically has entire margins or is only
slightly toothed. The bark of
American beech is smooth and
light gray. In winter, the twigs of
American beech are distinctive,
with their three-quarters to
one-inch-long, pointy, golden-
brown, imbricate buds. Leaves
of American beech turn golden
in the fall, subsequently turn a flaxy-brown, and will
remain on the tree through winter.
American beech is monoecious; that
is, male and female flowers occur on
the same tree. Male flowers are
yellow, small (three-quarters to one-
inch diameter),
ball-shaped, and
on a slender
stalk. Female
flowers are a
quarter-inch long
in two to four-
flowered spikes. The fruit matures in
fall and is a shiny, brown nut with
three wings, encased in a prickly case.
Up to three nuts may be in each cap-
sule. Beechnuts are rich and a good
source of calories, providing food for wildlife including
mice, squirrels, chipmunks, black bears, deer, foxes,
ruffed grouse, ducks, and other birds. Beech mast was
also a favorite of the now extinct passenger pigeon.
Wood of American beech is a pale white or cream color
and is often considered plain. It machines well, however,
and can be easily worked. It is often used in toys, furni-
ture, cookware, lumber, veneer, flooring, and other
turned wooden objects.
American beech is generally free from insect and disease
problems, although beech bark disease is a disease we
often hear about as it impacts beech trees in the forest
here in Massachusetts. The beech bark disease cycle be-
gins when the beech scale (Cryptoccus fagisuga) at-
tacks, allowing a fungus (primarily Nectria coccinea) to
invade, and causing cankers to form on the tree.
(Continued on page 6)
By Mollie Freilicher
MA-DCR
Community Action Forester
Photos: Bark: Mollie Freilicher; Form:
UConn Plant Database; Leaf, Buds, Flowers,
and Fruit: Virginia Tech.
“For depth of shade, no tree is equal to the beech, and as it is singularly clean and neat, and the leaves are liable to the attack of few insects, and remain on the branches longer than those of any deciduous tree, giving a cheer-ful aspect to the wood in winter, it deserves cultivation near houses.” G.B. Emerson, 1846.
Growing Greener—in Franklin Park, Boston
d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n
T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R
Growing on Trees
P A G E 6 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation awarded the Franklin Park
Coalition an Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grant for $7,500 for tree planting
and invasive species removal in the park. The grant will focus on removing Japanese knot-
weed from the Long Crouch Woods part of Franklin Park and provide follow-up treatment
on buckthorn that had previously been treated. The goal is to reduce the re-growth rate of
invasive plants to below 20%. Replanting will take place in areas that have had invasive spe-
cies removed. The Coalition plans to plant 300 trees and shrubs and to help prevent the re
-growth of invasive species and to promote diversity in the park. For information on the
DCR Urban and Community Grant Program, go to the DCR Urban and Community For-
estry website.
These cankers can kill trees. Other pests and diseases American beech is susceptible to include pow-
dery mildew, aphids, cankers, leaf spots, and other insect pests.
Edible Notes from Russ Cohen I have eaten American Beech nuts and, although they are small, the nuts inside the pyramid-shaped
shells (which in turn, are covered by the football-shaped husk) have a good flavor (it reminds me of coconut). As with
other nut-tree species, the trees with good sun exposure (on the edges of roads or other open areas, or in fields) are
likely to bear more heavily than trees in the deep woods.
I have heard the most effective way to collect beech nuts (when the nuts are ripe, of course, which is toward the end of
the summer) is to spread blankets or tarps on the ground below the tree and then ask an agile friend or family member
to climb the tree and shake the branches. The ripe nuts will then fall on the tarps.
Last but not least – a couple of delicious wild mushroom species are commonly associated with American Beech trees
– Black Trumpet Chanterelles (Craterellus cornucopioides and related species), which can be found on the ground under
the trees in the summer, and Bear’s Head Tooth mushrooms (Hericium coralloides and related species), which can be
found on Beech logs and on the trees themselves in the late summer/early fall.
Russ Cohen serves as Rivers Advocate for the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological
Restoration. In his spare time, he teaches people how to connect to the landscape via their taste buds, as well as for-
ages himself. Learn about upcoming programs by clicking here: http://users.rcn.com/eatwild/sched.htm.
Long Crouch Woods. Photo
by Franklin Park Coalition.
What’s Happening on The Grove?
The Grove is an advertising-free, networking website
that is a partnership between the USDA-Forest Service
and the Georgia Urban Forest Council. Sign up for
free and join the Massachusetts Grove and read about
and post information on tree planting and urban forestry
activities in your community.
Species Spotlight—American beech
Stories recently posted on the Grove: HOW TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THEY ARE PLANTING
THEIR TREE WRONG
FINANCING THE URBAN FOREST
AGROECOLOGY PROJECT IN A SCHOOL IN PUERTO
RICO
CLONING THE WORLD'S LARGEST & OLDEST TREES
Check in with the Grove as often as you like, or simply
receive emails when we make updates to the Massachu-
setts Grove: www.massachusettsgrove.org
P A G E 7
T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R
d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n
Vibrant Communities Open-Source Communications Toolkit Rolls Out Washington, DC – The Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition (SUFC) has rolled out their “Vibrant Communities: Trees
Are the Key” communications platform and toolkit. This open-source, online suite of resources includes a “how-to”
guide for spreading the message on the benefits of trees to communities and the Vibrant Cities recommendations. The
tools were developed with input from ACTrees and other organizations as part of SUFC's Vibrant Cities & Urban Forests
national report. Get kit contents.
Growing on Trees
We do our best to ensure that listings are accurate, but please
check with program organizers for the most up-to-date information.
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3
New Informational Web Site on Invasive Species Athens, GA--The North American Invasive Species Network (NAISN) has launched a new informational website,
which provides a wide variety of invasive species management and research resources, links to a multitude of potential
partner organizations, and access to streamlined data-sharing platforms for users throughout the USA, Canada, and
Mexico. Read more at Bugwood Blog or www.naisn.org.
Massachusetts Arborist Association
The Massachusetts Arborists Association (MAA) spon-
sors the Massachusetts Certified Arborists (MCA)
program. The MCA program is a voluntary certification
program initiated in 1957. Since the program’s inception,
more than 800 tree care professionals have obtained the
MCA designation.
The purpose of the MCA program is to raise the level of
public awareness as to the importance of working with
trained professionals, and to provide a means of self-
improvement and continuing education for the certified
professional.
The MCA Exam is usually offered in the spring and fall.
For more information, go to the Massachusetts Arborist
Association website certification page: http://
www.massarbor.org/sections/certification.php
The next MCA exam is scheduled for October 4,
2013.
Arborist Certifications
International Society of Arboriculture
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) sponsors
several credentials, including the ISA Certified Arborist.
To earn an ISA Certified Arborist® credential, you must
be trained and knowledgeable in all aspects of arboricul-
ture. ISA Certified Arborist® have met all requirements
to be eligible for the exam, which includes three or more
years of full-time, eligible, practical work experience in
arboriculture and/or a degree in the field of arboricul-
ture, horticulture, landscape architecture, or forestry
from a regionally accredited educational institute. This
certification covers a large number of topics giving the
candidates flexibility in the arboricultural profession.
A code of ethics for ISA Certified Arborists® strength-
ens the credibility and reliability of the work force. This
certification is accredited by the American National Stan-
dards Institute, meeting and exceeding ISO 17024.
The next ISA Certified Arborist Exam in New England
will be offered November 5, 2013 in Warwick, RI at
the New England ISA annual conference. For an addi-
tional fee, a computer-based exam is offered at Pearson
VUE testing facilities at the convenience of the test taker.
For information on registering for an exam, go to: http://
newenglandisa.org/certification.
d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n
T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R
P A G E 8
Growing on Trees
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National
Stormwater Calculator is a desktop application that esti-
mates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of
runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States.
Estimates are based on local soil conditions, land cover,
and historic rainfall records.
The stormwater calculator (SWC) is designed to be used
by anyone interested in reducing runoff from a property,
including
* Site developers,
* Landscape architects,
* Urban planners, and
* Homeowners
The SWC accesses several national databases that pro-
vide soil, topography, rainfall, and evaporation informa-
tion for the chosen site. The user supplies information
about the site's land cover and selects the types of low
impact development (LID) controls they would like to
use. The LID controls that the user can choose are
seven green infrastructure practices:
1. Disconnection
2. Rain harvesting
3. Rain gardens
4. Green roofs
5. Street planters
6. Infiltration basins
7. Porous pavement
Green infrastructure promotes the natural movement of
water, instead of allowing it to wash into streets and
down storm drains. Green infrastructure also has the
added benefit of beautifying neighborhoods and increas-
ing property values.
The SWC, like any model, estimates an outcome based
on available information such as soil type, landscape and
land-use information, and historical weather data. These
estimates can be affected by limitations on site-specific
information and uncertainties about future climate. To
better inform decisions, it is recommended that the user
develop a range of results with various assumptions
about model inputs such as percent of impervious sur-
face, soil type, and sizing of green infrastructure. An up-
date to the SWC, which will include the ability to link to
several future climate scenarios, will be released by the
end of 2013. Climate projections indicate that heavy
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3
precipitation events are very likely to become more fre-
quent as the climate changes. Green Infrastructure can
increase the resiliency of stormwater management ap-
proaches to a changing climate, and this update will allow
users to consider how runoff may vary based both on
historical weather and potential future climate. Please
check with local authorities about whether and how use
of these tools may support local stormwater manage-
ment goals and requirements.
Clean water is essential to keeping our families and the
environment healthy. The SWC helps protect and re-
store the environmental integrity of our waterways.
Additional Information
U.S. EPA. (2013) National Stormwater Calculator User's
Guide (PDF) http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/
models/swc/600r13085.pdf (59 pp, 2.5 MB) Publication
No. 600/R-13/085.
Basic Fact Sheet: The Stormwater Calculator - Identifying
Green Infrastructure Solutions (PDF) http://
www.epa.gov/research/priorities/docs/stormwater-
calculator-2013.pdf (1 pg, 379 KB).
Technical Fact Sheet: U.S. EPA. (2013) National Storm-
water Calculator - A desktop tool that helps users con-
trol runoff to promote the natural movement of water
(PDF)
http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/models/swc/600f13
095v10.pdf (1 pp, 1.8 MB) Publication No. 600/F-13/095.
EPA's National Stormwater Calculator
(Video)<http://youtu.be/ibZTm4_ZQxg> (1:21 min, EPA
YouTube)
Helpful Resources
Stormwater Management:
http://www.epa.gov/oaintrnt/stormwater/index.htm: pro-
vides information and guidance on stormwater manage-
ment practices.
Low Impact Development
http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/green/: provides informa-
tion and guidance on the use of low impact development
(LID) practices.
Green Infrastructure:
http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/in
dex.cfm: provides basic information, useful tools, as well
as research, case studies and a publication library.
Contact [email protected] for more information.
Environmental Protection Agency Stormwater Calculator
P A G E 9
T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R
d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n
Upcoming Conference
Town Forests: Past and Present Celebrating 100 Years of Town Forests
DCR, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Forest Alliance, Bay State Forestry Service, and the USDA Forest Service
will host a conference for municipalities, land trusts, natural resource professionals, and community groups on Septem-
ber 28, 2013 in Fitchburg.
What: Conference celebrating 100 years of town forests in Massachusetts
Where: *New Location* Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, 1050 Westminster St
Fitchburg, MA 01420
When: Saturday, September 28, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Registration Cost:
Morning Session Only: $20
Morning Session + Afternoon Field Tour & Beer Tasting: $30
Student All Day: $15
Register, check out the agenda, and get more information at: http://massforestalliance.org/fitchburg/.
Hosted by the MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation, the Massachusetts Forest Alliance, and Bay State For-
estry Service, with generous support from the Massachusetts Forest Stewardship Program and the USDA Forest
Service.
Growing on Trees S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3
Grant Opportunity Northeast Utility Environmental Community Grant Program Northeast Utility’s Environmental Community Grant Program (ECGP) annually funds community and nonprofit envi-
ronmental projects that are often overlooked by large grant programs. Grants up to $1,500 are awarded to projects in
Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Where must selected projects be located?
Eligible projects must be conducted in territory served by Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P), Yankee Gas (YG),
Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECo), or Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH).
What types of projects are eligible?
Eligible projects protect, preserve or improve the environment, and/or provide environmental education resources.
Paid labor and projects utilizing funding from other outside sources typically will not be funded. Grants typically fund
projects such as:
Providing education on environmental issues of local interest to adults or children
Improving accessibility to outdoor learning environments
Improving the environment through organized cleanup projects (such as cleaning up a park, stream, or a vacant lot)
or by restoring damaged environments (such as invasive species removal)
Improving local wildlife habitat
Deadline: September 15, 2013.
For more information and to download an application, go to: http://www.nu.com/environmental/grant.asp.
New Location
P A G E 1 0
Growing on Trees
d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n
T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R
Green Communities are $mart Communities SMA has recently developed a set of Urban Forestry Best
Management Practices (BMPs) for use by municipal
arborists, plan-
ners, urban for-
esters, con-
cerned citizens,
green industry
professionals, or
anyone inter-
ested in creating
and sustaining
trees and green
space in their
communities.
They are de-
signed to be simple, easy to understand, and versatile for
anyone wishing to explain, understand, or investigate the
many ways in which green development makes good
economic sense.
The series of BMP documents utilize imagery to describe
various management techniques and benefits. Each is sup-
plemented with a list of internet links providing greater
detail, applicable tools, examples, and other citations to
reinforce each topic.
Formatted into three main topics, the documents take a
look at WHY trees are important to communities,
WHERE trees fit into a community, and WHO works
with and manages community trees. These colorful flyers
are ideal for use at local events, as educational materials,
or as support material for program development.
The BMP documents are free to download and distribute
from this page.
These publications were funded in whole or in part through a
Forest Service National Urban and Community Forestry Grant
as recommended by the National Urban and Community
Forestry Advisory Council. www.fs.fed.us/ucf
Municipal Arborist Exchange SMA offers an exchange program for municipal arborists
located around the world. The purpose is to create a way
for municipal arborists to exchange urban forestry exper-
tise, management ideas, and technology through “in per-
son” contact and on-site experience. What better way to
find out how other forestry practitioners operate than to
spend time with each other? We have much to learn from
other programs in our own countries and around the
world, and we each have much to offer. The program not
only facilitates the transfer of knowledge, but also fosters
an international community of municipal arborists.
Participants will spend at least one full work week visiting
and working with the host city’s forestry department or
arborist. SMA and contributing sponsors will fund airfare
and basic expenses—to the extent sponsored—for pro-
fessional exchanges within the next year, which will take
place in spring or summer 2014. An exchange may be
“two-way,” meaning that paired participants take turns
hosting the other, or “one-way,” where a selected partici-
pant only visits a visiting host city identified and approved
by SMA. Candidates must be members of SMA. The appli-
cation deadline is September 16, 2013.
For more information and to apply, go to
http://www.urban-forestry.com à SMA Programs. For
questions on the program, contact Arborist Exchange Com-
mittee Chair, Joe Benassini, JBenas-
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3
From the Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA)
Montgomery County, MD Passes Two New Tree Bills July 23, 2013—Montgomery County, MD has passed two
new tree bills effective March 2014. Both pieces of legis-
lation seek to protect urban trees with permits and fees
imposed on residents and builders who want to remove
them. For every tree that is removed, the County will
now require three new trees to be planted.
The first bill, “Roadside Trees,” requires anyone wanting
to trim, remove, or otherwise work on a tree in the
county’s right of way to obtain a county permit first and
pay to replace nearly every tree removed with three
more. The cost to residents will be about $135. Only
trees that pose a danger would be exempt. The roadside
(Continued on page 11)
News
P A G E 1 1
T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R
d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n
Tying Green Ribbons on the Old Ash Tree By Bill McAuliffe, Star Tribune
July 18, 2013—Green ribbons are turning up on ash
trees in Minneapolis, a stark reminder of just how much
of the public urban forest is about to be cleared away,
either by city foresters or the emerald ash borer. Be-
tween the two, nearly all of the 40,000 ash trees on
boulevards and in parks will be removed over the next
five to 10 years and replaced by other species, said Ralph
Sievert, director of forestry for the Minneapolis Park and
Recreation Board, which is behind the campaign.
A ribbon doesn’t indicate a tree is about to be cut down
immediately. Individually, each ribbon provides directions
to a park board website about the city’s ash borer strat-
egy. But in some parts of the city, nearly every tree on a
block — or along several blocks — might get a ribbon,
vividly illustrating the potential threat posed by the pest.
Read the full story at the Star Tribune.
tree bill would require replacing a removed tree with
one tree on site and paying into a special fund to plant
two others. The county will use the money in the fund to
plant trees in areas where it has very few trees, like its
urban districts.
The second bill, which passed unanimously, “Tree Can-
opy Conservation,” identifies the trees on private prop-
erty as having community value. It pushes beyond current
laws, which protect the canopy on lots larger than
(Continued from page 10)
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3
News ‘Healthy People, Healthy River’ Urban Forest Takes Root Cincinnati — Berry bushes and squash vines, apple and
pear saplings, and inches-high corn plants growing now
are envisioned to blossom into an “edible forest garden”
in urban Cincinnati for the benefit of joggers, bicyclists,
hikers, and those who simply want to relax along a wa-
terway.
Community forest and gardening efforts have been pop-
ping up across the country, from Seattle to Pittsburgh,
including other urban gardens in this city along the Ohio
River. But this new project combines the goals of pro-
viding a new source of fresh fruit and vegetables for city
dwellers with a long-term effort to renew the river,
which has been polluted for decades.
“Basically, we are transforming what this river corridor
looks like. We’re giving the river a green edge and mak-
ing it more inviting for people,” said Robin Corathers, an
environmental planner and the executive director of
Groundwork Cincinnati, a community-based nonprofit.
Read the complete story at: Epoch Times.
Springfield Recognizes Sturbridge Tree Warden Chamberland July 17, 2013—The city of Springfield recently honored
Sturbridge Tree Warden Tom Chamberland for his as-
sistance in the aftermath of the June 1, 2011 tornado.
Mr. Chamberland was serving as a volunteer trainer with
the U.S. Forest Service Urban Forestry Strike Team in
August of 2011. The Urban Forestry Strike Team helped
the City with tree damage assessment and aided in the
development of a replanting plan in the tornado zone. A
plaque highlighting Mr. Chamberland’s dedication and
commitment was presented at Watershops Pond Bridge
in Springfield, where he spent countless hours volun-
teering and assisting with the design of a new trail and
bridge. Read the full story at the Worcester Telegram and
read more about Urban Forest Strike Teams.
Damaging Non-Native Forest Pests at Home in Northeastern U.S. July 16, 2013 — Beginning with early colonists who
landed in the New World loaded with dreams, grit, and
perhaps the continent's first alien forest pests, and con-
tinuing today with the expansion of global trade, the
northeastern United States has been ground zero for
damaging non-native forest pest invasions. In a study re-
cently published on-line in the journal Diversity and Distri-
butions, U.S. Forest Service researchers Andrew
Liebhold, Laura Blackburn, Susan Frankel and partners
used spatial data to demonstrate that the distribution of
invasive forest pests is highly focused, with a particularly
large number of species established in the northeastern
region and then moderate but still troublesome numbers
radiating to the west and south. Read the full story at
ScienceDaily.
40,000 square feet, to protect it on smaller lots. The in-
tent was to offset the effects of infill development where
often trees are removed to make way for new or larger
buildings. Under the new law, residents can choose be-
tween planting new shade trees or paying a fee to the
county. The fees range from $750 for small areas to as
much as $3,750 for areas between 20,001 and 40,000
square feet and would apply to anyone who is required
to obtain a permit to control sediment.
[Montgomery County, MD is home to over 1,000,000 people
and 2,000 miles of road.]
Seen on ACTrees.org.
Sept 12 Establishing Trees in Urban Environments (workshop),
Mass Tree Wardens’ and Foresters’ Association,
Wellesley, MA www.masstreewardens.org
Sept 14 Landscape and Forest Tree and Shrub Disease
Workshop, UMass Extension UMass-Amherst,
http://extension.umass.edu/landscape/ (waiting list, call
413-545-0895 or e-mail [email protected])
Sept 16 Deadline: Forest Legacy Request for Proposals for 2015
Sept 20-22 NEC-ISA - 5th Annual Women's Tree Climbing
Workshop - Level 1 Beginners Alton Jones
Educational Camp, New Greenwich, RI,
www.newenglandisa.org
Sept 25 Scouting for Disease & Weed Problems of Woody Orna-
mentals, UMass Extension, Hathorne, MA
www.umassgreeninfo.org
Sept 28 Town Forests: Past and Present, Fitchburg, MA,
www.massforestalliance.org/fitchburg
October National NeighborWoods Month www.actrees.org
Oct 1 Deadline: Intent to Apply for
DCR Urban & Community Forestry Challenge Grants
Oct 4 Massachusetts Certified Arborist Exam, Elm Bank,
Wellesley, http://www.massarbor.org
Oct 4-5 Splicing workshop at Yale Cordage, New England Chapter
International Society of Arboriculture,
www.newenglandisa.org
Oct 22 Tree Campus USA Event, Worcester, MA
Oct 25-26 Massachusetts Tree Steward Training,
Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA—Register today!
Nov 1 Deadline:
DCR Urban & Community Forestry Challenge Grants
Nov 3-5 New England Chapter-International Society
of Arboriculture Annual Conference, Warwick, RI,
http://newenglandisa.org/
Nov 4-5 Society of Municipal Arborists Annual Conference,
Pittsburgh, PA, http://www.urban-forestry.com/
Nov 4-5 The Nature Conservancy Continental Dialogue,
Pittsburgh, PA,
Nov 5 ISA Exam, Warwick, RI, www.newenglandisa.org
Nov 5 ACTrees Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA,
http://actrees.org/
Nov 6-7 Partners in Community Forestry Conference,
Pittsburgh, PA, www.arborday.org
Nov 8 ISA Exam, Orono, ME, www.newenglandisa.org
Dec 4-7 American Society of Consulting Arborists
Annual Conference, Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT,
www.asca-consultants.org
Dec 31 Tree City USA, Tree Line USA, Tree Campus USA
Applications Due
Eric Seaborn, Program Coordinator [email protected], (617) 626-1468
Mollie Freilicher, Community Action Forester [email protected], (413) 577-2966
The Citizen Forester is made possible through a
grant from the USDA Forest Service Urban and
Community Forestry Program and the Massachu-
setts Department of Conservation and Recrea-
tion, Bureau of Forestry.
On the Horizon
Deval Patrick, Governor
Richard Sullivan, Secretary, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
John P. Murray, Commissioner, Department of Conservation and Recreation
Peter Church, Director of Forest Stewardship, Department of Conservation and Recreation
Bureau of Forestry
Department of Conservation and Recreation
251 Causeway Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114
If you have a topic you’d like to see covered or
want to submit an item to The Citizen Forester
(article, photo, event listing, etc.), please con-
tact Mollie Freilicher or click here.
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