By Kim Siebert MacPhail
New information has recently been added to the Public Works website about best practices for tree planting, how to check trees for Asian Longhorn Beetle damage and how to evaluate whether a tree is hazardous. The webpage also includes a pictorial presentation titled “Establishing Trees in Urban Environments” that shows the recommended step-by-step process for planting new trees, including tips for proper care to ensure trees will thrive on a given site.
Additionally, at their meeting on October 15, the Arbor Resource Committee announced that it is working on a list of trees best suited for the Bedford area. The list is intended to assist the Planning Board and to help property owners—especially those unfamiliar with New England’s climate, pests, diseases and invasive species— make informed choices when selecting trees.
“Thinking about the role what you plant plays in the local eco-system is something worth considering,” said Committee member Chris Gittens. “What you plant and how it’s used by wildlife and what the disease considerations are is certainly something, too.”
Committee member Melinda Dietrich added that it’s useful to understand the vision people have for their yards when helping them to choose the types of trees to plant. “Do they want to attract birds or butterflies or wildlife or do they want to collect botanical specimens from around the world? A lot has to do with what a homeowner’s goal is. A lot of people ask me, when they see what I’m growing in my own yard, how to I do this? I’ve been amazed [at the interest.]
“A lot of people are moving here from other parts of the country and other parts of the world,” Dietrich continued. “They’re all moving in and they don’t know the plants of this region but they know they want to support wildlife and the environment. The question is, how do they do that?”
Gittens said that even people who don’t have a particular interest in specific trees want something that’s green, provides shade, maybe flowers in the spring and has some fall color. “If we can point them in the direction of trees that fit that bill and that also mesh well with the eco-system, there’s a net benefit.”
Once the Arbor Resource Committee completes the list of recommended trees, the information will be posted on the Public Works “Public Tree Assessment” webpage: https://www.bedfordma.gov/department-of-public-works/pages/public-tree-assessment
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