Minutes
Tree Committee · from the Town's website · 6 pages · 1.5 MB
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Winthrop Tree Committee Meeting
June 2024 Minutes
Meeting June 11, 2024
6 PM
Tree Committee in attendance
Chris Aiello Chair
Paul O’Donnell Tree Warden
Tim Duplin Member
Marie Wynne Member
Minutes from the May Tree Committee Meeting were voted and
accepted.
The following 2024 Tree Plan was submitted by Chris Aiello and
adopted by unanimous vote.
2024 Tree Plan
Introduction
Winthrop’s tree canopy provides the town many benefits. Trees clean the air, and
help reduce noise, therefore addressing, to a degree, the negative health and
welfare impacts the town suffers as a result of the activities of Logan Airport.
Trees also reduce carbon dioxide from the air, therefore helping to combat
climate change. Winthrop is paticularly at risk to the impacts of climate change
and a rising ocean. Trees also reduce heat islands, make parks and public
spaces more comfortable, reduce stress, and can increase real estate values.
Recent Efforts
During the current fiscal year the DPW has planted 70 trees at 70 locations with
town funding and trees as a result of donations. Additionally, Winthrop
Loves Trees has planted xxxxx trees in Winthrop’s parks and public lands.
Finally xxxxxx were planted as a result of a community run fundraiser in honor of
David Green and Ramona Cooper. With current staffing and funding Winthrop
currently has the ability to plant roughly 50 trees each year. Further, a Tree
Survey was conducted, and the town currently is believed to have roughly xxxxx
trees.
Multi-Year Tree Planting Plan
Winthrop is in need of many additional trees that produce a robust canopy.
Withrop should adopt a policy, where sensible, of planting trees that will provide
the maximum feasible canopy for a specific location. Tree hardiness, diversity
and other considerations must also be weighed.
Winthrop’s main travel corridors are the most heavily utilized streets in Winthrop,
resulting in higher traffic related pollution and noise on those streets. The Tree
Warden and Tree Committee therefore recommend an initial focus on these main
travel corridors for mass plantings of trees as it will have an outsized impact on
both the corridor residents and the greatewr Winthrop community. The Tree
Committee has evaluated the three priority corridors which are the Pleasant-
Washington corridor, the Main-Revere corridor and the River-Cross corridor. The
needs of these corridors are further explained below, but at Winthrop’s current
pace of tree planting it should be expected to take at least the next 2.5 years to
address the needs of the first two corridors. Additional main corridors that
should be evaluated next are the Crest Ave-Veterans-Shirley, and Pauline-
Winthrop-Walden.
It is likely that at the current planting rate, it may take up to five years to address
the identified corridors. Meanwhile, Winthrop’s neighborhoods and parks are
also in need of additional trees.
The Tree Committee and Warden should evaluate tree canopy disparities
between neighborhoods and parks, and consider facts such as where EJ
communities are located, to help guide future planting efforts.
Where town funds and capabilities are limited, the town administration should
work to secure additional funds dedicated to planting additional trees, promote
tree donations, optimize the tree farm, and work with community organizations
to better address these needs. Further, where feasible, grass strips along the
edge of sidewalks should be considered. The additional permeable surface will
make for healthier trees and allow for more water to be absorbed into the
ground during rainstorms. Finally, as sidewalks are replaced, tree pits and trees
for feasible planting locations should be incorporated into the construction plans
as normal design and construction standards.
Pleasant and Washington Corridor
The Pleasant-Washington Corridor should be the first to be
addressed. An initial evaluation indicates an initial need for roughly 38
trees along Pleasant Street and roughly 22 trees along Washington
Ave:1 As some trees planted each year replace trees that have died, it
should be expected that it will take roughly two years of planting
efforts for this corridor to be fully built out. The Tree Committee and
Warden should next work to recommend tree species for the
designated spots along this corridor.
Main and Revere Corridor
At the recommendation of the Tree Warden and the Tree Committee,
the town has recently planted street trees at most open locations
along Main Street. from the entrance to Winthrop to Magee’s Corner.
Further, the TIP project is expected to add a net gain of xxxxxx trees
on Revere St. between Magee’s Corner and the intersection with
Crest Ave, which should result in most appropriate street tree
locations along the stretcg being planted. Tree species
recommendations have been made in relation to the TIP project
plantings.
The initial evaluation of Revere St. from the intersection od Crest Ave.
to the exit of town indicates a need for roughly 15 additional trees.
This should be prioritized after the Pleasant and Washington corridor,
which should line up nicely with the completion of the TIP project.
Expect this segment to take the bulk of new trees for one planting
season.
River-Cross
River Road is in need of roughly 35 trees, and there is a need for
additional trees on Cross St. as well. Tom Derderian has
recommended specific species in some places, and the size of trees
1 See Exhibit 1
in others. Two to three planting seasons {1 to 1.5 years) of planting
will be needed to fully plant this corridor at current planting rates.
Conclusion:
Winthrop is in need of a significant amount of additional public trees
which will provide numerous benefits to the town. Currently the DPW
has the resources to plant roughly 25 street trees per planting,
translating to 50 a year. This includes donated trees (Trees can be
donated for $350) and town-led tree planting efforts. Meanwhileit is
much more expensive to outsource tree planting, with a cost in
excess of $1,500 per tree. There is therefore a constraint as to how
rapidly Winthrop can replenish its canopy. Winthrop should continue
to focus on mass plantings along the main travel corridors in the
short term to maximize the impact and benefit of town funds, while
continuing to both plan meighborhood and park tree plantings and to
seek funding, donations and partnerships for those plantings.
END
Discussion of adding Red Buckeye and Hedge Maple to the list of
recommended trees as well as Linden, Crab Apple, Beech and Red
Bud for open space trees.
Additional streets to be assessed for tree plantings:
Pauline Street - Tim Duplin
Crest / Shirley / Veterans - Chris Aillo and Paul O’Donnell
Discussion of Proposed Edits to the Tree Ordinance
1. Landmark Tree - Addition to definition to include- 56” round tree
or greater shall be designated as a Landmark Tree.
a. The town has not yet designated any trees as Landmark Trees,
this will automatically designate Winthrop’s largest public trees as
Landmark Trees. New definition will give added protection to many
mature trees
3. Added language in Activities Requiring A Permit: No tree work/
removal permit shall be issued unless one of the following conditions
exists, and suchpermit shall only allow for a scope of work necessary
to address the reason for the permit.
a. Added clarity of work to be done.
4. Removal of Public Trees: Addition of new 2nd sentence:
Therefore, a Landmark Tree may not be removed for any non Town
purpose
Edits 5 and 6 regarding Tree Replacement and the Tree Memorial
Program were tabled and will be taken up at the next meeting.
Next Meeting will be September 9, 2024 6 p.m.