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Arlington Community Tree Canopy Program

The Arlington Tree Committee has embarked on the ninth year of its subsidized tree planting program made possible with funds from the Arlington Department of Public Works’ Trees Please Fund.

 

This program is managed by the Arlington Tree Committee and is not related to the town’s ongoing street tree planting managed by Arlington’s DPW.

 

When you plant the right tree in the right place, it can help improve air and water quality, manage stormwater runoff, sequester carbon, attract wildlife, help save you money on utility bills, and make neighborhoods more enjoyable.  It's a win for you and the town!   

 

 Available to order

 

Red Maple  -  Acer rubrum  'October Glory' SOLD OUT

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Swamp White Oak - Quercus bicolor   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) SOLD OUT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


White flowering Dogwood  (Cornus florida)  'Cherokee princess' SOLD OUT

Serviceberry  (Amelanchier grandifolia ) 'Autumn brilliance' SOLD OUT

 

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  • Medium-sized canopy tree, perfect for open space needing shade

  • October Glory:  native cultivar adapted for warming temperatures

  • Glossy green foliage, brilliant red fall color 

  • Grows 40 feet tall, 30 feet canopy spread at maturity

  • Delivered size: 8 - 10 feet (10 - 15 gallon container)  

  • Large-size canopy tree, perfect for open space needing shade

  • Swamp White Oak: native wetland indicator species

  • Attracts wildlife, fast grower

  • Glossy green leaf above, white fuzzy beneath

  • Grows to 80 feet at maturity

  • Delivered size: 7 - 8', 10 gallon container

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  • Medium-size flowering tree

  • Sweetbay: native, fast-growing, attracts wildlife

  • Glossy green leaf, white lemon-scented flowers, bright red seeds in the fall

  • Grows 15 - 20 feet, 20 feet spread at maturity

  • Delivered size: 7 - 8', 10 gallon container

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  • Medium-small understory tree

  • Cherokee princess: native, white spring flowers, with reddish-purple leaves and red berries in the fall. 

  • Grows 20 - 25 feet, 20 feet spread at maturity

  • Delivered size, smallish 5 - 6', 6 gallon container

  • Small understory tree

  • Autumn brilliance: native, white spring flowers, fall berries. 

  • Grows 15 - 20 feet, 10 feet spread at maturity

  • Delivered size, 8-10', 10 gallon container

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CTC form

Delivered sizes

 

October glory red maple, container, (8-10')

Quercus bi-color swamp white oak, container, (7-8')

Magnolia virginiana, sweetbay, container,  (7-8')

Cornus florida, Cherokee princess, container, (5-6')

Amelanchier grandifolia, Autumn brilliance serviceberry, container, (8-10')

$69 includes delivery

 

Send money to ArlTreeCmte@gmail.com via PayPal (choose "Send" not payment for service)

please include your address in the message line

OR

Payment by Check:

Pay to the order of the Town of Arlington

Mail or drop off : 22 Addison Street, Arlington MA 02476

please include your address in the memo line

Note: there is a limited number of trees available.  Please limit the number of trees ordered to allow for other property owners in need of trees to participate.  If trees are remaining after Arbor Day, please check back at that time to order additional trees. 

Tree Order Form

 

$69  includes delivery

Please indicate:

Success! Please now return to the instructions above to submit payment. Tree is not secured until payment is received

In advance of planting, please contact DigSafe

TREE INVENTORY AND VALUATION

In 2017, a street tree inventory was undertaken in Arlington made possible by funding from The Department of Conservation and Recreation, Urban and Forestry Challenge grant. The tree inventory data was collected by Arlington’s Tree Warden, two hired interns, the Arlington Tree Committee, and many Arlington residents who crowd-sourced data using Open Tree Map software. The results can be seen in the Public Tree Inventory Map

Summary of the 2017 street tree inventory:

A. Current Status:

  • Arlington has 8,734 public street trees and an additional 1,219 trees in locations that may require maintenance by the Tree Department, including cemeteries, parks, the bike path, and school grounds.

  • The inventoried trees provide cumulative benefits from CO2 removed, storm water filtered, energy conserved, and air quality improved estimated at $758,320 per year.

  • The replacement value of the public trees inventoried is $43,000,000.

  • Fifty-seven percent of the trees inventoried were determined to be in ‘good health’, 33 percent in ‘fair’ condition, 10 percent ‘poor’ or ‘dead’ condition.

  • No evidence of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was found in Arlington

  • The inventory identified 6,401 potential public street planting sites.

 

B. Areas of Concern:

  • Over 1,000 trees were categorized as 'Priority' due to poor condition.  This number is constantly changing as the Town completes ongoing maintenance and removals using this data to direct its work.

  • Tree genus diversity is sub-optimal.  Arlington contains 56% Acer (Maple) genus.  

  • Distribution of tree size is sub-optimal.  Arlington has fewer young trees (small diameter) and more mature trees (large diameter) than is ideal to maintain a healthy urban forest.

  • Arlington’s high number of ash trees (939 trees ) presents a significant risk if Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) moves into Arlington.

 

Tree inventory

SCHEDULE OF TOWN’S TREE-RELATED ACTIVITIES

All Year:  Crews remove dangerous or unhealthy street trees and tree limbs. Prompt removal of damaged or fallen trees that block public thoroughfares or otherwise endanger the public takes precedence over any other tree-related activity.

 

February: The Tree Division orders 100-150 new street trees which are shipped as bare-root saplings.

 

Mid-April: Trees are delivered to Mount Pleasant Cemetery and “heeled in” until planted.

Late April: Town crews have approximately two weeks to plant trees before the trees leaf out in May.

November: Town crews plant another 100+ trees before the ground freezes.

TREE CITY USA CERTIFICATION

 

Arlington has been a designated Tree City USA every year since 2005. To earn Tree City USA status, municipalities must:

  • Have a tree warden

  • Follow state laws regulating community forests

  • Celebrate Arbor Day

  • Have an annual forestry budget of $2 per capita or more

 

Being a Tree City USA reflects a town’s commitment to protecting the environment and their community forest.  On a more pragmatic level, communities with this designation are sometimes given preference over others when competing for state or federal grants directed at trees or forestry programs.

tree city
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