Volunteers plant 32 trees in one rain-soaked day; program has planted 59 to date

The Master Plan Implementation Committee heard on June 11 that a recent street-tree volunteer day successfully planted 32 trees despite procurement hiccups and poor weather. "All 32 trees went in the ground," Lori Connors reported, and volunteers also installed additional trees at the historic burial grounds, Trinity Church and on private and business properties.

Connors said the original nursery order included oversized specimens and the DPW returned some stock to the vendor; replacements were procured locally from retailers and a private nursery. To date the program has planted 59 trees and retains about $14,000 in planting funds. Because some funds expire at year-end and volunteer availability is limited, Connors said the town plans to hire a professional landscaper in the fall to finish planned plantings.

Why it matters: street-tree plantings are part of the master plan's complete-streets and tree-canopy goals and may be tied to other streetscape projects (Blake/Pierce and West Main). The committee flagged priority municipal planting sites including West Main, Blake/Pierce and the war memorial parks.

What’s next: staff will confirm fall planting dates, the committee will finalize target municipal planting locations with DPW, and the group will monitor the remaining $14,000 and ARPA expiration timelines before contracting professional planting.