We’ve got some good tree news and some bad tree news.
The good news, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy with city and state personnel, recently completed an inventory of 3,500 previously evaluated and undocumented trees along Jamaica Pond, Francis Parkman Memorial, and the Jamaicaway. That includes 2,400 newly inventoried trees, which significantly provides a better understanding of the current tree canopy. That will help with long-term planning and management of the more than 13,500 trees throughout the Emerald Necklace.
“Regular tree inventories provide the Conservancy and its partners with an up-to-date and more complete understanding of the tree canopy’s health” said Alyx Britton, Volunteer and Field Maintenance Coordinator for the Conservancy. “Inventories are a powerful tool to maintain our tree canopy—one of our most important shared resources—and the many benefits it provides for our communities.”
The bad news is that the inventory identified about 220 unhealthy trees that have been recommended for removal. That equates to 6% of the 3,500 newly inventoried trees. All of the trees were carefully evaluated by certified arborists and determined that present a safety risk with potential impacts to pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles, and pathways. The trees will be marked and removed in the coming weeks by Jamaica Pond and the Arborway.
