Dear Councilors,
My term as Chair of the Tree Committee is coming to an end this month. I have greatly enjoyed serving on the committee, and would like to thank Council President Letterie for appointing and then re-appointing me to the committee.
I’d also like to thank former Councilor Honan who led the efforts to draft the tree ordinance, and former Councilor Belcher who helped champion and pass some important updates to the ordinance that automatically designates and protects Landmark Trees in Winthrop. I am also thankful for Kim Witthaus, Drew Stock, Tim Duplin, and Tom Derderian (now the Tree Warden) who have served with me on the committee.
I am especially thankful to former Tree Warden O’Donnell who invited me to join the committee. Paul helped to re-establish the tree nursery, along with assistance from Tim Duplin, Tom Derderian, and myself. Paul spent years quietly caring for and watering the town’s trees, often with assistance from Tim, Paul, and Drew. Paul also spent countless hours driving and walking around town with me to locate good planting locations, which were then incorporated into the first ever Tree Plan which we drafted together. That plan led to the planting of numerous trees on Pleasant St., Washington Ave, and Main St. Simultaneously Paul helped negotiate for the planting of more than 20 new trees along Revere St. as a part of the current infrastructure project there. While these trees might not look like much now, if we care for them and continue to replace trees on these main corridors, then in 20 or 30 years our busiest thoroughfares might just be a much greener and more beautiful place because of Paul.
Along with Paul, the committee also oversaw the tree inventory work, which could be easily updated and be incredibly useful if the town would simply enroll in the needed GIS program which costs a few hundred dollars a year. The Committee has also put a fair amount of work into plantings (now with leadership from Warden Derderian), advocating for the town’s canopy, standardizing tree donation and adoption forms, and proposing updates to the ordinance that would ensure a greener future for Winthrop.
So, you may be asking, what can the Council do to improve Winthrop’s Tree Canopy. Luckily, I have a list for you.
Budget: First and foremost, it would be great to see the council budget for more tree plantings (and watering), and to see the budget line item for trees restored. The town must also explore avenues to supplement the budget through state grants (if we become eligible again) and through requesting more assistance from sources such as MassPort, the MWRA, and the Winthrop Foundation.
Ordinance Updates: The council also has a pending ordinance update from the Tree Committee that would ensure any new development results in a positive impact to the town’s tree canopy. The Council should also strengthen language in the ordinance about the requirement for tree hearings (I can provide draft language if requested), as far too many trees have been removed without a hearing or sufficient documentation.
Tree Donations: Street trees can be donated for $350. It would be great to see town leadership assist with campaigns to solicit tree donations on an annual basis (link to donation form below). It is also worth noting, that through the Winthrop Fund (run by the town), trees can be donated in a manner that is likely tax deductible/a charitable contribution. Even asking the transcript to include copies of the donation form, or including it in other town mailings (or e-mails) would be helpful.
Tree Plan: Warden O’Donnell and I co-wrote the initial Tree Plan. It should be updated regularly, and with your input. While I love the number of park trees that have been planted recently, I would love to see a renewed commitment to street trees as they help define the character of our town. During my lifetime it has been sad to watch the drastic reduction in Winthrop’s street trees over the years, but with more efforts like those that Paul and I advocated for on our main streets, we might just be able to reverse that.
Design Standards: Life is tough for a street tree. It is made even tougher when a tree is not planted in an optimal manner. Aside from just ensuring a tree is planted well ( in a big enough hole with decent dirt and a lot of water), we should have a clear design standard that calls for grass strips along the curb wherever sidewalk widths allow for it, along with the inclusion of tree pits. When cutting out new tree pits we should extend them longer along the curb. These measures will provide better drainage and improve a tree’s chances of survival. Finally, perhaps with planning board assistance, we should determine how to plant trees in a manner that will avoid negative impacts to sidewalks and also determine how best to solve those issues when they do arrive without simply cutting down trees.
While I am stepping back from this role in order to spend as much time as possible with the baby girl that my wife and I are expecting this August (child number 3), I look forward to serving the town again in the future. Please do not hesitate to reach out if I can be of any assistance.
Sincerely,
Chris Aiello
Chair of the Tree Committee