Massachusetts is home to a diverse landscape of white

pine, hemlock, oak, beech, birch, and maple. Yet only 2%

of the wood we use in Massachusetts is grown,

harvested, and manufactured within our borders. As a

result, we place a greater strain on forested resources

around the globe, and money that would have come

from locally-produced forest products does not circulate

in our communities.

Our forests can provide us

with an abundant natural

resource that can be used

to grow our local economy

and create sustainable jobs.

Many of our trees can be

manufactured into high

quality products including

beams, hardwood flooring,

furniture, paneling, and

mulch. Purchasing Massa-

chusetts wood products

not only supports local

businesses, it connects us

with the land and helps us understand the significance of

responsibly managing it for the future. Working wood-

lands help maintain beautiful, healthy forests that sustain

local jobs, produce clean drinking water, conserve wild-

life habitat, and provide recreational opportunities, but

they need your help.

By supporting local forest-based businesses you are

making the choice to invest in the future of our forests

and our communities.

Regulatory Requirements Timber Harvester License

To participate in Commonwealth Quality, a harvester of

raw forest products must be licensed by the Common-

wealth of Massachusetts as a timber harvester. Massachu-

setts is one of the few states in the country to require

(Continued on page 2)

This month, we’ll take a step

back from the urban forest and

look at forests in Massachusetts through the eyes of the

Commonwealth Quality program.

A brand designed by the Massachusetts Department of

Agricultural Resources, the Commonwealth Quality seal

identifies locally-sourced products of four business

sectors – produce, forestry, aquaculture, and lobster -

that are grown, har-

vested, and processed in

the state using practices

that are safe, sustain-

able, and eco-friendly.

Commonwealth Quality-

certified growers, produc-

ers, harvesters, and proc-

essors meet stringent fed-

eral, state, and local regula-

tory requirements and em-

ploy best management

practices and production

standards, to ensure that

consumers receive the safest, most

wholesome products available, with

minimal impact on the environment.

The Commonwealth Quality program

recognizes forest product companies

based in Massachusetts that meet

program guidelines. As a consumer,

look for the Commonwealth Quality

symbol, and if you are in the forest

product industry in Massachusetts,

consider joining the Commonwealth

Quality program. The following is

adapted from the Commonwealth

Quality website.

Forestry in Massachusetts Did you know that Massachusetts is

over 60% forested?

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

Up Ahead:

Commonwealth

Quality 1

Tree Wardens 4

Species

Spotlight 5

Growing

Greener 6

Growing on

Trees 7

News 11

On the

Horizon 12

Commonwealth Quality in Massachusetts By Mollie Freilicher

Wood from a Commonwealth Quality business comprises the new

raised walkway through Hawley Bog.

Commonwealth Quality in Massachusetts

d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n

T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

that timber harvesters be licensed. To become licensed,

a harvester must pass an exam that demonstrates his or

her knowledge of state timber laws and best manage-

ment practices pertaining to harvesting. Harvesters who

wish to renew their license must accrue nine hours of

continuing education credits within each three-year certi-

fication period. Continuing education curriculum includes

courses on subjects such as wetland identification, values,

and functions; rare species habitat protection; wildlife

management; forest products measurement and grading;

and safety. Licenses are issued by the Department of

Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

Sustainability Requirements Massachusetts Forest Cutting Practices Act

(Chapter 132)

Commonwealth Quality requires that forest products

must be harvested in accordance with the Massachusetts

Forest Cutting Practices Act (Chapter 132). In addition,

the program requires that forest/wood product manufac-

turers provide documentation to certify that wood used

for processing was harvested in accordance with this

law.

The Forest Cutting Practices Act was created to ensure

harvested land remains in a condition that does not jeop-

ardize public interest. It states that public welfare

requires the rehabilitation, maintenance, and protection

of forestlands for the purposes of:

Conserving water

Preventing floods

and soil erosion

Improving the

conditions for

wildlife and

recreation

Protecting and

improving air and

water quality

Ensuring a

continuous supply of forest products for public

consumption, farm use, and the wood-using

industries of the Commonwealth

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)

administers Chapter 132. A forestry committee, ap-

pointed by the governor, develops cutting practices and

guidelines to ensure the above objectives are met.

(Continued from page 1) Committee members change every one to three years.

The forestry committee consists of eight members,

representing:

Forest landowners

Primary wood-using industries

Licensed timber harvesters

Consulting foresters

Environmental organizations

Water supply agencies

Fisheries and wildlife

The public-at-large.

The Forest Cutting Practices Act regulates commercial

timber harvesting on both public and private forestland

when a volume of 25,000 board feet or 50 cords of

wood are to be cut on any one parcel of land at any one

time.

MA Forest Cutting Practices Act (Chapter 132) Resources

MA Forest Cutting Practices Act (Chapter 132) Bulletin (PDF)

Long-Term Harvesting and Land Use

Harvests done under the auspices of Commonwealth

Quality must qualify as “long-term” harvests. This means

forester and harvester work together to achieve multiple

objectives, while preserving future forest conditions. The

art and science of forestry is applied to protect large-

diameter and/or high-value species (such as oak) that

could act as a seed source for growing future trees of

high quality or provide food for wildlife. As a result, a

long-term harvest can ensure that the residual forest

stand is not dominated by poor-quality trees and low-

value species.

Commonwealth

Quality program re-

quirements also certify

that harvests are not

done for the purpose

of converting land to a

non-agriculture or

non-forest land use.

This extra measure of

protection helps guarantee that harvested land is not

commercially developed, thus preserving valuable Massa-

chusetts landscape for agriculture, wildlife, or recreation.

Massachusetts Forestry Best Management

Practices (BMPs)

Commonwealth Quality program participants must ad-

here to practices outlined in the “Massachusetts Forestry

P A G E 3

Commonwealth Quality in Massachusetts

T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R

d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

Best Management Practices” document, as well as pro-

gram-specific best management practices (BMPs) refer-

enced in Exhibit B. Together, these BMPs are designed to

protect the environment and our natural resources,

while ensuring the consumer receives the highest quality

product possible.

The forestry BMPs were developed by DCR as a means

of minimizing the overland speed and volume of water

that carries sediment and nutrients that impact:

Wetlands and water bodies

Drinking water supplies

Fish, amphibian, and reptile habitat.

Forestry BMPs also serve to

prevent rutting and improve the

looks of a timber harvest, which

is important to landowners and

the general public.

Many of the forestry BMPs are

required by the Massachusetts

Forest Cutting Practices Act

(Chapter 132) that governs har-

vests; however, others are rec-

ommended guidelines developed

by DCR.

Massachusetts Forestry Best Man-

agement Practices (PDF)

Companies that meet these re-

quirements are eligible to apply to the Commonwealth

Quality program.

For more information on the Commonwealth Quality

program for forest products, contact Sean Mahoney,

DCR Outreach Service Forester,

sean.mathoney@state.ma.us 413-545-5743, or the Com-

monwealth Quality Program Coordinator, Michael

Botelho, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural

Resources, Michael.botelho@state.ma.us, 617-626-1721.

Resources Commonwealth Quality: www.thecqp.com

Commonwealth Quality for forest products:

www.thecqp.com/forest

MassWoods (for information related to forest cutting

laws and best practices): http://masswoods.net/

Thanks to Sean Mahoney for comments on this article.

(Continued from page 2)

Forestry Best Management Practices Manual For those of you who clicked the link last month and could not find the revised edition of the Massachusetts Forestry Best Manage-ment Practices Manual, the document is now available at the website: www.masswoods.net.

Paul, Jennifer, and John

of Gurney’s Sawmill,

East Freetown, MA.

Find participating forestry producers on the CQP website.

P A G E 4

Mass Tree Wardens & Foresters Association Visits Georges Island

d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n

T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R

DCR Tree Steward Training—Register Today! October 25-26, Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA The 2013 DCR Tree Steward Training will take place Friday, October 25 to Saturday, October 26 at the Harvard

Forest in Petersham. At this year’s session: learn about tree biology, benefits, preserving trees during construction,

tree planting, i-Tree (extended session), working with your utility arborist, pruning, tree ID (extended session) funding

urban forestry programs, and participate in a roundtable discussion on working with trees and people in your commu-

nity. We’ll have a mix of indoor and outdoor sessions.

Registration is now available on the DCR Urban and Community Forestry

website

(http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/conservation/forestry-and-fire-control/branching

-out-additional-programs.html)

Deadline to register: October 15.

Questions—Contact Mollie Freilicher, 413-577-2966 or mollie.freilicher@state.ma.us

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

With the forecast for Thursday,

August 15 promising sunny skies, low

humidity, and temperatures in the 70’s, around

two-dozen Massachusetts Tree Wardens’ and

Foresters’ Association (MTWFA) members and

many of their families met at the Long Wharf in

Boston for a daytrip to Georges Island. The pur-

pose of the visit was for the Executive Board rep-

resentatives to have the opportunity to casually

meet, discuss the goings-on of the past year, and

reflect on many of the events that have sur-

rounded the 100th anniversary of the organization.

A short 20-minute ferry ride from Boston and

modern amenities such as a dining facility, gift

shop, and visitor’s center made Georges Island a

natural selection for this outing.

Located just a few miles off the shore from downtown

Boston, Georges Island’s main feature is the Civil War-

era fort known as

Fort Warren,

which was commis-

sioned in 1847.

With its granite

archways, grassy

parade grounds,

and abundant look-

outs, this structure

offered many sce-

nic views of the

surrounding islands

and features of the Boston Harbor. Learning via a live,

guided tour about the structure’s unique history as a

Civil War prison and later as

a training facility for WWI

and WWII soldiers was a

highlight of the day. The fort

was decommissioned in 1947

and is presently operated by

DCR. It is open to the public

from May – Columbus Day

weekend.

David Lefcourt, MTWFA

President, said, “I felt strongly

about us making the time to

enjoy a one-day summer retreat this year,” he added

“with the 100-year celebration under our belts, it has

been a busy year, and this has been a great day to not

only meet and talk, but to relax and enjoy one another’s

company.” As Tree Wardens and other urban forest

professionals across the state gear up for fall activities

like tree planting initiatives and educational events, this

relaxing late-summer’s day trip was enjoyed by all.

To read more about Georges Island visit:

www.bostonharborislands/georges

Rick Harper serves as Extension Assistant Professor of

Urban & Community Forestry, UMass Department of

Environmental Conservation, Amherst, and is also an ISA

Board-Certified Master Arborist.

By Rick Harper

View of Boston skyline from

Georges Island.

MA Tree Wardens attend an interpre-

tive tour of Georges Island.

P A G E 5

Species Spotlight—American beech, Fagus grandifolia

T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R

d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

We all can probably picture

that stately beech tree on a

large lawn, park, or golf

course or recall the

smooth, gray bark of a large tree. Beech has long been a

tree of choice for planting; colonists in North America

used American beech in their gardens, and it continues

to be popular today.

American beech is

native to North

America and

grows from south-

ern Ontario, east

to Cape Breton

Island, south to

northern Florida,

and west to east-

ern Texas. It is

hardy in USDA zones four to nine. It is a long-lived tree

and can reach heights of 120 feet, with a wide-spreading

crown that can equal the height. More often, it reaches a

height of 60 to 70 feet, with an equal spread. The current

national champion, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, is

112 feet tall, with a 103-foot spread, and a trunk diame-

ter of over seven feet. Lower branches of American

beech will often grace the ground. American beech is

found in rich, upland soils and well-drained lowlands. It

often grows in pure stands, often from root suckers, and

you can often find these stands

across Massachusetts.

The American beech is late to leaf

out in the spring. When the leaves

do unfurl, they are alternate, sim-

ple, ovate, two to five inches long,

and approximately one to two-and

-one-half inches wide. They are

acuminate, coarsely

serrated, and shiny

dark green above and

light-green below.

The leaf margin of American beech is flat-

ter, compared with that of European beech

(Fagus sylvatica), which is wavy at the mar-

gin. Leaves of American beech are also

more sharply toothed than European beech,

which typically has entire margins or is only

slightly toothed. The bark of

American beech is smooth and

light gray. In winter, the twigs of

American beech are distinctive,

with their three-quarters to

one-inch-long, pointy, golden-

brown, imbricate buds. Leaves

of American beech turn golden

in the fall, subsequently turn a flaxy-brown, and will

remain on the tree through winter.

American beech is monoecious; that

is, male and female flowers occur on

the same tree. Male flowers are

yellow, small (three-quarters to one-

inch diameter),

ball-shaped, and

on a slender

stalk. Female

flowers are a

quarter-inch long

in two to four-

flowered spikes. The fruit matures in

fall and is a shiny, brown nut with

three wings, encased in a prickly case.

Up to three nuts may be in each cap-

sule. Beechnuts are rich and a good

source of calories, providing food for wildlife including

mice, squirrels, chipmunks, black bears, deer, foxes,

ruffed grouse, ducks, and other birds. Beech mast was

also a favorite of the now extinct passenger pigeon.

Wood of American beech is a pale white or cream color

and is often considered plain. It machines well, however,

and can be easily worked. It is often used in toys, furni-

ture, cookware, lumber, veneer, flooring, and other

turned wooden objects.

American beech is generally free from insect and disease

problems, although beech bark disease is a disease we

often hear about as it impacts beech trees in the forest

here in Massachusetts. The beech bark disease cycle be-

gins when the beech scale (Cryptoccus fagisuga) at-

tacks, allowing a fungus (primarily Nectria coccinea) to

invade, and causing cankers to form on the tree.

(Continued on page 6)

By Mollie Freilicher

MA-DCR

Community Action Forester

Photos: Bark: Mollie Freilicher; Form:

UConn Plant Database; Leaf, Buds, Flowers,

and Fruit: Virginia Tech.

“For depth of shade, no tree is equal to the beech, and as it is singularly clean and neat, and the leaves are liable to the attack of few insects, and remain on the branches longer than those of any deciduous tree, giving a cheer-ful aspect to the wood in winter, it deserves cultivation near houses.” G.B. Emerson, 1846.

Growing Greener—in Franklin Park, Boston

d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n

T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R

Growing on Trees

P A G E 6 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation awarded the Franklin Park

Coalition an Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grant for $7,500 for tree planting

and invasive species removal in the park. The grant will focus on removing Japanese knot-

weed from the Long Crouch Woods part of Franklin Park and provide follow-up treatment

on buckthorn that had previously been treated. The goal is to reduce the re-growth rate of

invasive plants to below 20%. Replanting will take place in areas that have had invasive spe-

cies removed. The Coalition plans to plant 300 trees and shrubs and to help prevent the re

-growth of invasive species and to promote diversity in the park. For information on the

DCR Urban and Community Grant Program, go to the DCR Urban and Community For-

estry website.

These cankers can kill trees. Other pests and diseases American beech is susceptible to include pow-

dery mildew, aphids, cankers, leaf spots, and other insect pests.

Edible Notes from Russ Cohen I have eaten American Beech nuts and, although they are small, the nuts inside the pyramid-shaped

shells (which in turn, are covered by the football-shaped husk) have a good flavor (it reminds me of coconut). As with

other nut-tree species, the trees with good sun exposure (on the edges of roads or other open areas, or in fields) are

likely to bear more heavily than trees in the deep woods.

I have heard the most effective way to collect beech nuts (when the nuts are ripe, of course, which is toward the end of

the summer) is to spread blankets or tarps on the ground below the tree and then ask an agile friend or family member

to climb the tree and shake the branches. The ripe nuts will then fall on the tarps.

Last but not least – a couple of delicious wild mushroom species are commonly associated with American Beech trees

– Black Trumpet Chanterelles (Craterellus cornucopioides and related species), which can be found on the ground under

the trees in the summer, and Bear’s Head Tooth mushrooms (Hericium coralloides and related species), which can be

found on Beech logs and on the trees themselves in the late summer/early fall.

Russ Cohen serves as Rivers Advocate for the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological

Restoration. In his spare time, he teaches people how to connect to the landscape via their taste buds, as well as for-

ages himself. Learn about upcoming programs by clicking here: http://users.rcn.com/eatwild/sched.htm.

Long Crouch Woods. Photo

by Franklin Park Coalition.

What’s Happening on The Grove?

The Grove is an advertising-free, networking website

that is a partnership between the USDA-Forest Service

and the Georgia Urban Forest Council. Sign up for

free and join the Massachusetts Grove and read about

and post information on tree planting and urban forestry

activities in your community.

Species Spotlight—American beech

Stories recently posted on the Grove: HOW TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THEY ARE PLANTING

THEIR TREE WRONG

FINANCING THE URBAN FOREST

AGROECOLOGY PROJECT IN A SCHOOL IN PUERTO

RICO

CLONING THE WORLD'S LARGEST & OLDEST TREES

Check in with the Grove as often as you like, or simply

receive emails when we make updates to the Massachu-

setts Grove: www.massachusettsgrove.org

P A G E 7

T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R

d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n

Vibrant Communities Open-Source Communications Toolkit Rolls Out Washington, DC – The Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition (SUFC) has rolled out their “Vibrant Communities: Trees

Are the Key” communications platform and toolkit. This open-source, online suite of resources includes a “how-to”

guide for spreading the message on the benefits of trees to communities and the Vibrant Cities recommendations. The

tools were developed with input from ACTrees and other organizations as part of SUFC's Vibrant Cities & Urban Forests

national report. Get kit contents.

Growing on Trees

We do our best to ensure that listings are accurate, but please

check with program organizers for the most up-to-date information.

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

New Informational Web Site on Invasive Species Athens, GA--The North American Invasive Species Network (NAISN) has launched a new informational website,

which provides a wide variety of invasive species management and research resources, links to a multitude of potential

partner organizations, and access to streamlined data-sharing platforms for users throughout the USA, Canada, and

Mexico. Read more at Bugwood Blog or www.naisn.org.

Massachusetts Arborist Association

The Massachusetts Arborists Association (MAA) spon-

sors the Massachusetts Certified Arborists (MCA)

program. The MCA program is a voluntary certification

program initiated in 1957. Since the program’s inception,

more than 800 tree care professionals have obtained the

MCA designation.

The purpose of the MCA program is to raise the level of

public awareness as to the importance of working with

trained professionals, and to provide a means of self-

improvement and continuing education for the certified

professional.

The MCA Exam is usually offered in the spring and fall.

For more information, go to the Massachusetts Arborist

Association website certification page: http://

www.massarbor.org/sections/certification.php

The next MCA exam is scheduled for October 4,

2013.

Arborist Certifications

International Society of Arboriculture

The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) sponsors

several credentials, including the ISA Certified Arborist.

To earn an ISA Certified Arborist® credential, you must

be trained and knowledgeable in all aspects of arboricul-

ture. ISA Certified Arborist® have met all requirements

to be eligible for the exam, which includes three or more

years of full-time, eligible, practical work experience in

arboriculture and/or a degree in the field of arboricul-

ture, horticulture, landscape architecture, or forestry

from a regionally accredited educational institute. This

certification covers a large number of topics giving the

candidates flexibility in the arboricultural profession.

A code of ethics for ISA Certified Arborists® strength-

ens the credibility and reliability of the work force. This

certification is accredited by the American National Stan-

dards Institute, meeting and exceeding ISO 17024.

The next ISA Certified Arborist Exam in New England

will be offered November 5, 2013 in Warwick, RI at

the New England ISA annual conference. For an addi-

tional fee, a computer-based exam is offered at Pearson

VUE testing facilities at the convenience of the test taker.

For information on registering for an exam, go to: http://

newenglandisa.org/certification.

d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n

T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R

P A G E 8

Growing on Trees

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National

Stormwater Calculator is a desktop application that esti-

mates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of

runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States.

Estimates are based on local soil conditions, land cover,

and historic rainfall records.

The stormwater calculator (SWC) is designed to be used

by anyone interested in reducing runoff from a property,

including

* Site developers,

* Landscape architects,

* Urban planners, and

* Homeowners

The SWC accesses several national databases that pro-

vide soil, topography, rainfall, and evaporation informa-

tion for the chosen site. The user supplies information

about the site's land cover and selects the types of low

impact development (LID) controls they would like to

use. The LID controls that the user can choose are

seven green infrastructure practices:

1. Disconnection

2. Rain harvesting

3. Rain gardens

4. Green roofs

5. Street planters

6. Infiltration basins

7. Porous pavement

Green infrastructure promotes the natural movement of

water, instead of allowing it to wash into streets and

down storm drains. Green infrastructure also has the

added benefit of beautifying neighborhoods and increas-

ing property values.

The SWC, like any model, estimates an outcome based

on available information such as soil type, landscape and

land-use information, and historical weather data. These

estimates can be affected by limitations on site-specific

information and uncertainties about future climate. To

better inform decisions, it is recommended that the user

develop a range of results with various assumptions

about model inputs such as percent of impervious sur-

face, soil type, and sizing of green infrastructure. An up-

date to the SWC, which will include the ability to link to

several future climate scenarios, will be released by the

end of 2013. Climate projections indicate that heavy

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

precipitation events are very likely to become more fre-

quent as the climate changes. Green Infrastructure can

increase the resiliency of stormwater management ap-

proaches to a changing climate, and this update will allow

users to consider how runoff may vary based both on

historical weather and potential future climate. Please

check with local authorities about whether and how use

of these tools may support local stormwater manage-

ment goals and requirements.

Clean water is essential to keeping our families and the

environment healthy. The SWC helps protect and re-

store the environmental integrity of our waterways.

Additional Information

U.S. EPA. (2013) National Stormwater Calculator User's

Guide (PDF) http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/

models/swc/600r13085.pdf (59 pp, 2.5 MB) Publication

No. 600/R-13/085.

Basic Fact Sheet: The Stormwater Calculator - Identifying

Green Infrastructure Solutions (PDF) http://

www.epa.gov/research/priorities/docs/stormwater-

calculator-2013.pdf (1 pg, 379 KB).

Technical Fact Sheet: U.S. EPA. (2013) National Storm-

water Calculator - A desktop tool that helps users con-

trol runoff to promote the natural movement of water

(PDF)

http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/models/swc/600f13

095v10.pdf (1 pp, 1.8 MB) Publication No. 600/F-13/095.

EPA's National Stormwater Calculator

(Video)<http://youtu.be/ibZTm4_ZQxg> (1:21 min, EPA

YouTube)

Helpful Resources

Stormwater Management:

http://www.epa.gov/oaintrnt/stormwater/index.htm: pro-

vides information and guidance on stormwater manage-

ment practices.

Low Impact Development

http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/green/: provides informa-

tion and guidance on the use of low impact development

(LID) practices.

Green Infrastructure:

http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/in

dex.cfm: provides basic information, useful tools, as well

as research, case studies and a publication library.

Contact SWC@EPA.gov for more information.

Environmental Protection Agency Stormwater Calculator

P A G E 9

T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R

d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n

Upcoming Conference

Town Forests: Past and Present Celebrating 100 Years of Town Forests

DCR, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Forest Alliance, Bay State Forestry Service, and the USDA Forest Service

will host a conference for municipalities, land trusts, natural resource professionals, and community groups on Septem-

ber 28, 2013 in Fitchburg.

What: Conference celebrating 100 years of town forests in Massachusetts

Where: *New Location* Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, 1050 Westminster St

Fitchburg, MA 01420

When: Saturday, September 28, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Registration Cost:

Morning Session Only: $20

Morning Session + Afternoon Field Tour & Beer Tasting: $30

Student All Day: $15

Register, check out the agenda, and get more information at: http://massforestalliance.org/fitchburg/.

Hosted by the MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation, the Massachusetts Forest Alliance, and Bay State For-

estry Service, with generous support from the Massachusetts Forest Stewardship Program and the USDA Forest

Service.

Growing on Trees S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

Grant Opportunity Northeast Utility Environmental Community Grant Program Northeast Utility’s Environmental Community Grant Program (ECGP) annually funds community and nonprofit envi-

ronmental projects that are often overlooked by large grant programs. Grants up to $1,500 are awarded to projects in

Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Where must selected projects be located?

Eligible projects must be conducted in territory served by Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P), Yankee Gas (YG),

Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECo), or Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH).

What types of projects are eligible?

Eligible projects protect, preserve or improve the environment, and/or provide environmental education resources.

Paid labor and projects utilizing funding from other outside sources typically will not be funded. Grants typically fund

projects such as:

Providing education on environmental issues of local interest to adults or children

Improving accessibility to outdoor learning environments

Improving the environment through organized cleanup projects (such as cleaning up a park, stream, or a vacant lot)

or by restoring damaged environments (such as invasive species removal)

Improving local wildlife habitat

Deadline: September 15, 2013.

For more information and to download an application, go to: http://www.nu.com/environmental/grant.asp.

New Location

P A G E 1 0

Growing on Trees

d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n

T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R

Green Communities are $mart Communities SMA has recently developed a set of Urban Forestry Best

Management Practices (BMPs) for use by municipal

arborists, plan-

ners, urban for-

esters, con-

cerned citizens,

green industry

professionals, or

anyone inter-

ested in creating

and sustaining

trees and green

space in their

communities.

They are de-

signed to be simple, easy to understand, and versatile for

anyone wishing to explain, understand, or investigate the

many ways in which green development makes good

economic sense.

The series of BMP documents utilize imagery to describe

various management techniques and benefits. Each is sup-

plemented with a list of internet links providing greater

detail, applicable tools, examples, and other citations to

reinforce each topic.

Formatted into three main topics, the documents take a

look at WHY trees are important to communities,

WHERE trees fit into a community, and WHO works

with and manages community trees. These colorful flyers

are ideal for use at local events, as educational materials,

or as support material for program development.

The BMP documents are free to download and distribute

from this page.

These publications were funded in whole or in part through a

Forest Service National Urban and Community Forestry Grant

as recommended by the National Urban and Community

Forestry Advisory Council. www.fs.fed.us/ucf

Municipal Arborist Exchange SMA offers an exchange program for municipal arborists

located around the world. The purpose is to create a way

for municipal arborists to exchange urban forestry exper-

tise, management ideas, and technology through “in per-

son” contact and on-site experience. What better way to

find out how other forestry practitioners operate than to

spend time with each other? We have much to learn from

other programs in our own countries and around the

world, and we each have much to offer. The program not

only facilitates the transfer of knowledge, but also fosters

an international community of municipal arborists.

Participants will spend at least one full work week visiting

and working with the host city’s forestry department or

arborist. SMA and contributing sponsors will fund airfare

and basic expenses—to the extent sponsored—for pro-

fessional exchanges within the next year, which will take

place in spring or summer 2014. An exchange may be

“two-way,” meaning that paired participants take turns

hosting the other, or “one-way,” where a selected partici-

pant only visits a visiting host city identified and approved

by SMA. Candidates must be members of SMA. The appli-

cation deadline is September 16, 2013.

For more information and to apply, go to

http://www.urban-forestry.com à SMA Programs. For

questions on the program, contact Arborist Exchange Com-

mittee Chair, Joe Benassini, JBenas-

sini@cityofsacramento.org.

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

From the Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA)

Montgomery County, MD Passes Two New Tree Bills July 23, 2013—Montgomery County, MD has passed two

new tree bills effective March 2014. Both pieces of legis-

lation seek to protect urban trees with permits and fees

imposed on residents and builders who want to remove

them. For every tree that is removed, the County will

now require three new trees to be planted.

The first bill, “Roadside Trees,” requires anyone wanting

to trim, remove, or otherwise work on a tree in the

county’s right of way to obtain a county permit first and

pay to replace nearly every tree removed with three

more. The cost to residents will be about $135. Only

trees that pose a danger would be exempt. The roadside

(Continued on page 11)

News

P A G E 1 1

T H E C I T I Z E N F O R E S T E R

d e p a r t m e n t o f C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d R e c r e a t i o n

Tying Green Ribbons on the Old Ash Tree By Bill McAuliffe, Star Tribune

July 18, 2013—Green ribbons are turning up on ash

trees in Minneapolis, a stark reminder of just how much

of the public urban forest is about to be cleared away,

either by city foresters or the emerald ash borer. Be-

tween the two, nearly all of the 40,000 ash trees on

boulevards and in parks will be removed over the next

five to 10 years and replaced by other species, said Ralph

Sievert, director of forestry for the Minneapolis Park and

Recreation Board, which is behind the campaign.

A ribbon doesn’t indicate a tree is about to be cut down

immediately. Individually, each ribbon provides directions

to a park board website about the city’s ash borer strat-

egy. But in some parts of the city, nearly every tree on a

block — or along several blocks — might get a ribbon,

vividly illustrating the potential threat posed by the pest.

Read the full story at the Star Tribune.

tree bill would require replacing a removed tree with

one tree on site and paying into a special fund to plant

two others. The county will use the money in the fund to

plant trees in areas where it has very few trees, like its

urban districts.

The second bill, which passed unanimously, “Tree Can-

opy Conservation,” identifies the trees on private prop-

erty as having community value. It pushes beyond current

laws, which protect the canopy on lots larger than

(Continued from page 10)

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3

News ‘Healthy People, Healthy River’ Urban Forest Takes Root Cincinnati — Berry bushes and squash vines, apple and

pear saplings, and inches-high corn plants growing now

are envisioned to blossom into an “edible forest garden”

in urban Cincinnati for the benefit of joggers, bicyclists,

hikers, and those who simply want to relax along a wa-

terway.

Community forest and gardening efforts have been pop-

ping up across the country, from Seattle to Pittsburgh,

including other urban gardens in this city along the Ohio

River. But this new project combines the goals of pro-

viding a new source of fresh fruit and vegetables for city

dwellers with a long-term effort to renew the river,

which has been polluted for decades.

“Basically, we are transforming what this river corridor

looks like. We’re giving the river a green edge and mak-

ing it more inviting for people,” said Robin Corathers, an

environmental planner and the executive director of

Groundwork Cincinnati, a community-based nonprofit.

Read the complete story at: Epoch Times.

Springfield Recognizes Sturbridge Tree Warden Chamberland July 17, 2013—The city of Springfield recently honored

Sturbridge Tree Warden Tom Chamberland for his as-

sistance in the aftermath of the June 1, 2011 tornado.

Mr. Chamberland was serving as a volunteer trainer with

the U.S. Forest Service Urban Forestry Strike Team in

August of 2011. The Urban Forestry Strike Team helped

the City with tree damage assessment and aided in the

development of a replanting plan in the tornado zone. A

plaque highlighting Mr. Chamberland’s dedication and

commitment was presented at Watershops Pond Bridge

in Springfield, where he spent countless hours volun-

teering and assisting with the design of a new trail and

bridge. Read the full story at the Worcester Telegram and

read more about Urban Forest Strike Teams.

Damaging Non-Native Forest Pests at Home in Northeastern U.S. July 16, 2013 — Beginning with early colonists who

landed in the New World loaded with dreams, grit, and

perhaps the continent's first alien forest pests, and con-

tinuing today with the expansion of global trade, the

northeastern United States has been ground zero for

damaging non-native forest pest invasions. In a study re-

cently published on-line in the journal Diversity and Distri-

butions, U.S. Forest Service researchers Andrew

Liebhold, Laura Blackburn, Susan Frankel and partners

used spatial data to demonstrate that the distribution of

invasive forest pests is highly focused, with a particularly

large number of species established in the northeastern

region and then moderate but still troublesome numbers

radiating to the west and south. Read the full story at

ScienceDaily.

40,000 square feet, to protect it on smaller lots. The in-

tent was to offset the effects of infill development where

often trees are removed to make way for new or larger

buildings. Under the new law, residents can choose be-

tween planting new shade trees or paying a fee to the

county. The fees range from $750 for small areas to as

much as $3,750 for areas between 20,001 and 40,000

square feet and would apply to anyone who is required

to obtain a permit to control sediment.

[Montgomery County, MD is home to over 1,000,000 people

and 2,000 miles of road.]

Seen on ACTrees.org.

Sept 12 Establishing Trees in Urban Environments (workshop),

Mass Tree Wardens’ and Foresters’ Association,

Wellesley, MA www.masstreewardens.org

Sept 14 Landscape and Forest Tree and Shrub Disease

Workshop, UMass Extension UMass-Amherst,

http://extension.umass.edu/landscape/ (waiting list, call

413-545-0895 or e-mail eweeks@umext.umass.edu)

Sept 16 Deadline: Forest Legacy Request for Proposals for 2015

Sept 20-22 NEC-ISA - 5th Annual Women's Tree Climbing

Workshop - Level 1 Beginners Alton Jones

Educational Camp, New Greenwich, RI,

www.newenglandisa.org

Sept 25 Scouting for Disease & Weed Problems of Woody Orna-

mentals, UMass Extension, Hathorne, MA

www.umassgreeninfo.org

Sept 28 Town Forests: Past and Present, Fitchburg, MA,

www.massforestalliance.org/fitchburg

October National NeighborWoods Month www.actrees.org

Oct 1 Deadline: Intent to Apply for

DCR Urban & Community Forestry Challenge Grants

Oct 4 Massachusetts Certified Arborist Exam, Elm Bank,

Wellesley, http://www.massarbor.org

Oct 4-5 Splicing workshop at Yale Cordage, New England Chapter

International Society of Arboriculture,

www.newenglandisa.org

Oct 22 Tree Campus USA Event, Worcester, MA

Oct 25-26 Massachusetts Tree Steward Training,

Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA—Register today!

Nov 1 Deadline:

DCR Urban & Community Forestry Challenge Grants

Nov 3-5 New England Chapter-International Society

of Arboriculture Annual Conference, Warwick, RI,

http://newenglandisa.org/

Nov 4-5 Society of Municipal Arborists Annual Conference,

Pittsburgh, PA, http://www.urban-forestry.com/

Nov 4-5 The Nature Conservancy Continental Dialogue,

Pittsburgh, PA,

Nov 5 ISA Exam, Warwick, RI, www.newenglandisa.org

Nov 5 ACTrees Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA,

http://actrees.org/

Nov 6-7 Partners in Community Forestry Conference,

Pittsburgh, PA, www.arborday.org

Nov 8 ISA Exam, Orono, ME, www.newenglandisa.org

Dec 4-7 American Society of Consulting Arborists

Annual Conference, Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT,

www.asca-consultants.org

Dec 31 Tree City USA, Tree Line USA, Tree Campus USA

Applications Due

Eric Seaborn, Program Coordinator eric.seaborn@state.ma.us, (617) 626-1468

Mollie Freilicher, Community Action Forester mollie.freilicher@state.ma.us, (413) 577-2966

The Citizen Forester is made possible through a

grant from the USDA Forest Service Urban and

Community Forestry Program and the Massachu-

setts Department of Conservation and Recrea-

tion, Bureau of Forestry.

On the Horizon

Deval Patrick, Governor

Richard Sullivan, Secretary, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

John P. Murray, Commissioner, Department of Conservation and Recreation

Peter Church, Director of Forest Stewardship, Department of Conservation and Recreation

Bureau of Forestry

Department of Conservation and Recreation

251 Causeway Street, Suite 900

Boston, MA 02114

If you have a topic you’d like to see covered or

want to submit an item to The Citizen Forester

(article, photo, event listing, etc.), please con-

tact Mollie Freilicher or click here.

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email because you have requested to receive The

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wish to receive this newsletter, please email

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