January 2022
Another year is gone and TreeMedford is reflecting on what we accomplished in 2021. It was a remarkably busy year. TreesMedford is now officially a 501(c) (3) nonprofit! Donations to TreesMedford will benefit Medford’s trees and its tree canopy by supporting tree watering and educational campaigns, as well as jumpstarting the Covid Memorial Grove. We welcome your checks made out to TreesMedford and sent to Kim DeAndrade, Treasurer, TreesMedford, 54 Canal Street, Medford, MA 02155. An online contribution mechanism is coming soon. What better cause to support than trees in your own city?
In 2021, we reaped the rewards of some of our grant efforts from past years, adding more trees than ever to Medford Parks and neighborhoods. Our Community Preservation Act (CPA) grant supported planting 46 of those trees in Parks, including Morrison, Playstead, Hickey, Hormel, Barry, and Honor Roll. Medford planted a total of 146 trees this fall.
Though we are thrilled to see all the new trees go in, and proud that we have been able to increase the number that the city can afford to plant, planting in Medford is not keeping up with the number of trees that are taken down. In January, 2019, there were about 300 stumps on Medford Streets, and as 2022 began there were 550. Over 150 stumps and dead trees need to be ground out to make way for trees that have been requested by Medford citizens. Some people have waited 2-3 years for a street tree. In areas that the Commonwealth identifies as environmental justice neighborhoods, Medford tapped into block grant funds that supported grinding out 16 stumps. City funds were used to grind out 48 more stumps in other parts of the City. The City will need to expand its program to get ahead of this problem.
We are now into our second year of the adopt-a-tree program and have over 100 people signed up to care for trees. The Girl Scout Troop #68137 did a terrific job creating a website, readying the trees for adoption, and making presentations to other troops. They have now turned the project over to TreesMedford. Fortunately, last summer was wet, and after June the clouds were generous if not overly so, but we are grateful to have such a fine start to this important program. Young trees are so vulnerable! Though contractors will replace trees that die in the first year, they will do that only once, and we will lose a year’s worth of growth if a tree must be replanted.
Any city resident who would like to adopt a tree and water it May - October 2022, can find more information at TreesMedford.org.
In July TreesMedford was asked by the Zoning Subcommittee to draft a tree protection ordinance. We amassed and reviewed ordinances and bylaws from Massachusetts communities and referenced the excellent tree report of the Tree Subcommittee of Medford’s Energy and Environment Committee. TreesMedford has drafted an ordinance, and sought input from environmental advocates from across the City. The draft is currently under preliminary review.
Though Covid made our education agenda difficult to pursue, we were able to table at the Harvest your Energy Festival and Arbor Day. We spoke to about 100 people and added 30 to our membership list. At the Harvest your Energy Festival, we found homes for tulip trees that we had fostered, and we gave away pin oaks and sweet gum trees and “I ♥️ Trees” bumper stickers at the Arbor Day Festival. More bumper stickers are available from treesmedford@gmail.com.
In September, TreesMedford was chosen by Wentworth University’s Women’s Leadership Initiative to participate in its community-based service learning project. Three students researched the relationship between Medford’s tree canopy (or lack thereof) and the heat island effect. The students presented a final project with an actionable plan highlighting the specific sites Medford can plant trees that, over time, will help reduce surface temperatures.
In December we met with the mayor to discuss our priorities, increasing Medford’s tree canopy to 40%, eliminating tree stumps, tree data, the draft tree ordinance, City resources for trees, and the Covid Memorial Grove. The Mayor seemed especially interested in pursuing the idea of a memorial grove for Covid victims, which in a sense, we all are.
This year we raised $27.5K in grant money. Most of the funds were for planting trees in environmental justice areas of Medford. The remainder were for an inventory of Oak Grove Cemetery trees. We are developing tree inventories for all of Medford. This year the inventory data for South Medford was turned over to the City for their use. We plan to raise money to inventory the Parks and complete the rest of the cemetery in 2022.
Gas leaks are a known killer of urban trees. TreesMedford is partnering with other communities to identify successful ways to monitor gas leaks and ensure that they are repaired. TreesMedford identified dead trees near gas leaks on several streets where additional scrutiny is needed.
As we look ahead to 2022, we are continuing to find more ways to foster a healthy and vibrant tree canopy to benefit Medford. The ordinance we drafted will be on the front burner in the late winter early spring of 2022, with strong interest from the Mayor and City Council Members. We also look forward to working with the city to site and plant a Covid Memorial Grove - a restful space for our community to reflect on what we have all gone through these last few years and remember loved ones that we have lost. A parklike setting, tall shade trees, flowering trees and shrubs would provide a soothing place for people to relax and reflect for generations to come. Park benches and picnic tables would offer shaded places for people to sit, eat, or relax. Finally, TreesMedford will be pursuing closer ties with neighboring tree groups to learn from their experience with gas leaks, ordinances, and other issues.
We would welcome your involvement in TreesMedford. As you can see, there is plenty to do and get involved with. We estimate that we logged nearly 400 volunteer hours between us this year, and that does not count the hours of the 100 volunteers who pledged to water and care for trees in our adopt-a-tree program. Come join us! Our meetings are on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6pm.
Sarah Gerould CoChair, TreesMedford
Amanda Bowen Cochair, TreesMedford