Trees for Watertown

• Breaking News

Topic: The Arsenal Apartments Courtyard will stay!

    Gilbane Development Company, Rhode Island-based manager
     of Watertown's Arsenal Apartments housing for senior and disabled
     residents, intended to convert a tree-shaded central courtyard
      into a parking lot.

At a hearing on September 14, 2011, the Watertown Planning
      Board voted unanimously not to approve the project.
Gilbane subsequently withdrew its petition for Zoning Board
      approval, which was required for the project to go forward.

       CLICK HERE to see the presentation from Arsenal Apartments
   residents to the Planning Board in defense of the Courtyard.

       CLICK HERE to see a slide show illustrating the value
                                                                            of this beautiful courtyard.



TOPIC: WHAT IS A TREE WORTH?

In May, 2011, Trees for Watertown sponsored a moderated public conversation at the
Watertown Public Library. Seven speakers gave 5-minute slide show presentations
on the value of trees from the perspectives of their professions: energy conservation,
real estate, public health, arboriculture, and religious guidance, as well as from the
vantage points of a Watertown parent of young children and a Watertown town
councilor. The discussion continued afterward with questions and comments from
interested members of the public.

You can watch the full event on YouTube.
The presentations begin at about 12 minutes into Part I (of 4).
Total duration: 110 minutes

             CLICK HERE   to watch the video in full screen display mode

             CLICK HERE   to watch the video in standard YouTube display mode
                                      (May run a little faster on an older computer)

             CLICK HERE to download a one-page description of the event

             CLICK HERE   to download the panelists' slides (3 MB PDF) including
    resources & web sites the panelists recommend

TOPIC: REACTIONS AGAINST UTILITY PRUNING DAMAGE TO SHADE TREE CANOPY

    Boston.com/yourtown, September 18, 2011
    More towns consider municipal electrical utilities
    after long NSTAR Irene outages

    Boston.com/yourtown, October 3, 2010
    More NSTAR complaints south of Boston

     Boston.com/yourtown, August 11, 2010
     NSTAR to halt pruning in Watertown - again

     Wicked Local Watertown, August 11, 2010
     Watertown Town Council votes unanimously
     to halt NSTAR utility pruning

     Wicked Local Newton, August 10, 2010
     Newton puts a hold on NSTAR pruning

     WCTV "Voices Near and Far" interview, August 4, 2010
     Host Eileen McKlusky interviews TFW President Ruth Thomasian

     Watertown Tree Warden memo, August 5, 2010
     Recommended changes in utility pruning protocol

     Wicked Local Watertown, August 2, 2010
     NSTAR to continue pruning Watertown trees


     RELATED ARTICLE
     Enterprise News, Lexington, Aug 27, 2009
     NStar Must Provide Real Reason for Outages

     Boston.com/yourtown, August 2, 2010
     Arlington to residents: report NSTAR pruning to police

    Watertown Residents Vote 88% In Favor of Town Placing Restrictions on Pruning
    Watertown Tab & Press Poll, July 2010

    Town of Watertown web site, July 30, 2010
    NSTAR will resume pruning August 9

    Boston.com/yourtown , July 21, 2010
    Arlington: NSTAR suspends pruning after complaints

    WickedLocal.com/Maynard, July 16, 2010
    Maynard: NSTAR suspends pruning after complaints

    Watertown Tab&Press, July 9, 2010
    LTE: NSTAR gets away with more in Watertown

    Boston.com/news/local, July 8, 2010
    NStar puts a hold on tree pruning

    Watertown Tab&Press, July 2, 2010
    NSTAR halts tree pruning in Watertown

    Boston.com/yourtown, July 1, 2010
    NSTAR agrees to temporary halt to tree pruning in Watertown

    Watertown Tab&Press, June 25, 2010
    NSTAR pruning crews are damaging trees in Watertown

    Watertown Tab&Press, June 25, 2010
    Letter from Watertown resident Joel Hencken to Lucas Trees

TOPIC: ASIAN LONG-HORNED BEETLE

       Download TFW's ALB flyer

       Beetle FAQ's
       http://www.beetlebusters.info/

     WGBH-TV Channel 2/HD, August 15, 2010
       LURKING IN THE TREES: Special Broadcast
       on ALB, Sunday, August 13, 1 pm

   Boston.com/yourtown, July 15, 2010
       No new ALB have been found in
       Boston, but search continues

       Boston.com/news, July 11, 2010
       Worcester: a recovery takes root

   Boston.com/news, July 6, 2010
       Asian Longhorned Beetle discovered
       near Arnold Arboretum in Boston
       (includes video)

• Archived News

Articles and entries moved down from above

• Reports and Documents

      Ten Major Values of Trees
            What a large urban street tree can do for you

      22 Benefits of Urban Street Trees
      An illustrated brochure by Dan Burden, Senior Urban Designer.
            Glatting Jackson and Walkable Communities, Inc; May, 2006