As you walk and drive North and South Main Streets, have you noticed there are fewer trees than there were 10 years ago (from 2012-2022 there has been a net loss of 106 trees)? Did you know that it takes years for newly planted trees to reach the maturity of those being removed? Among some of a tree’s benefits: provides a source of oxygen, absorbs harmful gases, conserves energy and prevents soil erosion as well as enhances property values.
There is currently no Town budget to support tree replacement. The Town Tree Committee, funded by two private endowments and the Suffield Garden Club, has been the major source of tree planting for many years. This source of funding is woefully short of what is needed to keep pace with necessary tree replacement goals, and within the next several months we plan to reach out to the community for support.
With a grant to the Garden Club from HFPG’s Suffield Greater Together Community Fund, the Tree Committee and the Garden Club have been working together with Town officials, landscape architects, local nurserymen, the Scenic Highway Commission, Eversource and the State DOT to develop a 10-year strategic plan for maintaining and rebuilding the tree canopy throughout historic Main Street and our Town Greens.
The remains of trees taken down recently on the North Green await their pickup crane.
Please join us on Saturday, April 30 at 10 a.m., north Town Green, in celebration of Arbor Day. With donations from private citizens, and help from Eversource, we’ll be breaking ground on this new plan by planting five replacement trees on the Town Green and sharing information on how you can help. Learn how to give new trees a good start and take home a sapling tree for your own yard, courtesy of Bartlett Tree Experts.