Somerville has begun a new initiative to promote the health of trees in its parks.
Through the new program, the city’s Public Space and Urban Forestry Division will be carrying out preventive maintenance measures that go beyond standard tree care. The work will include performing comprehensive health assessments of the trees in each park, and based on those evaluations, devising and implementing proactive measures to protect the health of those trees in the short and long term.
The maintenance work can range from pruning branches and roots to removing dead or diseased trees. The program will be implemented gradually, with assessments undertaken at four to seven parks each year.
The first assessments were carried out last fall at Marshall Street Playground and at the Ed Leathers Somerville Junction, Osgood, and Nunziato parks. The first preventive work is starting this month.
For more information, including links to the tree assessments at the first five parks, go to www.somervillema.gov/treehealth.
John Laidler can be reached at [email protected].