Author: Karin Cholak

By  Cheryl Dunson

The Greenwich Town Arboretum is internationally accredited by ArbNet, the sole body which awards accreditation to arboreta worldwide. The Greenwich Tree Conservancy (GTC), in partnership with the Greenwich Department of Parks and Recreation, submitted a successful application and our arboretum was established in 2016. Criteria for accreditation include: a governance group, 100+ labelled tree species, and educational programming. If you visit the ArbNet website, you will see the Greenwich Town Arboretum listed among arboreta from around the world, including Kew Gardens in London. To see our listing and learn about other arboreta visit: https://arbnet.org/morton-register/accredited-arboreta/all

A 2009 Historic Parks of Greenwich report commissioned by the Greenwich Division of Parks and Trees served as the guide for the establishment of the Greenwich Town Arboretum. The report provided a wealth of background information about our four historic parks which “launched” the Arboretum: Bruce Park, Byram Park, Binney Park and the Montgomery Pinetum.

Bruce Park, approximately 60 acres, is Greenwich’s oldest public park. It was established in 1908 through a bequest of Robert Bruce. In 1930, the Town paid for a survey and development plan for Bruce Park which is located on the south side of I95. Significant trees identified at that time included beech, maple, ash, cherry, dogwood and sycamore. Today, the oaks and sweetgums are particularly striking.

Byram Park, in southwest Greenwich, was established in 1919. It is approximately 30 acres and fronts Long Island Sound. The original acreage was a former granite quarry and the exposed granite cavities remain clearly visible today. In 1975, 10 acres were added to the east end of the park, part of a private estate then known as “The Anchorage.” Many mature deciduous and coniferous trees are part of Byram Park’s original section near the entry gate and near the playground. These mature species include oaks, tulip trees, and sugar maples.

The land for Binney Park in Old Greenwich was purchased by Edwin Binney in 1927 with the intent to deed it to the town exclusively for recreation and park uses. The design and construction of the park took over 4 years. It is interesting to note that James A.G. Davey of Davey Tree Company was Binney’s son-in-law and advised on the design of the park. Among other elements, the plan called for the planting of many trees and the creation of two small “lakes.” In 1933, Binney Park was dedicated. Tree species included pin oak, red maple, paper birch, tupelo, dogwood, hawthorn, and American ash.

The Montgomery Pinetum in Cos Cob is approximately 100 acres and is adjacent to the Pomerance and Tuchman town-owned properties. Colonel Robert Montgomery purchased the property known as “Wild Acres” in 1922. He and his wife developed the property adding gardens, paths and buildings including a high-ceilinged greenhouse for fruit tree propagation. Col. Montgomery established the Pinetum in 1930. He planted abundantly and eventually acquired over 850 coniferous species.

In 1945, he gifted his 200 best specimens to the New York Botanical Garden. After Col. Montgomery’s death in 1952, his wife approached the Town about donating the property with restrictions that it be used for walking trails, horticulture and the arts. The Town voted to accept the gift in 1953. Some conifer specimens planted under Col. Montgomery’s direction remain today along with many species of ornamental shrubs and trees.

Since the launch of the Greenwich Town Arboretum, the GTC has planted and labelled trees in our four historic parks and expanded to other areas like Greenwich Point, Cos Cob Park, school properties, neighborhood centers, and town-owned parking lots. Greenwich is unusual because our arboretum is truly town-wide. To date, we have labelled over 1350 trees! Residents can help us maintain tree labels in good condition. Whether due to storms, aging or occasional vandalism, sometimes labels come loose from a tree. We would appreciate the public’s help in notifying us via email at Arboretum@GreenwichTreeConservancy.com if they see a label that is damaged, dangling, or missing.

The Greenwich Tree Conservancy’s mission includes helping to preserve our Town Arboretum as a living museum of trees and as a treasured community asset for current and future generations. The Arboretum collections include both specimens from native ecosystems and species representing botanical diversity from around the world. The GTC works to promote a deeper knowledge of trees through public events, educational programs, and through research. We are only able to do this work through the generous support of residents.

To find out more about the Greenwich Town Arboretum, our programming and more, visit us at www.greenwichtreeconservancy.org

Cheryl Dunson, Greenwich Tree Conservancy Advisory Board Co-Chair

Read the story here on the Greenwich Sentenial

A majestic Elm Tree on the grounds of First Church of Round Hill Road in Greenwich has sadly died and must be removed. The tree, which stands prominently on the corner Round Hill Road and John Street, is a source of peace and tranquility in back country.

The tree, which poses a danger to the church and roadway, will be replaced with a disease resistant Valley Forge Elm Tree at the recommendation of the town tree warden, that will eventually have a similar shape and be climate resistant.

John Conte was president of Greenwich Tree Conservancy when he died unexpectedly on April 22.

Over the years he was involved with many organizations around town. In addition to his 40 years of experience in arboriculture, landscape architecture and construction, he served on the boards of the Greenwich Land Trust, Greenwich Audubon, and Family Centers. He also had extensive leadership experience at the Round Hill Association and Greenwich Green & Clean.

Leslie Lee, who is serving as interim president of the board of directors of the Greenwich Tree Conservancy until a new president is elected at the organization’s annual meeting in January, said there are plans to dedicate the new tree in memory of Mr. Conte, who married his wife Kim in First Church of Round Hill in 1983.

The church is responsible for the tree removal, but Ms Lee said the Greenwich Tree Conservancy had been receiving contributions in Mr. Conte’s memory that they plan to use toward the stump grinding to make it easier to plant a new tree nearby, and to pay for the new tree.

She said Mr. Conte always loved the Elm Tree on the church property and noted that in fact, even without leaves its branches are gracious and  impressive.

There are plans in the works for a planting ceremony in the fall when the weather has cooled down and the tree will have a better chance to get established.

In the meantime, a variety of organizations that Mr. Conte was involved with will have a chance to participate in funding the new tree as a lasting tribute to him and his love of trees throughout town.

The First Church of Round Hill in Greenwich dates back to 1810. The original church building was dedicated in 1828, and moved across the street to its current location in 1871.

Read the article in the Greenwich Free Press

On Friday, April 25th, the historic Dingletown Church property, located at 376 Stanwich Road, was transferred to Greenwich Land Trust with the goal of protecting this special and historic place.

Greenwich Land Trust, in collaboration with the Dingletown Church leadership, crafted a robust set of preservation restrictions and a deeded conservation easement to protect the integrity of the site’s landscape, the historic character of the church building, and the pastoral beauty of the neighborhood.

The Dingletown Church’s leadership initiated this generous donation and was visionary in making this possible.

Greenwich Land Trust is currently discussing transferring the property to the Greenwich Tree Conservancy, a local environmental organization whose mission is to plant, preserve and protect the urban forests of Greenwich for the benefit of community health and quality of life.

The Greenwich Tree Conservancy would serve as the property’s long-term steward, ensuring the site is preserved in alignment with the preservation and conservation restrictions established by Greenwich Land Trust and Dingletown Community Church and made accessible to the Greenwich community in a thoughtful and meaningful way.

Read the article in the Greenwich Sentinel

By Kate Dzikiewicz

Whether large or small, property development projects in Greenwich often result in tree removal. Most of these projects now include robust planting plans to replace lost trees, and native species are chosen more often than they were in years past. It is wonderful to see urban planning and development including more environmental and ecological components, but the trend of removing mature trees and replanting young ones represents a significant blind spot. The beneficial local impact of a mature tree takes decades to achieve, and no number of saplings can replace that.

A mature tree has an extensive canopy and innumerable leaves. This makes them very effective at reducing airborne pollutants in an urban area, such as particulate matter, ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen monoxide. Some of these pollutants are absorbed by the tree and transformed into less harmful substances while others adhere to the leaves and bark of a tree and are washed away by rain. Research has shown that a tree with a 30-inch diameter trunk has around 100 times more leaf surface area than a 6-inch tree, allowing it to remove 10 times more air pollution. Most trees are planted in the 1.5 – 3-inch range, making them even less effective at cleaning the air.

Mature trees also help mitigate the urban heat island effect. Paved surfaces exposed to full sun can be 20-40 degrees hotter than shaded areas and have ambient air temperatures up to 9 degrees warmer. Large trees with wide canopies block sunlight and cool streets and buildings. The process of a tree drawing water from the soil and releasing it as vapor into the air provides even more evaporative cooling. Home and business owners experience much lower energy expenses in summer if they have large trees shading their property.

Shade cast by trees also preserves our local infrastructure. The sun’s ultraviolet rays degrade asphalt over time and makes roads brittle and prone to damage. Street trees prevent this damage and reduce road resurfacing costs by 15-60%, depending on the level of canopy coverage.

Another way that trees help our infrastructure is by diminishing stormwater runoff. Greenwich experienced a particularly rainy spring this year and we can expect increasing weather variability in the years to come. Trees help manage stormwater by improving soil permeability and absorbing water through their roots. Mature trees are about three times more effective than young trees at reducing water runoff thanks to their extensive root systems and broad canopies that slow rainfall before it reaches the ground.

Across nearly every environmental metric, mature trees deliver significantly more benefits than their younger counterparts, which take decades to reach the same size and impact. The removal of mature trees needs to be recognized as a generational loss to a community and avoided whenever possible for that reason. These trees represent the investment of many decades of patience and care which can only be replaced by an equal amount of time and attention. It may be easier to remove large trees during construction and plant new ones afterward, but with careful planning trees can often be preserved, even next to active building sites!

To protect the health of our community, reduce energy costs, and maintain a resilient environment, it is essential that we prioritize the preservation of mature trees in our urban landscapes.

Kate Dzikiewicz
Executive Director, Greenwich Tree Conservancy

Read the article in the Greenwich Sentinel