Greenwich Sentinel – Notable Trees of Greenwich: A Greenwich Tree Conservancy Project

By Chery Dunson and Sue Baker, Advisory Board Chairs

Sue Baker measuring a National Champion European Larch Larix decidua.

Greenwich is fortunate to have an extensive tree canopy providing a vivid and kaleidoscopic display of color and form throughout our spring, summer and fall seasons. Trees line our streets. They stand in our parks, on our school grounds, and make up our woodlands. They adorn the yards around our homes. Trees provide benefits to town residents by shielding us from heat and cold, purifying our air and water and significantly reducing stormwater flooding. They soften the noise from ever increasing traffic and the visual impact of our urban built environments. Along with all this they provide food and shelter essential to birds and other wildlife.

Among the many thousands, there are exceptional trees notable for their great size, unusual species or historic or social significance. In the 1980s, the Connecticut College Arboretum established the statewide Notable Tree program, surveying towns across Connecticut. The program identified over 100 notable trees on public and private lands in Greenwich. If you are interested in learning more about the Connecticut College Arboretum Notable Trees project you can visit – http://oak.conncoll.edu:8080/notabletrees/

Until recently, the status of many of the Greenwich listed trees was unknown. Throughout the past year, the Greenwich Tree Conservancy has located many of these trees providing an update of the town’s listing. We have determined if the trees are still alive and healthy, their current size and status, or if they had been removed.

The process is straightforward. We reach out to property owners requesting permission to access their property to verify the status of the tree. A team of three volunteers locates each tree and takes measurements to determine the diameter of its trunk, the spread of its crown, and its overall height. Each of these measurements contributes to an overall rating as established by American Forestry Association. This information is provided to the CT College Arboretum in order to update the Greenwich listing. Among our town’s Notable Trees are Oaks, Horse Chestnuts, American Sycamores, London Planetrees and Japanese Zelkovas.

To date, we have verified the status of all the notable trees on public lands. Additionally, half of the private property owners have granted us access. We would like to thank the numerous property owners who beyond granting us access have enabled these notable trees to survive and thrive over the decades!

Some verified notable trees you can look for on public lands include a Sweetgum (Liquidamber styraciflua), Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) and Black Oak (Quercus velutina) in Bruce Park. A London Planetree (Platanus acerifolia) at the Board of Education building at 290 Greenwich Avenue. A Thread Leaf Japanese Maple (Acre palmatum‘Dissectum’ ), Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana), Thayer Yew (Taxus media ‘Thayerae’) and Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis ‘Sargentii’) in the Montgomery Pinetum in Cos Cob. An American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) at North Mianus School and a Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) on Sound Beach Avenue in Old Greenwich.

This is an ongoing project for the Tree Conservancy and we are now turning our attention to adding new trees to the CT College Notable Tree listing for Greenwich. If you have a tree on your property that you believe may be notable for its size, species or historic significance, or if you delayed responding to our letter, you may contact us at: arboretum@greenwichtreeconservancy.com.

To find out more about the Greenwich Tree Conservancy, visit us at: www.greenwichtreeconservancy.org.

We look forward to hearing from you!

This article originally appeared in the Greenwich Sentinel on Friday, August 16, 2024. Click here to view.

Greenwich Free Press: Greenwich Sustainability Committee Speaker Series – Save the Dates

Join the Sustainability Committee for informative and educational discussions on how the Greenwich Sustainability Sectors are responding to the challenges of the climate crisis.

The Speaker Series takes place at the Second Congregational Chapel from 1:00 – 2:30pm

Please visit our webpage: greenwichct.gov to sign up for our newsletter and follow us @greenwichsustainability to receive updates.

LAND AND WATER: September 28, 2023
Forests, Trees and Brain Health
Community Partner: Greenwich Tree Conservancy

WASTE REDUCTION: October 24, 2023
Waste Injustice: Impacts and Solutions
Community Partner: Waste Free Greenwich

COMMUNITY CULTURE: November 28, 2023
Building Ecological Climate Resilience Through Native Plant Landscaping
Community Partner: Greenwich Land Trust

FOOD SYSTEMS: January 30, 2024
Regionalizing the Food System in Response to Climate Change
Community Partners: Greenwich Community Gardens and The Foodshed Network

LEGISLATION AND ADVOCACY: February, 2024

BUSINESS: March 26, 2024
The Business Case for Sustainability: Why is it Important for Business to Adopt Sustainable Practices?

CLIMATE RESILIENCY: April, 2024
Climate Change Impacts in Greenwich: What Do We Need to Prepare For and How?

TRANSPORTATION AND AIR QUALITY: May 28, 2024
Spare the Air: Smog Season Starts with a Call to Drive Less and Landscape Responsibly

Contact Kim Gregory @ staglanefarm@yahoo.com with any questions.

Greenwich Sustainability Committee Speaker Series is in partnership with Coffee for Good and Second Congregational Church.

Original Source: Greenwich Sustainability Committee Speaker Series: Save the Dates | Greenwich Free Press

 

More info on this month’s event. To RSVP, email Kim Gregory at staglanefarm@yahoo.com.

Greenwich Sentinel: Last Chance to Celebrate Your Treasured Tree for 2023 7.14.2023

For the last four years the Greenwich Tree Conservancy has been honoring our chosen treasured trees with a nameplate installed on your winning treasured tree (GTC) that will be added to the Greenwich Tree Conservancy’s roster of Treasured Trees winners, plus a celebratory night when the winning treasured tree will be celebrated with a framed photograph of that treasured tree!

2022 Treasured Trees
Abigail McCarthy sits beneath her 2022 Third Place winning 100-year plus Norway Spruce on Palmer Hill Road, with its “Harry Potter Whomping Willow scale roots.” Contributed photo.

And what have been some of those winning treasured trees over the years? The American Elm, a Copper Beech, a Horse Chestnut, a Red Tip Photinia, a Katsura, a Sugar Maple, a Colorado Spruce, a Northern Red Oak!

So, do you have a tree that you treasure? Perhaps you’ve just planted one to celebrate an extraordinary person or event, or the birth of a child? Is there one that has guested many a bird or a squirrel’s dray, or offers a favorite climb for your kids, or even is hosting a tree house?

Are you an environmentalist keen on bringing down the level of CO2 in our air? Perhaps you have one of those top carbon-storing trees on your property, a Yellow Poplar or a Silver Maple tree or an Oak tree?

Have you always loved a tree in your neighborhood? The Greenwich Tree Conservancy’s Treasured Trees Program highlights special trees on private properties to create respect for the many beautiful and unique trees to be found throughout our community.

You can love a tree for many reasons: its special history, a memory or story; its magnificent size; its age; its species; its unique shape; its Spring flowers or Fall foliage and more! But seize the moment for the GTC deadline for proposing that treasured tree is this Saturday, July 15 (though the last word is they are accepting entries into next week).

To propose your treasured tree, visit the GTC website at www.greenwichtreeconservancy.org to access your nomination form. Also available online is a list of frequently asked questions. Nominations will be judged by two distinguished arborists. If selected by GTC judges, your tree will have a 5” x 7” nameplate mounted on the trunk of the tree.

And “the winner is” will be celebrated before a crowd of tree lovers at the GTC reception at the Sam Bridge Nursery and Greenhouses to be held on October 26 with the winner receiving that framed photograph of your Treasured Tree of 2023!

This article was written by Anne Semmes and originally appeared at Last Chance to Celebrate Your Treasured Tree for 2023 | Greenwich Sentinel.

2023 Treasured Trees Nominations

2023 Treasured Trees – Nominate Your Treasured Tree today!

 

In addition to a town wide Arboretum on public land, The Greenwich Tree Conservancy’s Treasured Trees Program highlights special trees on private properties to create respect for the many beautiful and unique trees to be found throughout our community.

Click here for more details on Treasured Trees and how to nominate your tree.

Greenwich Sentinel: Greenwich Tree Conservancy Tree Party brings a young crowd of tree lovers together

GTC Tree Party co-chairs Shari Aser James on left and Ellie Jenkins with their gift certificates of trees to planted in their names. Photo by Bob Capazzo.

By Anne W. Semmes

They came in droves, the tree lovers, over 250, to celebrate the accomplishments of the now 16-year-old Greenwich Tree Conservancy (GTC), surrounded by explosions of color from a host of flowers laid out now for a twelfth year at McArdle’s Greenhouse. Guests were served sumptuous hors d’oeuvres from Happiness Is placed on those tree slice trays, with cocktails offered courtesy of Val’s Putnam Wines & Liquors.

GTC Chairman Peter Malkin and wife Isabel were not present in such a thick gathering but were represented by son-in-law Senator Richard Blumenthal who arrived with his walker having suffered injuries when a “fellow parade goer” tripped and fell upon him.

“I have the honor of representing Greenwich and the rest of Connecticut in the United States,” said Blumenthal, adding, “But more importantly, I am Peter and Isabel’s son-in-law. And so, I have to really mind what I say tonight! I’m so proud to be a Greenwich resident, to call Greenwich home. To have raised four children here with the kind of civic engagement and activism that the Greenwich Tree Conservancy demonstrates. So, please join me in a big round of applause for Urling Searle [GTC President], and JoAnn Messina [GTC Executive Director]. Thank you, JoAnn for your incredible leadership over so many years.”

Messina has presided over the planting of some 5,000 trees in Greenwich, along with the labelling of a thousand trees in the Town’s Arboretum. Add two more as Tree Party co-chairs, Shari Aser and Ellie Jenkins were recognized for their efforts by Searle with two trees to be planted in their names with their choice of where those trees are to be planted in town.

GTC President Urling Searle and GTC Executive Director JoAnn Messina. Photo by Bob Capazzo.

Aser stole a moment in her thanks to share the impact the Tree Conservancy has had on her life. “Exactly 12 years ago tonight,” she told, “I met my husband in this room, at this event.” “Clearly,” she added with a smile, “I had to co-chair the event eventually and plant many more trees… And I’m very glad [husband] Bill James asked me out after the event!”

“What a great night,” declared First Selectman Fred Camillo to the crowd. “It’s a week that we celebrate Arbor Day, daffodils, and Greenwich Tree Conservancy. And it shows that Greenwich is really a green town, and we treasure things like our trees.”

Worth adding here what Blumenthal also shared: “You know there’s an old saying that the sign of generosity is to plant a tree whose shade you will never enjoy. Looking around at this crowd, I think all of you are going to be around for the trees that we are planting – this is a very young crowd.”

So, perhaps the Town’s Tree Warden Dr. Greg Kramer who was present and thanked by our First Selectman for his tree-planting efforts might be the one to consult on tree choices to plant and where to plant. When asked by this reporter what might be his choice of ten trees to plant in Town, he came up with a list of “Top Ten” choices with full descriptions. See his choices listed separately here in the Sentinel!

Read the full story at https://www.greenwichsentinel.com/2023/05/05/greenwich-tree-conservancy-tree-party-brings-a-young-crowd-of-tree-lovers-together/

2023 Tree Party

Photos by Bob Capazzo

The Tree Doctors – recorded on March 30, 2023

The Tree Doctors Are Coming!

Recorded on Thursday, March 30th

 

You have questions and we have answers!
Join us for a panel discussion and Q&A with:
John Conte
Licensed Landscape Architect, Member Town Greenscape Committee
Dr. Gregory Kramer
Superintendent of Parks & Trees. Town Tree Warden.
Allan Fenner
Consulting Arborist
Planning a Landscape
Concerned about disease
Insect infestation
Feeding or Pruning
Learn ways to better care for your trees
Register to access the recording!

CT Insider: Greenwich Land Trust ‘Winter Walk’ teaches visitors how identify trees without leaves

Visitors enjoyed a robust walk and a little education about the trees around them on Feb. 7 at the new Converse Brook Preserve in Greenwich.

The Greenwich Land Trust and Greenwich Tree Conservancy hosted the guided tour “Winter Walk — Identifying Trees Without Leaves” at the preserve, which is on Cherry Valley Road. Those who attended were taught to examine the diverse features of bark, branches and buds to see a varied winter landscape.

The Land Trust permanently protects and cares for more than 869 acres of woodlands, marshlands, orchards, and meadows throughout Greenwich. The organization recently acquired Converse Brook Preserve, which is 72 acres of open space. The piece of land is now Greenwich Land Trust’s largest preserve and will allow the community to partake in outdoor activities and educational programming through guided walks and hikes, nature study, and family events.

This story originally appeared at https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/greenwich-converse-brook-park-17772119.php#taboola-1

The Great Legacy White Oak Planting Workshop 10.25.2022