Public Shade Tree Committee Sep 10, 2026

Hello. >> Hey there. >> Hello. >> I apologize. >> Having some uh Amoris IT hardware technology difficulties. So, I'll be >> my iPad, which is controlled by it, will not update the new Zoom app and won't run it without their their Apple ID. So, I'm operating from my phone at the moment. Um, >> oh dear. >> I apologize. >> Julian and Brit are in the participant list if you want to upgrade them. >> Okay. Um, I'm trying to. >> Nice. >> I don't think I have the ability. >> Not yet. Okay. Go host. >> Yeah, it's not letting me. >> Okay, it should now. >> Okay. Yep. >> Okay, great. All right, good. Well, thank you all for meeting on a Thursday. I really appreciate that the last minute schedule change. Um, but it was very helpful. Um, I guess, um, we have a quorum, so I will, um, call this meeting to order. Um, this meeting of the Ammeris Public Shade Treat Committee is being recorded and will be made available for public viewing by end of the day on Friday on the town's website and YouTube channel. And today's date is Thursday, September 10th, 2026, and it is 5:34 p.m. Um, can I have someone to volunteer to take minutes? >> Bennett, thank you. appreciate that. And um let's see um any announcements or public comments. I don't see anybody any members of the public. Um are there any announcements um from anyone? Um I I guess I have an announcement or something that I wanted to mention which is that um the person from uh the Department of Public Works who joined us on a planting a couple months ago, I think his name was Andrew. He works at the water facility. He emailed me to offer us a tour of the water treatment plant and he had mentioned that Sarah he said Sarah was interested. Um I don't know I don't know if that's true or not but I wanted to just mention that that we have been offered a tour of the water you know water facilities in town >> that's relevant. >> Yeah. >> Sorry Alan. Can you say that again? >> The wastewater treatment plant um down on um just below the Mullen Center. >> Mhm. Uh okay. I I guess I was thinking it was the one along the bike trail, but I guess the town water treatment plant makes more sense. >> Well, that's nice. I mean, I'm interested just personally because I I've always been curious about it. Henry, you too. Okay. And me too, >> Sarah. >> That is true. I am interested. >> Okay. >> I attended one in grade school. Um, >> and that was the last time I've been in there, so I'll go again. >> Okay. Um, Brit, do you want to forward the email to me and I'll try to coordinate um with him? I remember um meeting him at the planting. So, >> yes, I can do that. >> Okay. and I'm happy to try to find a date that works for everybody. >> Great. >> Great. Thank you. Um Okay. Um I sent the minutes for the July meeting. Um are there any comments, edits, changes? Everything looks good. Okay. Um, can I see a show of hands um to approve the minutes? Brit, you good with it? >> Yep. >> Okay. So, Bennett, that is a unanimous um pass. And then I'll just quickly call around. Um, God, I didn't even do my volunteer hours. I'm usually good about tracking that. Um, I'll say 10. I'm sorry. I should have looked better, but uh, crazy month. Um Sarah two. Okay. Julian >> seven. >> Thank you. Britt. Uh five. >> Okay. Henry. >> This includes the picnic, right? >> Yes. >> Yeah. So, yeah. Five. >> Okay. And Bennett. >> Same. >> Okay. Thank you. I know. Um it's been a two I guess yeah we missed August as four meetings. So um okay so I will um move to committee reports. I'll start with the chair report. Um I did uh the American beach tree this month for Ammeris Arbor Spotlight and um I will I'm planning to do Sugar Maple either for October or November. I'm thinking maybe more November because I can get more good um seasonal photos. Um and then December finally last month I'm thinking it's going to be sort of a an amalgamation of just certain species like oneoffs like um like the sergeants cherry or a ginko. I think I'll just have a bunch of them. Kentucky coffee tree, things like that. Um, so, um, yeah, I just need one more really good species for a monthly feature. Um, but I'm actually I I I really enjoy doing this, but I'm ready for it to be over, too. So, it's been a lot of work. Um, but we've gotten some good um, reports um, between the Ammeris Indie and the town website. Um, we're getting about 250 300 unique views per month, which is nice. I mean, it's probably the same people each time, but um, you know, I wish it were higher, but it's, you know, it's not horrible either. Um, and it does look like most views are coming in through Ammeris Indie as opposed to through our postings. And I think that's really just a, you know, a result of us not having a ton of followers um, on social media. But anyway, every little bit helps. And um you know, it is an evergreen situation, so we can keep it up as long as we want or add to it, change it, whatever. Um so hopefully over time. But um okay, let's see. Oh, Christina Link, uh she finished, uh her internship with us in August. I just finished writing her um evaluation. Um and yeah, she did a great job. Uh she really helped um analyze the significant tree ordinance ordinances in the different towns. Um she wrote a draft statement um that we could present to the town when we're ready. It needs a little more tweaking and things, but um it's a really good start. Um, I know she did look at those photographs, Alan, at UMass, and um, she met with the GIS librarian uh, there and I think she's just trying to figure out now how to um, reconcile the data from the 1950s and whether she uses Google Maps. She's just trying to figure out what she needs to use um, to look at the the current uh, tree canopy. Um, and yeah, she attended a couple events and represented the tree committee at uh different events and of course um helped out with Allen and Julian this summer um helping take care of our trees. So, I'm really glad that um that seemed to have worked out well. I hope it was rewarding for her. And um she said she'll be at the planting on the 17th and wants to sort of continue volunteering with us through the her senior year. So >> 17th or 19 something >> 19th. Sorry. Sorry. Thank you. Good catch. Um so I do have some very exciting news. Um it's not definite yet, but Mindy Dom uh reached out and secured a um $100,000 ear mark in state invi in a state environmental bond uh for tree planting in Ammerst. And um it's not uh a fade to complete. She still has to um it still has to move uh forward and the governor still needs to sign it. Um but she was very interested in um what we proposed for a tree planting at the Boulders and I sent her our TD grant application and um she was very excited about that. So, she said she'd reach out to me uh later this year, early next year um to learn more about the project and the details around it and other tree planting needs um for the committee. So, fingers crossed, but it's a great first step. Um, I really appreciate how um, supportive Mindy has been of our committee and um, this would really be quite quite um, transformational for us. U, >> that's amazing money. >> Awesome. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, >> two questions that I imagine the answer is not present yet, >> but >> when you meet with her, if you meet with her, good questions to ask is A, can it be used on private property, i.e. the boulders, another affordable housing complex, etc. And C, can it just be used for trees or can it be used for equipment um that we use at DPW, etc. >> Right? that that was a question I had but the private property I will add it could >> yeah those are the only two >> I had also mentioned the idea of a wood bank um yeah I I think it sounded like it could be um used for different things um I think that environmental justice neighborhood was very much interesting to her um but I it. When we did the budget for the grant, it was I think 28,000 or something. So, there would still be significant amount of money. I mean, granted, that figure could change, but there'd still be a lot of money um that we could pour into other things that would support our work and mission. So, um yeah, >> I'm quite sure this money comes you can use it for private trees. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I'm not positive but quite sure. >> Okay, I am highlighting these questions so when she reaches out I will be ready to ask her that. Um it was very clear in our grant that that was a private man privately owned and managed property. Um but she may not have um caught on to that as quickly. But um anyway, >> I would I would just add that, you know, we would want to find a way to accept those funds regardless of whether or not they could be used for planting on private property. So, the timing of those questions maybe, you know, maybe it makes sense to wait until the money's secured unless she brings up, you know, specific use uh options before that. Oh, she yes, she said she would um when she knows that it's going to, you know, move forward um she said she'd reach out to me to get more specifics on that project. So, that would be the perfect time. And of course, we can put our heads together to think of, I'm sure, many other uses we could um use the money for. So, um okay. Um, I just stopped by the other day at the Old South Air School and our orchard is full of fruit. I took some photos of the apples and pears and pimmens and, um, had Shashana and Julian post on that. But, um, go get your go get your delicious food. It's there for the picking. Um, it's the trees are all really full, so um, it was really nice to to enjoy that. Um, I got a message from DCR that they're doing their um, regular training again uh, for treeboard members and tree wardens and municipal staff. Um, and it will be uh, in Worcester. I did this class last year. It's a full day class 8:30 to 4. Um, and it was really really interesting. I learned a lot. Um, it looks like it's sort of the same agenda again. Um, so it doesn't necessarily make sense for me to go, but if somebody from the committee is interested, there are two different dates. Um, Wednesday, October 14th or Thursday, October 15th. And the topics are going to be on iTree community tree boards and ordinances, tree maintenance, pruning, proper tree planting techniques, and funding, urban and community forestry. Um, so >> Ellen, what was the name of that for for notes? What was the name of that class? >> Oh, sure. It's uh DCR tree steward training. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> It might be worth asking uh Brooks if he wants to do that. >> Yeah. >> Or even um our young young woman who was helping Christina. Christine here. I don't know if she still >> I thought about >> I thought it might be really nice and it's not expensive >> and if she has the availability I thought it'd be really nice to send her. Um >> and in the past we've paid for members of the committee to attend. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So >> I really enjoyed it. So, um, yeah, if anybody else is interested, I know September is such a busy time of year, it's hard to think of committing to more things, but, um, okay, I think that was it for me. Um, so we'll move to vice chair and Julian. Hi. Yeah. Um just cuz Shashona is not here, I'll sort of put together my vice chair and social media update for the sake of time. But vice chair's update, we have mode and we did the nursery um pretty recently um on Monday I believe. And uh I also did notice that one of the trees in there had sort of split. Um so I just cut that that one off. Um other updates is that I have a list I think I spoke with Alan about this a little. I have a list of uh potential tree species to select for tree plantings. um that aren't really prevalent in our current canopy but are mostly native trees would adapt well to wet environments, climate change, etc. Um that we haven't we've planted a few of but we haven't planted tons of across town, at least according to the data. Um so I just finished compiling that today. Um, and I'm happy to send it to members of the committee and I'll send it to you, Alan, tonight or tomorrow. >> Thank you. >> Um, other than that, uh, trying to think of anything else specific, not on top of my mind. Social media. Um, we have 210 followers. So, we've successfully gotten one more follower than my personal account on Instagram, which is great. And, uh, other than that, I posted the the trees out at South Ammerst Orchard. Um, and posted the beach trees as well. Um, so those are coming up. And I think that's the main update. Thank you. Great. Um Allan, tree warning report. >> Be a quick report. Uh Tree City USA uh application is coming due. They opened up uh a process so we can begin entering data for that. Um, so if the committee wants to start compiling everything you have accomplished over the past year, um, start gathering photos and and documents that we published or links to documents onto a single document that I could attach or include to the application. That would be wonderful. Um, >> can I make a suggestion? >> Sure. Um, it might be easier uh to have a a document, a running document that people can just add to throughout the year every time they do something or the committee does something significant um rather than trying to pull it all together at the end of the year or before the applications are due. That might be something to consider. Great idea. You could um if somebody wanted to, you know, maintain that or you know, every tree planting we do, you can include a link to uh things that are getting posted or photos or something like that. Doesn't have to be a physical photo that's attached. It could be a link as well. Yeah, I think that's a great idea. Um, I typically just read through the past year of minutes and then kind of extrapolate from there and I try to keep up with the photos. Um, but I just look back on social media if I missed any that we can add. Um, but the minutes tend to summarize everything pretty well. Um, the only thing we >> That's totally fine, too. that strategy works. That's fine. I was just thinking of like, you know, faculty, we we submit something once a year, an annual faculty review, and I've found in my own experience that just keeping it updated throughout the year is easier than sitting down, you know, a week before it's due or a month before it's due. >> Um, but if if the minutes work, then that's great, too. >> They've been okay so far. The only thing that I don't keep track of um that I would like to, but I think Alan, you probably do, is how many trees we plant at each planting. Like I know I was thinking on um North Pleasant Street, like I think you brought 10, but we only planted a certain number. Like I'd like to be a little more accurate about that. Um so that would that would definitely be something I would like to keep track of. And sometimes the committee plants occasionally you do plant trees without my involvement too. So um I know Henry's done some tree planting. I think Julian you might have done some tree planting sort of outside of the DPW connection. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I think I've done three outside of tree committee or public works. Um, that's a great idea. Um, and then, uh, somebody reached out to me and asked to ask if the town was going to do another chainsaw operations training. Um, way back in uh, 201 12, 2011. Um, when I first started, we hosted a chainsaw training for residents of Ammerst to attend. Um, and it was after the October snowstorm where we had all that tree damage in um, 2011. And, uh, it was we we actually had about I think 20 people show up to it. It was pretty well received. Um, and so that's just something that I don't know, you know, kind of like a mini tree steward training for people of Amoris where the DBW and the committee could put together a day of uh, tree care, tree planting, tree pruning. um some basic chainsaw safety stuff, just general tree care and um maintenance. We could offer it to the for free for um people of Ammerst. Uh at some point, >> I think that I think that'd be perfect for our 50th anniversary. >> Yes. >> So, I think we should do that. I could also reach out to a former professor of mine, Brian Kaine. Um, he might be interested in doing something like this or helping organize it. I don't know. He does a lot of that with the school. So, >> he was actually one of the people who helped with the training we did back 2011. >> I didn't know that because I could not operate a chainsaw in 2011. But that's great. We could do that in place of one of the plantings or we could do it as a separate time. But, >> you know, second Saturdays we always have. So, maybe that's a good time to do it. >> Could do it in early spring, maybe >> April or something like that or just as people getting ready to start working out. >> I think that's Yeah, >> I like that idea. Saturday morning. >> Okay. Uh uh last thing is that we're you know finally cemetery work is slowing down and we'll be hopefully spending more time doing tree work going forward. It's been a very very slow summer for tree work. So looking forward to getting caught up again on our list of trees. >> Alan, do you have um and forgive me if you've already done it, but taking down those ash trees around Kendrick Park? has that happened or do you have a date when that might happen? >> Um, I keep pushing it back because I keep getting told that the construction project is getting pushed back. So, I keep pushing it back. Um, the construction was supposed to happen uh this summer, then this fall, and now I'm not sure if it's even going to happen this fall. Um, so um >> that's fine. I just want to be prepared when it happens. So, you know, maybe do a press release and uh social media just letting people know why and all of that. So, >> I am supposed to be meeting with um on uh over by uh Orchard Applewood. Um there's a lot there are about six or seven more dead ash trees that we have to take down over there. and the uh >> adjacent property management company uh I was going to meet with them to discuss doing a setback planting along that road um because there's just not enough room uh near the sidewalk to do it. Uh but um so that'll probably be a spring spring planting potential for next year. Okay, >> great. Uh Sarah treasurer, our current balance is $10,193.35, which reflects no change. And the incumbrance that we have on our account for the Ammeris farmer supply has $222.77 left to spend there. Forgive me if I'm behind on something. Are we What's the update on that tree? Did they remove the request to take it down on East Pleasant Street or they have not? So um still still need to hold the tree hearing for that with the with the uh planning board. So we have not scheduled that yet. >> Cool. >> That's the tree um on the UMass campus or adjacent to the campus. >> Correct. On these pleasant streets um that they requested the university requested DBW take it down because it blocks the line of sight. Okay. Or not. >> Don't rush to schedule it. >> Okay. We'll skip over social media um and website. The website's doing fine. It I know they're redoing everything. Um Samantha's been sort of uh revamping the website, but it's um it should be seamless for and it will be the same operations in terms of adding. >> I looked at our website today. It looks really good. >> Oh, thanks. Yeah, I try to keep it up and um keep it informative. Um, so I was happy Paul acknowledged it though and he said it was the best committee website. So >> that made me feel good. I'm like somebody actually looked at it. >> Um, okay. So presentation discussion second Saturday. Um, yes. So, we have our mass impact day, which is not this Saturday, but um Saturday, September 19th, and um uh Allan has identified that we will plant along High Street and North Whitney um and we'll meet at Ammerst Regional Middle School parking lot. Um I just got an email from the folks at UMass today. Their hours are a little different. Um, so, uh, the students will be going out at 10:00 a.m. and working until 200 p.m. Um, so I think we can adjust to meeting at 10:00 and um, I don't know that we'll need all that. You know, I don't know that we'll need 4 hours, but I guess they get bagged lunches or something and so if it's a nice day, maybe they can just wait until the bus comes. Um, I'll find out on Wednesday when they get >> bag lunches, too. >> I don't think so. I'm not sure. I'll have to read that more carefully. Um, they um will tell me on Wednesday how many people we can expect. Um, but I did request no more than 12. So, um, Alan, do you have a sense of how many trees we can plant? Are there stumps we're going to dig up? Um, is there other work? If we get a bunch of strong college students, >> they're welcome to start hacking away at those big sugar maple stumps if they want to. >> Okay. >> Um, I think I have um 16 trees cited so far. >> Oh, wow. Okay, great. >> And they're spread out, so it's not, you know, there couple houses here, then you skip, and then there's more. Um, so, um, when we're when we're ready to really discuss the planting, I have some thoughts. >> Okay. >> For that day, if you want to do that now. Is that what we're doing now? Um, >> yeah, go ahead. >> Okay. Um, so we're going to have students that are going to need to be broken up into groups, otherwise they'll stand around and um, talk to one another. um and they don't know how to plant trees most likely. Um so we really need to form functioning sort of working groups with with committee members um kind of motivating and and telling them how to how to plant the tree. Um, so, um, we really need to pay attention to, um, the depth of the planting, trunk flares, making sure the tree is, you know, plum, that it's not leaning when it's put in. Um, if it's dug too deep, you really need to, when you put fill in it, make sure it's packed down when you put the tree on top of it. Um, and the watering, mudding them in, uh, is really important and digging the hole wider. Um, we've been, it's tough work hand digging and we just need to make sure we dig the holes the proper width because they've been getting kind of narrow on some of them and it creates uh, back filling issues for the roots as well. So, um, but water depth, making sure they're planted correctly, um, and the proper preparation. If they're um if they are trees and root balls, if they're bald and burlaped and they start falling apart, um we really need to try to keep those root balls together, which may mean, you know, cutting the bottom off the root ball, the basket, leaving the side of the basket together, and then getting the tree in the hole and cutting off the sides of the basket. basket. Um, once it's in the hole, we've had we've had a number of trees kind of with the root balls that didn't hold up and they just are not they're not doing well. We've lost a couple of those trees. Those are generally the ones that we lose um and need to replace. So, um, and if anybody has any issues like that, you don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'm going to try I'm going to try to have enough water jugs with water so that each tree has two jugs of water. That always seems to be something that slows up the process. Um and again, um when we're planting, we I need to try to get enough tarps or bird seed bags or whatever that we can put the spoils on. Um, we really makes things go smoother if we contain the spoils so that it's not spread out around the planting hole. Um, and all the debris is on some kind of tarp or something. And then after we get three in the ground, you know, get the spoils into the hole, get it watered in. We do that final raking to get all the debris out of the grass. Um, and then we mulch it and possibly give it a little more water after that. Um, remember that where we're planting trees are often, you know, people think of it as their front yard. Um, and some people don't like rocks and roots and things left behind when we finish planting a tree. Um, so we got to really try to part of the presentation is a clean, you know, tree planting area after we're done planting a tree. Um, so yeah, >> just paying attention to detail. Everyone, everyone on the committee knows how to plant a tree. We just have to pay attention to detail and make sure we convey that to the students. >> Yes. Um, I see two questions. Um Sarah, do you want to go first? >> Thank you. Um I was just curious if more tarps or wheelbarrows or something else for the removed soil was something that we might want to purchase with the remaining funds at the Ammeris farmer supply. Is that like a a gear or tools need that we have that we don't currently there's not enough to go around or something like that? Yeah, we don't we definitely don't have enough. You know, I was taking I think it was I can't remember whose idea it was, but somebody >> brought a bird bag, bird seed bag that had been cut in half so that it laid flat. Um, and that's so that's what I was doing. Um, but if we've got the money, we could buy, you know, some 10 by10 tarps or something um that are decent quality. Uh, that would be great. That would help. Um, >> okay. >> One wheelbarrow could buy up could use up that whole >> Yeah. >> amount. So, >> I could buy some of the tarps. >> Happy to do that. >> And we, you know, we're going to we're going to run out of shovels as well. Uh, again, um, so we're going to need more shovels if we have um, you know, 12 students or so. >> Well, um, um, Henry, I'll get to you in one second. I was thinking once I get the list of people um and then I can check in with who's going to be there actually on the 19th I can sort of create teams divide things up and so everybody will know their you know and then we can Allan you can assign which team is you know on which street and which location and work that way but um yeah Henry go ahead. Yeah, I just want to say that um when we did the planting in Sweeter Park and we had 20 plus volunteers, we ended up it worked out very well. One of the committee members was with each team and we divied them up and it worked very good. You know, it was slowness when we were lacking shovels or whatever, but mostly it worked and everyone had a good time. So, >> okay, >> Julian. Yeah, I was just sort of wondering three sort of housekeeping things. First is would it be helpful if I made like a little note card of like how to plant a tree and then we copied it and gave it out to the students themselves so that they could look at something to sort of memorize beforehand and talk with each other about. >> We might have some of those >> I think I have them >> some years ago. Yeah, >> might be helpful to bring some of those >> or or even like a QR code like something that we have accessible on our website, how to plant a tree, that community members can go to um >> and then the students can just like pull up on their phone that day. >> Okay, that's a good idea. >> Yeah, I can work on that. Um I mean, if we already have something, I could just work on making it more accessible. um or if not create something. Other question is would it be worth asking friends or some of the fellow Arbor students at UMass if they wanted to attend because then you would have more people to sort of be leaders if you will. >> Always good to have you know students who know what they're doing or more experience than that, you know, that'd be great. If they wanted to join us, that'd be wonderful. >> Yeah. Um, and then I can obviously bring shovels and stuff. The other question is, would it be helpful if I came in a little bit earlier or stayed a little bit later to bring one of the one ton dump trucks so we can just shovel everything into the back of that? Would that be helpful, Alan? >> Yeah, I think we could um put you on payroll for the day probably. Okay, sure. Yeah, that's fine. Um, just something to, you know, shovel stuff in the back of to get clean. >> We definitely more than one vehicle. So, >> yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Exactly. >> Yeah, 16 trees is a lot. >> Um, yeah, whatever help you need ahead of time, Alan, just let me know, too. And it sounds like I mean, getting all those water jugs, I mean, that's a lot of work. So, um, yeah, committee's here to help you. So, >> it it does sound like it might be worth using some of that money at Ammerst Farmer Supply to buy a few more shovels, though, because as well as I think it did go at Sweetser Park, there were a lot of people standing around trading one shovel amongst four or five people. Um, and I know we've purchased a few since then, but if but if we can get a few more in advance of trying to do 16 trees with a whole bunch of students, that might be wise. >> Okay. >> Um, we can also, you know, the committee can vote to release more funds to buy more equipment and we can create a new purchase order um to purchase more tools if you wanted if you wanted to do that. >> How how many shovels do we have? I think I bought six or eight. >> Okay. So, I mean, maybe that's enough, you know, in addition to the shovels that committee members can bring. Um, maybe that's enough to make a difference in comparison to the the last big planting like that. But, >> you know, just something to think about. I think it's enough because um the other thing there aren't 16 of us. So, we're not going to be planting all 16 trees at the same time. So, you know, there's going to be people sitting around no matter what you do, but you can't have four people shoveling at once. We've had that trouble also. Everybody grabs a shovel and starts digging. It's chaos. So, yeah. >> Okay. >> And Ellen, um we have a guest. I don't know if you want to ask them to speak. >> Oh, sorry about that. >> Oh, it's I think it's Sam. >> Laura. >> Is this Laura or Sam? >> This is Sam. I'm watching from home and her wife must have uh put her name on it. Uh just paying attention. Love what you guys are doing. >> Oh, thank you. Glad glad to have you. >> Thanks Henry for keeping an eye on that. Um okay. Well, I think it it's going to when I have more information from the college, I will um reach out and and help coordinate it. But thank you. Um is everyone available or just tell me if you're not available on the 19th. Looks like we've got the committee. >> I will be out of town. >> All right. So, no Brit. Okay. Sarah, you'll be available. >> I have another commitment. >> Okay. All right. I'm just going to make note of that. So, no Sarah or Brit. >> If it goes until two, I might catch the end of it, though. >> Okay. It's okay. Okay. Um, that's good. And the other thing they asked, and I guess Alan, this is you. I have to sign a waiver and they need our organization to confirm that we have that we carry general liability insurance up to $2 million. I mean, I assume the town we're just under the town's insurance. >> Yes. >> Umbrella. Okay. Okay. Great. Let's just hope for a day like today. Nice. Cool. >> That'll be good. All right. I'm just aware of the time here. I want to keep us moving. Um I don't want to put off the 50th anniversary any longer. So um I don't know if anybody had a chance to look at the list of ideas um for the full year. I'm going to add to it that idea of a tree maintenance, tree care, chainsaw day um for the public. Um, but was there I I'm thinking I mean I have a list of maybe I don't know 11 or 12 items here. I'd like to get it down to maybe our top three or four. And I think the only way we're going to really be able to make an impact and and and do this right is if um individual committee members can sort of take ownership over something and make that happen because I'm just not going to have the um bandwidth to do it all myself. So, um I can share the list now if you want to look at it if there's some or do people remember is there something that really interested them that they'd like to develop and um implement. >> As long as it doesn't align with finals, I can take ownership over the trying to schedule that chainsaw tree education day. Reach out to Bryant Kane or somebody like that. And we were thinking maybe like March, end of March or something, right? That would be >> early April. Okay. Um I um there's a group of um Stella D who is one of Brian Kane's uh grads graduate students um is uh trying to put together a tree mass arborous tree day of service I guess it's called for April to do work at the schools Um I think she means the regional schools. So it' be the middle school, high school. Um in April for Arbor Day around Arbor Day. Um and she did, you know, reach out to me to see if the committee wanted to be involved in the tree planting or anything like that at the school grounds. Um, and I did talk to her about possibly training for school staff so that they would um not kill the trees that we plant on their grounds because they have a tendency to um, you know, string trimmer and lawnmower damage and things like that. So, um I don't know if that will work into the 250 program or work into the training, you know, kind of thing where we could train the bus drivers that do the work as well as um some people in town. That would have to be during the work day though, so it would be difficult. Sorry, just thinking out loud. >> No, that's that's good. I haven't even been to the Oh, you were saying the re the two regional schools. Okay. I was gonna say I haven't been to the new elementary, but um Henry, >> yeah. Um well, two things. One is we've put up tree guards before around some of the trees, and I was thinking this in terms of planting at the boulders or one of the other areas where they just have, you know, big landscaping teams that kill everything. But same for the schools. Those would be the perfect trees to really make sure we plant put tree guards around every tree. >> Um, and then back to the 50th anniversary list, my favorite things on the list are the sign that says, "This tree is older than an Amorest." And we do Amoris, not the United States. So, if we can get a list of those trees, that'd be a great idea. And then the other one is I'm committed to doing at least one um tree tour again. So, yeah. So, I'll work on that. Okay, I'm putting you down. Awesome. Thank you. Me personally, um I will reach out. I really like the idea of a film festival or some type of collaboration with Ammer Cinema. So, I'm going to reach out. If you know of really good tree movies and or documentaries, send them my way. I have a few that I know of. But, um I I think that could be a really fun um partnership. And the other thing that I think I'd like to do if we can if I can do it is to get the and people can tell me how their experience was in the past, but to get the Arbor Day poster contest up and running again at the elementary school. Um, and um, Alan, I can or Henry, I can talk to you about how that went in the past and why it disappeared and whether it's worth my effort, but those are are two things that interest me. Um, Julian, >> I've talked already. Sarah, go right ahead. >> Okay. >> Oh, thank you. Um, I just wanted to say that the lecture about what is a significant tree, I I think that might be more successful if we tied it to the walking tour and if maybe we just had like a short 15 or 20 minute soft launch almost of the significant tree ordinance talking about what is a significant tree. this is why they matter. We'll see a couple of them on the tree tour today versus trying to do a separate event. I just imagine folks love the tree tour. And I don't know how much it'd be a lot of work on social media and getting the word out, I think, for folks to attend a lecture, but if we kind of tied the two things together, it might be more successful. Um, and so I'd be I'd be happy to put something together, not long, a relatively short intro that could then segue into a tree tour. >> Okay. Yeah. I I think Sarah, thank you. I have been in touch or I should say the historical Ammeris Historical Society's been in touch with me about doing some type of collaboration. Um, and they said a lecture on trees or on our heritage trees or a walking tour both. I mean, I like the idea of both because I've attended their history bites lectures and it's good for, you know, not everybody can um, you know, is able to do a walking tour and it gives people a chance and I have so many photographs now from Ammerst Arbor Spotlight that we could use. Um, and Henry, I think I can try to identify some trees uh that are older than 1759 is when Ammerst was founded. So, um, but yeah. Okay, go ahead, Julian. >> I'm just sharing a text I got from Brit. She says, "I got bumped out of the Zoom room, >> but I would do a trees in literature on kids books, poetries, etc. and would try to collaborate with the Jones Library. >> Great. I think collaborations are going to be the way to get this the word out about us. So, um, awesome. I will I have put that down. Okay. Does she need to come back in or she's probably just Yeah, she's okay. >> Not sure. >> Okay. She says she's waiting to come back in to the room. >> Oh, all right. Let me look. >> She says she can hear but isn't from >> Oh, I see her. Okay, I will promote her back in. There we go. Sorry, I don't I should keep that tab open so that I can keep track of it. Here she comes. Okay, good. What I'd love to do is if we get these ideas pulled together, you know, do sort of do a calendar for the year 2027 and like maybe an event every or you know, every other month, do something outside of our second Saturday plantings. Um, but it would be great in January to sort of have things in place and dated and we can do like a big press release and then we know what we're doing for the year. Um, I would also like to see perhaps I can't remember Alan if they're not doing sustainability festival this year or if that was our last year. Um, I think Brit had had the idea of having a a table at the farmers market in April for um, Arbor Day and doing something then. Yeah, I think they were talking about merging the sustainability festival with the um world fair that takes place indoors at the high school. I think >> I'm not sure though if that's >> I'll re I'll reach out to the town and see if they have an I if they know yet whether they're going to do it. Um, I just met somebody yesterday who's like, "Oh my gosh, I have two trees growing in my yard that I got, you know, for free. The saplings, they're up to my hip now." And, you know, it's just I'd love to keep if we don't have the sustainability festival, I'd love to have a day at the farmers market >> um that we can promote and give out saplings because I think that is, you know, people have a lot of memories and they always mention that to me. So, okay, great. Thank you everybody. I'll type things up and we'll go from there. And yeah, maybe we'll have funds middle of the I guess it would be in July. Um, if we get that that bond funding, but um then we might have some funds for the second half of the year to do some things too. And I know it's a lot to ask with our second Saturday plannings and our monthly meetings. Um, but I just really love to do something great for the year to to mark our anniversary. So, thank you for everybody's willingness and enthusiasm. Okay. Um, quickly 5 minutes left. Um, speaking of the significant tree ordinance, um, I just wanted to mention that Christina and I met with, uh, Rich Pariseli. I hope I'm saying his name right. Um, he's the tree warden in Northampton. Um, we met with Rich back in August about their um, significant tree ordinance and um, he gave me a lot of information. Um it was originally passed in 2013, but they're currently drafting a new version. Um they're going to try to they have a 20in DBH right now, which is across the board for the whole town, but they're going to try to get it down to 6 in for rural areas to try to discourage large development in the rural area are areas, which I thought was very interesting. Um, but Rich had a lot of really good suggestions and um, as Sarah has so often mentioned, you know, how to get this triggered and, um, Rich had mentioned, um, you know, it could go through zoning, private property zoning. You can tie it to storm water review or trench permitting policy. um anything that would then go to flag um the tree ordinance. And um yeah, he said that the uh the their tree ordinance sits in zoning. It's not with the tree committee at all and um that the planning board holds the money for the tree replacement funds. But I I know they're they operate a little differently in Northampton than we do in Ammerst. Um but anyway, I have a lot of notes from our meeting. It was really good. And as I mentioned, Christina drafted um sort of a introductory letter, mission statement of it that I want to work on a little bit more. But um I feel like we're get we're slowly making progress. So, um Sarah, I don't know, um if there's anything you want me to do or to share. Um if we need to have another meeting to go over things. Um, I think we could probably just email communicate for a bit like like you were saying like the reading through the uh summary that she wrote and that and maybe like doing some suggest edits on there just so we can kind of communicate together. And I feel like maybe >> yes, we pro another meeting is probably good, but maybe a little bit of prep first so we can make some good headway when we meet up and then have like some kind of concrete next steps about things that are ready to roll. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I think this could also I think our 50th anniversary could be a good time to have this and um you know make it a goal to see if we can at least present it and get the town talking about it. Um I don't know if it would would go through the full motion of becoming a bylaw, but um I just think that with the anniversary it's sort of I don't know they can be tied in very nicely together. We can spin it well. So, um, let's try >> makes a lot of sense. >> Yeah, let's try to really make that happen. And I think that would be a huge accomplishment for the tree committee in its 50th year. So, um, >> Jeff Jeff Bags is the new is our new um, planning uh, director. >> Okay. Um, and you know, he he's going to have a different take on things than our previous one. So, he might be somebody once you know once you've got something written up to run it by Jeff would be a good idea. Um, I've been getting um more calls on ADUs that are going in and the impact it's having on neighbors and trees and you know, so there's a I'm learning, you know, more about how it all works and various components like even the if you're in historic district, you know, uh it involves a whole separate group of, you know, committee to uh to review it and kind of flag it. and some of these trees that if they weren't in a historic district, uh, probably wouldn't have been even flagged, you know, as something. So, it's it's interesting to see how it works. >> Yeah, Rich had mentioned that because ADUs are a state law that the the significant tree doesn't pertain to them in Northampton. So my guess is they wouldn't we wouldn't be able to use it for that either in Ammerst. I think I'm remembering that correctly. But does that sound right? >> I'm not sure. Yeah, I'm not sure. >> Okay. Okay. Um >> it seems like the ADU is being built in Ammerster being used differently than the in other towns. Yeah, >> there seems to be a lot of controversy about it at the moment. So, yeah. Um, but if I if I recall, and I will look at my notes, Rich said even if it has a DBH greater than 20, it it's significant tree or it's usurped by the state law or something. So, um, okay. Um are there any other um topics that anybody wants to bring up? Um anything any announcements? I have something quickly which I hadn't planned on discussing but um the um so there was a you know uh Mindy Dom was involved in the uh some legislation to provide free tuition for vocational schools uh for you know associate degree schools. Um, and that bill, I believe, um, you know, passed, but the Stockbridge School of Agriculture was left out of that. That's two-year degree that's for for a school that's based on job training skills for people to enter the workforce. Um, and it's it's put Stockbridge at a disadvantage to other schools and to other states who are already providing free tuition for people who want to go to their agricultural colleges um to get an associates degree. So, if someone is applying to Stockbridge and they're applying to, you know, um, another state school, um, they tend to be going to the other state school because they can get free tuition. They don't get free even more, but they get free tuition. Um and so the um there was a uh some a bill was trying to work it through. It's S920. Um and it looks like it didn't pass because of a technicality because it was put into the farm bill instead of like a agricultural bill instead of um another bill. But we're looking for people to to reach out to um their state representatives to help push something through um to help support Stockbridge School of Agriculture who um desperately wants those students to stay local. They they they help our local workforce. We're we're we're getting people that our industry desperately needs and we're trying to train them in state and keep them in state um to work uh with us. So um I can um Ellen, I can send you a document that was sent to me um from somebody who's very concerned about this issue. Um, and you can decide if you want to, you know, share it with the rest of the committee or not. >> Okay, >> that's okay. >> I'll just say I went to Stockbridge for their associates program and, um, now I'm going through the bachelor's um, and I have two friends from Ammerst High who went through the Stockbridge Associates program, too. Um, so it does keep people train people locally in the community. >> Do do we know why like what is the logic for leaving Stockbridge out? >> Um, I don't I don't know. Um, don't know if it was a mistake. Does it sound like it's a mistake? You know, Whoops, we forgot. Um, I'm not sure what you know why it was left out. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean my guess would be that you know programs like that are intended to generate revenue and the university is so desperate for that revenue right now that you know taking that away was not appealing but um but obviously the effects are more significant than just the impact on on the university. Um so I I'd be interested in seeing that uh documentation and thinking about it too. Thanks. >> Okay. Thank you. Yeah, I'd like to look at more of that and I'll look up the bill too, see what the language is in that. But yeah, send that to me, Alan. Um, thank you. >> Um, and I'll I'll start working on our Tree City USA information. I think I have my document from last year. I can just start plugging in updates on that. Um but I think considering the time the follow-up topics we can just I don't think there's anything urgent there. So um we'll see most of you on the 19th and um I'll I'll be in touch before then obviously we'll try to strategize a little bit how that day is going to look. Um, and thanks Bennett for the minutes and for sending out the e newswsletter every month. >> No problem. >> We had some debate whether what to put in the subject line this time, but >> Bennett, >> it was not a debate. You were just learning. You were just learning things you didn't know about. >> I No, I did not. Okay, everybody. Good. Can we adjourn? We're good. Okay. Thank you. Good to see everyone. >> Yeah. Thanks, Ellen. Thanks, everybody. >> Okay. Bye. Bye. >> Bye.