HOLYOKE — The city of Holyoke may soon have a plan to strengthen its tree management and urban forestry by creating a forestry crew to address the significant number of vacant tree pits, stumps, hazardous trees and other outstanding tree-related needs throughout its neighborhoods.
Mayor Joshua Garcia sent a letter to the City Council during its Oct. 6 meeting outlining the administration’s initiative to create a forestry crew.
He said the city is building up a sustainable, professional municipal forestry crew with “the staffing, equipment, training, funding and community partnerships necessary to manage and expand Holyoke’s urban tree canopy.”
As the city’s internal capacity grows, Garcia said Holyoke intends to reduce its reliance on outside contractors, which will provide the city with greater control over its forestry needs and create a more cost-effective model for delivering services.
In the meantime, the plan calls for a focused effort on hazardous tree and stump removal, pruning and maintenance, restoration of vacant tree pits and new tree planting, with particular attention to priority trees identified in an updated tree inventory and risk assessment system.
The updated information will allow the city to better understand the condition of its urban forest, prioritize work, identify potential hazards and develop a long-term maintenance schedule, according to Garcia. The proposed four-person forestry team consists that will be tasked with accomplishing the work include a city forester, two tree climbers and a maintenance laborer.
Garcia said that recruitment and hiring are already underway. He announced on his Facebook that Nathaniel “Nate” Morrell with Holyoke’s new city forester. Morrell brings more than 10 years of experience in arboriculture and urban forestry, along with a strong educational background and a commitment to municipal forestry and community service, according to the Facebook post.
The anticipated start date for Morrell was Sept. 21, and additional positions will be filled thereafter. The team also includes a partnership between the DPW and the Conservation Commission.
Garcia explained that the work ahead requires investment in both personnel and equipment including a brush chipper, stump grinder, tree inventory and risk assessment work, tree purchases and installation, and other forestry equipment like a self-loading log truck.
“Importantly, we will pursue outside resources to offset the City’s costs wherever possible. Potential funding sources include state and federal grants, mitigation funds, and the creation of a Holyoke Tree Fund,” Garcia stated. “The administration will also continue to explore partnerships with community organizations, schools, universities, and environmental organizations to support planting, maintenance, education, workforce development, and stewardship.”
Garcia said that the forestry team will soon meet with the City Council to further discuss the plan and share any potential needs to support the work.
He said the hope is that the initiative is a long-term investment in the city’s neighborhoods and its public infrastructure, not simply a short-term tree planting effort.
“Building the personnel, equipment, inventory, maintenance systems, and partnerships necessary to properly manage Holyoke’s urban forest will take sustained effort,” Garcia concluded.
