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Guilford Looks at Tree Health, New Plantings

Town officials are seeking public input on the latest effort to help keep Guilford green. Due to storms and disease, a number of trees on the roads leading to town center have been removed over the years and officials are now looking for feedback on the appropriate types and locations for new tree plantings.

The Guilford Tree Advisory Board, a group tasked with assisting the town tree warden with ensuring all new trees and shrubs are planted in appropriate locations, will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Nov. 15. The streets currently being reviewed for the new plantings are all south of I-95 and include River Street, Broad Street, Fair Street, Church Street, State Street, Graves Avenue, Park Street, Union Street, South Union Street, Stone House Lane, Whitfield Street, and the side streets of off Whitfield Street.

Town Tree Warden and Environmental Planner Kevin Magee said recent storms have brought down a number of old trees in the area. Additionally, sugar maple trees are on the decline and ash trees have been dying at a rapid pace across the region due to emerald ash borers infestation.

“We really aren’t planning on taking anything else down unless the trees are dying already,” he said. “It’s about replacing the ones that have been removed of the past couple of years.”

Magee said he wants to be clear the discussion isn’t about trees that are actually on the Guilford Green.

“It’s anything leading into the green, so anything along the road and sidewalk, the little planting buffer there...It’s looking at the trees that have been taken down in that area,” he said.

The town regularly assesses existing trees and plans for new plantings, so Magee said the desire for public input is to help the town develop a long-term plan for plantings in the downtown area.

“The garden club gets donations, so they probably plant up to eight trees a year...Right now we are trying to figure out planting spots for the next couple of years and where they can go,” he said. “It’s like a five-year plan.”

The public hearing is Thursday, Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center, 32 Church Street.