A public hearing will be held on July 20 at 3 PM at the Natick Department of Public Works (75 West St.) regarding the removal of 42 public shade trees in the vicinity of Retrop Rd, University Dr, Strawberry Hill Rd, Harwood Rd, Craft Rd, Leland Rd, Longfellow Rd, Abbot Rd, Euclid Ave, Princeton Rd, Wells St, Beverly Rd and Melvin Rd.
The trees measure a total of 629 inches in diameter (breast height,) and consist of Norway Maple, Silver Maple, Sugar Maple, Linden and Crab Apple.
The Natick Department of Public Works and the Office of the Natick Tree Warden seek to remove the trees for the purpose of roadway construction improvements and tree risk.
All interested parties are invited to attend.
Letters for the record in lieu of attendance may be sent and addressed to the Tree Warden, 75 West Street Natick MA 01760 and must be received prior to the opening of the meeting.
Learn about Natick’s public tree inventory and more on the town website.
I can’t make this meeting. We are in a climate emergency and any healthy tree should have an advocate. I don’t know enough about the issue nor have the time to be one. I hope someone is.
While it pains me when mature trees are cut down, I know there are often legitimate reasons for doing so. That said, I endorse the removal of all Norway maples in Natick! This is an invasive species that outcompetes native plants and trees. It should be in a category of its own.