Lynn Tree Committee briefs on updates - Itemlive

October 20, 2024 by Kelan Flynn

LYNN — The Lynn Tree Committee briefed attendees at its meeting on its mission, as well as updates on ongoing and future projects.

The Lynn Tree Committee’s second meeting saw discussion on many different topics, such as sprucing up empty tree pits with new trees, maintenance of trees around the city, city project updates, and grants.

“We have a very large grant from the Federal Arbor Day Foundation Inflation Reduction Act that’s active for three years,” said committee member and the city’s Urban Forestry Fellow Erica Holm. “That’s what lets me come here and make a presentation like this and talk with you all and help support this work.”

Holm also said that through the grant from the Federal Arbor Day Foundation Inflation Reduction Act, it will be planting 150 trees, additionally working on developing an urban forest plan.

Holm said that more recently, there were two more grants which were received in September, with a length of one year, one for $123,891, and one for $9,000, the Greening the Gateway Cities Implementation, and Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Challenge respectively.

With the Greening the Gateway monies, Holm said that 80 new tree pits will be prepared, and the DCR will be also be helping, and will be planting 110 trees as part of the project.

The last grant’s monies will be allocated to conducting a tree health survey, which Holm said is a “windshield” survey, performed ward by ward. “You may see someone coming and looking at the trees in your neighborhood. They’re going to be looking at species location, condition and priority for management,” Holm said.

Holm also shared about the committee’s mission — working to preserve, protect and promote Lynn’s urban forest, as well as challenges surrounding the planting of new trees in the city such as sidewalk space, their maintenance, and size.

The Tree Committee will be holding its meetings via Zoom, on the third Thursday of each month from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Kelan Flynn is the Item’s Marblehead reporter, joining the Essex Media Group team in April, 2024 and graduated from Suffolk University in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in English and concentration in Creative Writing. While in school, he helped make editorial decisions with various literary magazines on campus such as Venture and Salamander, as well as wrote a wide variety of works ranging from nonfiction personal essays to horror and science fiction. When he has spare time, he enjoys going to the movies, watching sports with friends and family, and collecting vinyl records.