Commissioner Erin Chute Gallentine and the Department of Public Works are seeking the community’s help watering shade trees in town amid an ongoing drought.
Severe drought conditions have had a detrimental effect on the approximately 60,000 public trees in Brookline. To offset that impact, residents are being asked to help the Parks and Open Space Division by watering street trees and protect them from extreme conditions.
The Brookline Parks and Open Space Division waters trees on public property Monday through Friday, and either Saturday or Sunday, but the amount of trees that would benefit from watering is beyond staffing capacity.
Community members can help care for the public trees by providing additional water to any street trees or landscape that they are able to reach.
While all trees suffer in the current drought conditions, residents are asked to give priority to newly planted trees, specifically those planted in the spring. After the youngest trees are cared for, well-established and mature trees can then be tended.
Trees surrounded by hardscape, such as streets and roads also are high-priority watering locations.
“Numerous residents have already volunteered to tend to shade trees near their homes, and I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to help take care of our urban forest. Our trees are suffering in these severe conditions, and it has become difficult to care for all of them at once,” said Commissioner Gallentine. “The community’s help is not only needed but truly appreciated.”
Information on how to care for street trees and the amount of water needed can be found here.
The Parks and Open Space Division has a limited number of tree gator bags, which slowly release water into tree roots. Tree gator bags should only be use for trees with three inch trunks or smaller.
For more information on how tree gator bags work please visit here.
Residents who are interested in obtaining a tree gator bag, please call the Division office at 617-730-2088 or e-mail parks@brooklinema.gov.
