Airport commission declines to help with tree plantings; committee discusses planting town trees and removal requests

Committee members said the Airport Commission declined to participate in a proposed tree-planting program, but attendees discussed reusing town-owned nursery trees for the airport parking area and noted the site’s irrigation makes it a suitable planting location.

"They got back to us about the planting, and they declined to participate in the . . . but they might have thought they had to contribute in some way, and they don't," one participant said, reporting the commission’s response. Members said Kreshula (spelling as mentioned in the meeting) or another party might still plant the trees if the airport will not contribute funding.

Participants noted the airport parking lot still contains acclimated trees ready for planting. "The trees are still sitting there. They're acclimated. They look like nice trees," one attendee said, adding that irrigation at the airport would aid long-term survival compared with less-irrigated town areas.

Separately, speakers reviewed a tree-removal request for a specimen identified by students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute as tree number 2056, next to a light pole. A shared photo was shown during the meeting. An attendee said the airport had requested removal of two other trees previously and that those were on a list but had not been removed yet.

Meeting members discussed asking the airport for a public hearing before removals and agreed to follow up with staff contacts to confirm whether replacements would be planted if removals proceed.

Ending: The committee plans to press the airport commission for clarification about removal requests and to explore planting town-owned trees in irrigated parking islands if the commission will accept donated stock.