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Needham golf course granted administrative approval to prune hazardous trees with plantings required
Summary
The Conservation Commission signaled support Nov. 13 for pruning hazardous limbs and removing two diseased trees at the Needham golf course driving range, with conditions to replace vegetation (preferably native trees) and to submit species and location details to staff before planting.
The Needham Conservation Commission on Nov. 13 reviewed a pruning and limited tree-removal plan for the driving range at the town golf club and indicated administrative approval conditioned on cleanup and replacement plantings.
A club representative, Tim, said an arborist recommended pruning limbs that interfere with the driving range and removing a large dead oak’s hazardous limbs while leaving the trunk in place ‘‘so it'd be probably like a trunk of about 12 feet high, that will remain there.’’ He also asked to remove two diseased trees near a brook to prevent spread of needle-cast disease.
Conservation staff who visited the site agreed the dead oak is hazardous, described two diseased trees within 25 feet of the brook, and said cleanup will remove diseased material rather than leaving it on site. The staff report noted the commission’s typical condition of planting four shrubs per removed tree; commissioners discussed preferring replacement trees instead of shrubs and pointed to a policy that limits shrubs to 50% of required tree plantings in some situations.
The commission asked the golf club to submit a hand-drawn map and species list to staff before spring plantings and said replacements should be native species. Staff said the administrative approval would reflect those conditions and that the club should notify staff of the planned species and locations before installation.
Commissioners also emphasized leaving trunks or snags where they provide wildlife habitat and instructing contractors to remove branches (the club confirmed branches would be taken away).
