Fitchburg committee amends and approves urban forest strategic management plan, clarifies wildlife language

The Fitchburg Tree Advisory Committee voted April 9 to approve the city's Urban Forest Strategic Management Plan after accepting minor edits from the parks commission and one wording change requested by committee members.

Staff introduced parks commission suggestions, including adding resolution R204525 (the March 11, 2025 resolution that approved hiring Rich) to the plan appendix. A proposed change to Objective 3.1 would add "desirable wildlife and plant communities" to the plan's wood-lot management language. Several committee members supported the change as consistent with existing practice, but others cautioned that the city should not be put in the role of managing or designating desirable wildlife species.

To address that concern, the committee amended the wording to specify "minimizes undesirable plant species abundance," which committee members said avoids implying the city would regulate or adjudicate wildlife species. The amendment was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. The committee then voted to approve the full plan as amended; both votes were taken by voice and the transcript records no roll-call tallies.

Rich, who was referenced by staff as the staff member hired under the earlier resolution, thanked committee members for their engagement and said he appreciated the group's effort on the plan. A committee member said the amended plan will be forwarded to the city council for consideration with the other items on the upcoming council agenda.

The approved plan includes management guidance for wood lots and explicitly directs staff to consider plant and wildlife habitat needs while avoiding city-level control over wildlife species. The committee recorded its approval at the meeting and will present the plan to the council at its next session for any further action.