Urban Forestry

The City has been awarded Tree City USA designation for the last 16 years and has received 8 Growth Awards.

The mission of the Urban Forestry division of the City of Fitchburg is to understand the environment of the urban forest and use best management practices to assure that the forest is maintained in good health, minimize the risk of injury and property damage and maximize the benefits of the urban forest to the community and its citizens, through diversity and function. The urban forest consists of all shade and ornamental trees and shrubs in public and private areas throughout the city.

Urban Forestry is a vital function of the Parks, Recreation & Urban Forestry Department’s management responsibilities. The adoption of Fitchburg Ordinance 97-O-34 in 1998 created Chapter 54: Parks, Recreation & Forestry,through which the City’s Urban Forester is responsible for implementing the Urban Forestry Management Plan.  The city is responsible for all the trees in public areas and right-of-ways.

Urban Forestry Division

The Urban Forestry division is responsible for over 95 parks, conservation areas, greenways and a golf course and cemetery. That includes more than 730 acres of parks and open space. As a result, the public urban forest is made up of more than 3,100 trees in parks, open spaces and the cemetery; more than 4,500 trees along streets, boulevards, and right-of-ways; and numerous woodlots like Mickelson Woods. 

Responsibilities

The division of Urban Forestry is responsible for the management, planting, replacement and maintenance of all shade and ornamental trees growing in public parks, open spaces, along right-of-ways, and in the cemetery.

The Parks Maintenance and Public Works crews are responsible for the regular pruning of public trees and the removal of dead, diseased, or hazardous trees along city streets and boulevards. The Urban Forestry division is responsible for the maintenance and replacement of these trees.

The Urban Forester is responsible for:

• Management, planning, planting, protection, removal, replacement and maintenance of all shade and ornamental trees in public ways and public areas.
• Hazard and diseased tree risk assessment and remediation for any tree or shrub on public or private property that constitutes a public nuisance or endangers the life, health, safety or welfare of persons or property.
• Assist residents in handling diseases and insect infestations, and tree selection for street terraces or on private property.

Public Services

The Urban Forester also assists residents in handling oak wilt disease, Dutch elm disease, insect infestations, and tree selection, and provides pruning tips for street terraces or on private property. The Urban Forester has also prepared guidelines on planting a tree for prolonged life and the importance of pruning trees and shrubs.