Preserve The Goose Pond Forest

Editor: The Friends of Trees works hard to plant and preserve trees in Chatham because we know the value of trees for shade, beauty, wildlife, carbon storage, and their important role in the water cycle. We plant trees in public spaces, and we advocate when shade trees are proposed for removal. Most recently, we interceded in the removal of 60 trees on Middle Road for the installation of new utility poles and are working with Eversource and the town to restore the area in some way with native plants conducive to the roadway to achieve some level of mitigation. But in reality, the restorative plantings will not fully replace the decades-old trees that had to be removed.

To will not fully replace the decades-old trees that had to be removed. Existing trees are survivors for they endure attack from non-native invasive pests, damage from windstorms and drought, and poor pruning practices. We plant to ensure trees are part of our town’s green infrastructure. And as a voice for the trees, the Friends of Trees supports the article to preserve all of the Goose Pond forest as proposed by the open space committee and we hope you will, too.

Eunice Burley

Chatham Friends of Trees, Inc.