They are trees that fall on the road during an ice
storm, trees that tangle their branches in power lines,
and trees that show their shallow roots after a wind-
storm. Strange in shape and character, Vermont's
unsung trees are as valuable as its centerpieces.
In recognition of the services provided by this
expanded view of urban and community forests,
Vermont's UCF Program is presently tackling a strange
swath of public space: the right-of-way. Often the
burden of small-town local road crews, municipal
right-of-way vegetation covers over 27,000 acres
(11,000 ha) along Vermont's rural roads alone.
Neither a park nor a wildlife refuge, this untamed
vegetation either bounces back as soon as the
mower is turned off or refuses to grow no matter
what seeds are planted. At its best, the right-of-way
vegetation features centuries-old maples bordered
by vibrant shrubs and ephemeral wildflowers; at its
worst, this strip of publicly managed land overflows
with non-native grasses tangled with invasive knot-
weed, failing trees, and stick-thin beech thickets.
The Resilient Right-of-Ways project empowers
Vermont cities and towns to think carefully about
the value of their roadside trees and plants, the
means they have to support their healthy growth,
and the vision they create for the future of their
community forests. An inspirational label, the
term "resilient" will mean many things to many
communities. To a city with competing funding
interests, a Resilient Right-of-Way will be both effec-
tive stormwater management and good PR for its
downtown liveability. To a rural town, the same
catch phrase may encompass a refined mowing
plan, an invasive plant strategy, or a public out-
reach campaign about emerald ash borer and the
hundreds of town-managed backroad ash trees.
Funded by the USDA Forest Service, this three-year
initiative engages 10 urban areas and 10 rural com-
munities in diverse right-of-way assessments and
planning efforts. Spurred by mounting pressures to
restore the massive impaired watershed that feeds
Lake Champlain, the Resilient Right-of-Ways project
in urban areas examines barriers to adoption and >>
Vermont UCF staff and partners assess rural
roadside conditions in East Montpelier,
Vermont after a heavy summer storm.
www.urban-forestry.com 29
