Friends program, where residents apply to
water and mulch a public tree near their house
and to advise the City if there's a problem.
Cambridge also has a strong tree protection
program: no private tree 6 inches (152 mm) DBH
or larger can be removed without a permit. If
violated, the homeowner or developer is charged
$850 USD per DBH inch, which is the current cost
to the City to plant and maintain a new 2-inch-cal-
iper tree for two years. Mitigation payments fund
the Tree Replacement Fund which is used to plant
new trees around Cambridge. Developers who
opt to obtain a tree removal permit by planting
new trees on the property to fulfill mitigation
requirements can avoid paying mitigation fees.
"That appears to be quite successful at limiting the
canopy loss on private property there," Stewart
says. "We want to try that in our city, as currently
there's no recourse for the canopy we are losing."
The fine for unpermitted takedowns in Cambridge
also generates public awareness of tree value.
City residents can call Abby Bentley and say,
"My neighbor is taking down a tree; can you
do anything to stop that?" And yes, she can.
Stewart was also keen to learn about the
process behind the Cambridge Urban Forest
Master Plan that was completed in 2020, as
he and the Upper Arlington Tree Commission
want to begin work on one in 2025. (Forestry
in Cambridge is housed out of Public Works,
while in Upper Arlington, it's under Parks and
Recreation. The latter has been working on
its overall master plan; Forestry is next!)
"I wanted to know how Cambridge's Plan helps
give strength and teeth to their Tree Ordinance,"
Stewart says. "For instance, Cambridge's UFMP
led to the creation of Abby Bentley's position. We
need a UFMP that we can take to City Council to
show them the numbers: why we need more posi-
tions, and what tangible dividends that will bring."
Matt Stewart in front of a Miyawaki pocket forest in
Danehy Park in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
30 CityTREES
