Imagine what it would be like if Court Street was suddenly devoid of trees? Or what it would be like to listen to McGill’s Community Band play without the added beauty of Monument Park’s majestic maples? Both would have consequences other than lack of aesthetic value.
Street trees can beautify an area, but they also capture carbon, redirect stormwater, filter pollutants, and provide positive mental health. These values apply to Houlton’s street trees as well and have recently been summarized in a plan written by the Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District (SASWCD) and presented to the town of Houlton.
The plan is the culmination of a project that began last year after a group of community members became concerned over the number of trees being cut down in Houlton. Those concerns led to SASWCD applying for and being awarded a Maine Forest Service Project Canopy planning grant to conduct a survey of Houlton’s street trees.
Twenty-four volunteers participated in the “Taking Stock: Planning Houlton’s Tree Growth” project by surveying 20 different sections of Houlton and collecting data such as tree species, trunk diameter, crown health, utility line interference and more.
The SASWCD entered the survey data into a software application called i-Tree Eco, producing various reports including environmental benefits and tree composition and structures. The application’s charts and tables provide visual summaries such as breakdowns by species or trunk diameter. For example, based on the survey data, the town of Houlton’s predominant species of street trees are Sugar maple, 35.5 percent; Norway maple, 14.8 percent; and Paper birch, 7.7 percent. Viewing a table that breaks down species by trunk diameter also provides a good indication of tree ages and an approximate percentage of recent plantings.
District forester Dan Jacobs (second from right) demonstrates how to use a Biltmore stick to measure the diameter of a tree. Twenty-four volunteers participated in the “Taking Stock: Planning Houlton’s Tree Growth” project by surveying 20 different sections of Houlton and collecting data such as tree species, trunk diameter, crown health, and utility line interference.
(Courtesy of Angie Wotton)
In addition to the i-Tree reports, the SASWCD worked with the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service’s GIS mapping specialist Tara King to create a map based on surveyed street trees by address.
The result is an interactive map, Houlton Street Tree Survey 2020 (arcgis.com) that allows anyone to go online and view the areas and trees that were surveyed and filter results, depending on the information interested in.
For example, if someone wanted to know where Red maple trees are in the town’s surveyed sections, the map allows a filter by species. Other filters include DBH (diameter of trunk), crown health, and interference with utility lines.
The interactive map and i-Tree reports provide a current look at Houlton’s street trees and act as a foundation for the future planning of maintenance and planting of new trees. A goal of SASWCD’s Project Canopy grant is that Houlton will also establish a tree warden or committee, dedicated to the care of street trees and assisting with planning for the town’s tree future. A proactive approach taken now can save time and money in the future while adding visual beauty to Houlton’s neighborhoods.
Fifty years from now, after many of us are gone, when that future generation gathers under the maples in Monument Park to listen to their community band, they will thank Houlton-past for having the foresight to realize the importance of its street trees.
Angie Wotton loves her work as district manager for the Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District. She also raises pastured pork and vegetables with her husband on their small West Berry Farm in Hammond. She can be reached at 207-532-9407 or via email at angela.wotton@me.nacdnet.net
