Our old, mature trees deserve proper care for future generations!

Sometimes we don’t spend enough time reflecting on the beautiful old trees around us. If you are lucky enough to have an aged shade tree on your property, do you know when it was planted? Are you taking care of it to ensure its survival for future generations? Do you realize how fortunate you are if you live in a neighborhood filled with these old, majestic shade trees? Do you know how old some of these specimens may be? Have you noticed how much cooler it is under a great shade tree and how it may manage the temperature of your home?

I am talking about this as I just learned that a nearly 100 year old Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) on a property at which I recently lived has been taken down. Apparently the current homeowner was concerned about the tree dropping limbs and injuring their children. The tree was planted by a friend of the owners while they were on their honeymoon and the house was being built in 1927.

She lived through the Great Depression, a World War, the wild 60s, the cool 80s, a new millennium, kids climbing all over her, lightening strikes, hurricanes and was unceremoniously taken down in the equivalent of her early years of marital bliss. While climate change will impact the viability of Sugar Maples here in the near future, they can live for well over 300 years.

I say this not to shame anyone who takes down trees or developers who clear lots before building homes, but hopefully to help you develop an attachment to and appreciation for the multi-generational life spans of these majestic organisms: Ash, Maple, Oak, Linden, Beech, Chestnut, Elm, Hornbeam, Tupelo, Hickory, Walnut, Tulip and the many evergreen trees that have long lives. When you plant one of these trees, you are really planting it for future generations.

I have spent a lot of time recently volunteering at Stevens-Coolidge Place, an historic Trustees property in North Andover. Due to disease and Ash Borer they had to take down a 250 year old White Ash (Fraxinus americana). The tree was 70′ tall and 50′ wide and had provided generations of families with shade and limbs on which to climb. Anticipating the demise of this tree, The Trustees had the forethought to plant a Purple Beech 40 years ago. In 40 years, the Beech has grown well, but it will be another 40 years until it provides a substantial canopy for picnics and naps.

So why do I take you through this long, emotional discussion of trees? Because in the landscape and around our homes, these trees need some occasional care to be safe and healthy for future generations. Pruning to remove diseased, poorly grown and weak branches, feeding to rejuvenate trees that may be struggling, spraying or injecting to mitigate disease and insects that may be out of balance, and many other options exist to keep trees happy and healthy in our landscapes. They can even use sound waves to listen in branches and trunks to see if they are hollow and a potential danger.

This doesn’t have to be a sizable investment, and to have a quality, licensed Arborist visit every couple of years can give you piece of mind. Consider it like a wellness visit to your doctor. Better to catch things early than let problems develop.

When I cared for the above mentioned Sugar Maple, I had it pruned every 4 or 5 years, fed every couple of years, and sprayed for the Winter Moth, which was a problem over the last decade. It had been clearly struck by lightening decades ago and had lost its vertical leader, but its branches grew wide and upwards in a stunning, graceful form. When my son was young, I remember lying on our backs and looking up into the broad canopy and enjoying the cool shade in the summer, and having a chair swing on one of its broad horizontal branches. For the cost of taking it down, it could have been properly loved for decades.

Alden Johnson, a certified arborist at Barrett Tree East says, “As an arborist a big part of my job is to educate clients on the value of their trees and to advocate preservation measures whenever practical. I think a lot of people may not initially consider the benefits of a healthy mature tree on their property (increased property value, air quality, lower cooling costs to name a few…). In addition to the tangible perks, research has shown being around trees improves people’s moods and may even make you healthier! Old trees in particular provide us with many benefits and have such great personality- they contribute a ton to the character to a property and neighborhood.”

I gently ask two things from you: Find an expert, licensed arborist, and get their opinion on the proper care for all of your trees. I am not talking about the arborist that neighbors say was cheap, or is a nice person. Look for the arborist that trains all of its employees, focuses on safety and education. Look at their website and see their involvement and passion for their work. They will not be the cheapest, but sometimes the cheapest can cause more harm than good. If your trees haven’t been cared for in a while, it may take a little more effort and cost in the beginning, I think that Barrett Tree East in Medford is one of the best in Eastern MA for pruning and care.

The tree in your yard may have been planted before you were born, and maybe it was planted before your grandparents were born. Please give it the respect it deserves for now and future generations.

Alden Johnson, who added to this article is a Massachusetts and ISA Certified Arborist at Barrett Tree Service East, http://www.barretttreeeast.com