4th Annual Event Celebrates Arbor Day

By Grace Allen

It’s been said there is no greater act of generosity than to plant a tree under whose shade you will never sit. This sentiment and long-term vision align perfectly with the Norfolk DPW’s tree seedling giveaway for Arbor Day. It’s an annual event that will benefit the town for years to come.

Dawn redwood.

According to Blair Crane, Norfolk’s director of public works and the town’s tree warden, this year’s seedling giveaway will be held on Friday, April 25 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Department of Public Works office, 33 Medway Branch. As in past years, Crane anticipates the seedlings will go quickly.

“Each year I have had to order more and more in an effort to reach demand,” he said of the popular event.

Available on a first-come, first-served basis, 100 Eastern redbuds and 100 Old-Fashioned lilac seedlings will be offered free to residents. In addition, there will be a limited number of Dawn redwood seedlings while supplies last. 

Seedlings are roughly 5 to 12 inches tall and prepackaged in bags with some topsoil to start them off. Instructions will be included. The seedlings are grown in nurseries across the country.

Since starting the program three years ago, Crane says he has alternated the offerings between hearty hardwood trees and more decorative species. He notes that species diversity and seedling availability are considerations, as reflected in this year’s giveaway.

Eastern redbuds, flowering trees known as the “harbinger of spring,” can grow to a height of 20 to 30 feet, with a spread of 25 to 35 feet at maturity. 

Old-Fashioned lilac.

The popular “Old Fashioned” lilac blooms in mid to late spring and can grow upwards of 8 feet. The shrub’s fragrant flowers are also considered a welcome sign of spring.

Dawn redwoods are fast-growing conical-shaped trees that can reach 70 to 100 feet high. Their feathery foliage changes from light green in spring to dark green in summer, and then russet-brown in autumn.

Crane says feedback about the seedling giveaway has been uniformly positive, with many residents telling him the new plants have done very well.

On January 7, Crane was recognized as the Massachusetts Tree Warden of the Year. He was honored at the Massachusetts Tree Wardens’ and Foresters’ Association (MTWFA) annual meeting and conference. In May, the MTWFA will hold a commemorative tree planting in Norfolk to honor Crane, although the date and location have yet to be announced. It’s also an opportunity for residents to observe a tree planting and talk to dozens of tree wardens from across the state, as many will be in attendance.

Crane is quite active on social media, keeping residents informed about road closures and storm impacts, among other notifications. In his role as tree warden, he is tasked with protecting every tree larger than one inch in diameter on public property, as well as alongside the roads in town.

At the upcoming May 14 Town Meeting, Crane will present a shade tree bylaw for residents to vote on. The proposal will attempt to clarify liability issues and determine who has authority to act over town trees, thereby providing some legal protection when tree-related lawsuits occur.

“As a measure that adds zero cost to the town budget and one that has an environmental impact regarding our public trees, I am hopeful that residents will attend and support this proposal,” said Crane, adding that residents can contact him at the DPW to learn more prior to Town Meeting.

Elderly and disabled residents unable to come to the DPW office on April 25 can contact Crane to make arrangements to get a seedling. Call 508-528-4990 or email [email protected].