FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHERE DO THE TREES COME FROM?

The majority of the trees we plant are purchased by the City of Northampton. The Tree Warden has a set budget and makes the ultimate decisions regarding tree species, quantity purchased and locations of trees. Most of these  trees are sourced from Amherst Nursery and from Chestnut Ridge Nursery in upstate New York. Tree Northampton, Inc.  has a small tree nursery at the Community Gardens and we plant these trees around town when they are big enough to be transplanted. We’ve also been known to find new homes for orphan trees that homeowners find themselves not wanting for various reasons. If you have a quality tree under 7-8ft and would like to re-home it, please send us an email.   

WHY ARE YOU PLANTING NON-NATIVE TREES? WHY GINKGOS? WHY CAN'T I GET A MAPLE TREE?

A very small percentage of the trees we plant are non-native. The reason you’re seeing ginkgos is because they are part of Northampton’s plan to diversify the canopy.  This quote from a research paper states it well:  “Street tree diversity is widely viewed as a key component in the resilience of street tree populations to pests, diseases, and climate change. Assessment of street tree diversity is considered integral to sustainable street tree management and preservation of the ecosystem services and social benefits that street trees provide. “

After the city conducted the Tree Inventory, it became clear that we have an over-abundance of older maple trees which are particularly vulnerable to pests and other pressures.  While Ginkgos are not native, they play an important role in part because they aren’t eaten by invasive pests such as Asian longhorned beetles. Learn more about the beetle in Massachusetts here.
 
There’s a formula for balancing street tree diversity organized around tree families and Ginkgo is one of the families we’ve been expanding. Other families the city is increasing are the Fabaceae family, which include yellowwoods and Kentucky coffeetrees, the  Altingiaceae family, which includes the sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua), the Nyssaceae family, which includes black tupelo or black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), the Cupressaceae family, which includes the Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum),  the Cannabaceae family, which includes the Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis). The city is also expanding its population of hybrid Elms that resist Dutch Elm Disease.
 
Northampton’s approved planting list and guidelines provides extensive information about how to choose trees and species not only for tolerance of extremes of heat, drought, salts, alkaline urban soil and flooding, but also for specific eco-benefits to wildlife.
WHY IS THE CITY PLANTING TREES UNDER WIRES?

In an effort to restore and replenish Northampton’s urban canopy, the Tree Warden has renewed the efforts to plant trees in the “Tree Belts.” Many of these tree belts are under-wire and next to busy roads, therefore only the most resilient trees, in terms of salt-tolerance, heat-tolerance and drought-tolerance are planted in these locations. The underwire trees are also small to medium sized trees that grow slowly and will not interfere with high-voltage power lines. The species we most often plant under-wire are crabapple, Winter King hawthorn, Amur maackia, various cherry trees, serviceberry, and tree lilac.  

Ask A Question

Have a question about volunteering, getting a tree, or anything else? 

Please ask us!