Forestry

Work Request

Tree planting tips 

Tree pruning

Shade Trees (Chapter 87)

Significant Trees

Horticulture Tips

The Forestry Division was commissioned in January of 1898. The mayor, Henry S. Dickinson, appointed the City’s first forester, William F. Gale, on February 1, 1898. The division was assigned to the Streets and Engineering Department, and their duties were to care and protect the beautiful trees of Springfield.

The division’s most important assignment was the removal of the Queen Elm in 1898. The Queen Elm measured 23 feet 2 inches in circumference, from 3 feet off the ground. The smallest part of the trunk was 19 feet, 10 inches in circumference. The tree had 9 main branches; the smallest was 15 ½ through the center of the branch, while the largest was 3 feet through.

Over a century later, the goals of Forestry have stayed the same. Although the Forestry Division was moved to the Park Department in 1918, the care and protection of Springfield’s trees is still a priority.

Following in William Gale’s footsteps is Edward P. Casey. Forestry is in charge of planting, pruning, and the removal of the all-public shade trees. Mr. Casey is a Graduate of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. He is an ISA and Massachusetts Certified Arborist. He had led the Forestry Division for almost a decade and is very active with the outside community.

Since its inception in 1898, Forestry has provided services for the City and has handled many emergencies. Downed limbs, trees on houses, and trees blocking roads due to hurricanes, strong winds, and heavy snow have been handled by this division. Forestry is proud of its work ethic and is proud of its history in the City.

Today’s Forestry

Today’s Forestry Division is not unlike the Forestry Division of a hundred years ago. We are dealing with very similar issues such as insects, diseases, hazardous trees, and the expansion of a small city. Although different issues are present the Forestry Division’s goals of maintaining the health and vigor of our street and park vegetation has stayed the same.

The Forestry Division is responsible for the care of our public shade trees long with the maintaining the beauty of our parks trees, shrubs, and other vegetation. The works done by the Forestry Division include:

Tree Trimming
Hazard Tree Removal
Stump Grinding
Maintenance of Public Terraces
Irrigation of Public Terraces
Planting of Public Shade and Park Trees
Planting of Shrubs, Annuals, and Perennials

Some issues that the Forestry Division is dealing with today include such pest as the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. This pest is moving across the landscape infesting Hemlocks, its presences spells death to many of the Hemlocks it infests. On a forest wide issue there is not much that can be done but on the landscape level it has been successfully delayed with horticultural oils.

We are dealing with the removal of dead trees that may pose a hazard to our community. Due to droughts of a few years past may trees have suffered from lack of water. These trees are now just showing signs of this damage. Some of the signs include thinning of canopy and die back of the top branches.

Planting of trees is a big priority of our division. We schedule plantings in spring and fall. These trees are taken out of our municipal nursery and planted to replace removed trees and to provide trees to streets that are lacking. These trees provide shade, sight barriers, and aesthetic value to any neighborhood.

The history of the Forestry Division goes deep, and pride in the department runs strong. This department helps maintain and beautify the landscape of this great city same as we did back in 1898.

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• Park Rangers
• Forestry