Local tree group focuses on greening up Montpelier

The Montpelier Tree Board has been planting trees for more than 25 years. It started as a way to green up the capital city, but over the last couple of years, it has transformed into so much more.

There are several tree stumps along St. Paul Street that represent a problem: large, old trees are dying. Before they lose all of them, one organization is planting new ones to ensure there will always be trees.

"I love trees and I love seeing the changes that take place in the neighborhood every season," said Lynn Wild, coordinator of the St. Paul Street Tree Board.

Wild says the large trees in her neighborhood have a purpose that starts below ground.

"That tree right there, that cottonwood, was planted in 1963 and it fields about 200 gallons of water a day, and if it didn’t do that it would all be going in my basement," she said.

It might not look like there's a shortage of trees on this street, but some of these trees have been here a long time and decades of harsh winters have taken their toll.

"What we've found is that a lot of trees have died in Montpelier. Salt is one of the big culprits," said John Snell, chairman of the Montpelier Tree Board.

Not only that, members of the Tree Board say there's not much space to plant new trees on city property. That's why Snell and the rest of his team are going door to door asking people if they want a free tree for their property.

"If we can plant this tree in your yard in this location, that contributes to the neighborhood. We'll do it for free. Are you game?" Snell said.

Board members will plant the trees themselves. They even wait for Dig Safe to come and make sure there aren't any utilities where they're planting.

Turns out, a lot of people are saying yes.

"People are excited about the trees, the kids that are walking to and from school are checking out the trees they wrote poems about the trees," Wild said.

The tree board gets about $2,000 a year and this year they want to plant at least 200 trees. So far they've planted on three streets: St. Paul Street, Barre Street and Stonecutters Way.

With the emerald ash borer threatening ash trees, this could help make sure other species are thriving.