The Neighborhood Tree Pruning Project plans to work throughout the Meridian Kessler neighborhood, giving attention to young trees planted in the last ten years. Last fall, a group of volunteer tree stewards pruned 132 trees along College Avenue.

Certified tree stewards have received special training through a program with the Department of Natural Resources. They have been trained to prune trees to current standards and to identify hazards. The group will be able to do pruning of city-owned trees, in the right of way. These trees are often in the tree lawn in front of your homes.

Although the volunteers can only prune from the ground—tree hazards in large trees are best left to professionals—the primary purpose of the project is to remove dead or damaged limbs, and branches that are encroaching on street or sidewalks or will create other problems in the future if not pruned. This project will also be able to work on the bushy young trees that may be blocking street signs or making it hard to see traffic as you pull out of your driveways.

Here and there throughout the neighborhood there are trees with branch stubs that some well-meaning persons have lopped off. The stubs need to be properly cut to enable the tree to heal properly. The Neighborhood Tree Pruning Project will be able to correct these poor cuts. If tree branches are getting in your way, please contact the Neighborhood Tree Pruners. Homeowners should not prune the city’s trees. It requires a permit and knowledge of best practices to help protect the tree and enable it to grow and thrive. If you know of a tree or block with trees that you think needs attention, please let The Neighborhood Tree Pruning Project know so that they can come to evaluate the situation & apply for permits. The Neighborhood Tree Pruning Project will do so in coordination with foresters from the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Public Works.

The Neighborhood Tree Pruners are all volunteers. The Neighborhood Tree Pruning Project will be setting up a fund in the near future if you would like to contribute to help purchase and maintain the tools and supplies they need.

To alert the tree stewards about a need, if you are interested in volunteering, or in training to be a tree steward, please contact Elizabeth Jarvis at 283-3028.