A committee could soon be established to oversee the maintenance, preservation and replacement of city trees.
Ward 8 Councilor Stephen Rourke brought a resolution to the council in 2005 asking to establish such a committee.
A draft ordinance was recently reviewed by the Law Department and is now before the council's Ordinances and Rules Committee.
"One of the main purposes of a tree committee is doing a citywide inventory of public shade trees," Rourke said.
Rourke said that doesn't just mean a count of the trees that now dot streets, parks and neighborhoods, but also those that have been replaced because they were either sick or were considered hazardous.
"There is no focus on replacing trees that are removed because they were diseased or damaged, or dangerous," Rourke said.
Under the proposed ordinance, the tree committee would be a volunteer board, consisting of seven members appointed by the mayor and approved by the City Council. The committee would include one member of the city's Conservation Commission and two state certified arborists.
The committee would also propose policies, and advise departments such as public works, planning and engineering on tree-related matters.
Rourke said trees are a "valuable asset" not only providing shade and oxygen, but also helping to boost state tourism, bringing in millions of dollars.
"Lots of people travel to Massachusetts in the fall to see the foliage," he said.
Rourke said that healthy tree-lined streets in residential areas also help to raise property values.
Councilor at large Sarafina "Sally" Collura has long been in favor of creating the tree committee. She said the city needs to establish a better method of planting trees in some areas.
"Some of the trees that are planted are not the right kind of trees for that space or for that area," Collura said. "Once they are planted they are not taken care of."
Richard Conn can be contacted at 781-398-8004 or rconn@cnc.com.
