Here's When The Planting Of 100 Trees Will Begin In Guilford

GUILFORD, CT — The Town of Guilford announced last week that 100 trees will be planted along Route 77 within the first half of June.

The plantings, on Whitfield, Broad and Church Streets, will run from the southwest corner of the Green to the I-95 interchange, "thereby creating an enhanced gateway to (and between) the major commercial and civic centers of the town," the town said in a news release.

The location and species of each tree has now been staked within the State Right of Way, neighbors have been notified, and the town is in the final process of obtaining State Department of Transportation permits for the work, according to the town.

"This work will include the removal of many of the existing, but dying, flowering trees along Whitfield in front of the businesses. These will be replaced by Winter King Hawthorn trees, an excellent native hybrid that is a pollinator-friendly, four-season species," the town noted.

Elsewhere, shade trees, predominantly natives, will be planted where overhead wires allow, the town added. Under the wires, there will be a mix of native and non-native ornamental trees which have been "selected to harmonize with existing adjacent specimen."

Costs for installation and initial maintenance will be covered by a grant from the town's allocation of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

In the town's application to the Board of Selectmen for the plantings, the Tree Advisory Board noted the many benefits of a robust street tree program:

• Trees help clean air of pollutants
• Trees absorb carbon dioxide, removing and storing carbon
• Trees help clean drinking water
• Trees provide much-needed cooling
• Trees help save energy
• Trees benefit wildlife by providing vital habitat
• Trees benefit individual mental health and community sense of well-being
• Trees help calm traffic and reduce crime

"Trees are also a good investment of our public dollars, not only for all the reasons above, but also for increased property values and perceived prosperity/desirability of the town," the town said in a news release. "And they are beautiful."