Inventory nails down state of Orono’s trees

ORONO – A recently completed inventory of Orono’s 39 miles of streets found them to be lined with 3,743 shade trees and to contain 1,023 sites for additional trees to be planted.

Under the auspices of the Orono Tree Board, Mike Saunders, a University of Maine graduate student in forestry, was hired to do the survey. Survey goals were to examine and identify all of Orono’s street trees – by species, height, diameter and state of health.

Problem trees and those that interfered with overhead wires were identified. To meet the challenge of the task, Saunders added the help of several students, and the task was completed in September 2003.

By definition, “street trees” are located in the town right of way – sometimes referred to as the public domain – which is usually within 15 feet of the street. Such land is owned by the town, and the town is responsible for the maintenance and removal of street trees as needed.

Of the trees counted and evaluated, 12 percent are Norway maples, the most common species found in the survey. Eastern white pine and northern white cedar each accounted for 9 percent. Sugar maples accounted for 5 percent and northern red oak, green ash and white spruce each accounted for 3 percent.

Species at 2 percent included apple, crab apple, red pine, white ash, honeysuckle, balsam fir and silver maple.

The remaining species at about 1 percent each included red spruce, eastern hemlock, black locust, gray birch, glossy buckthorn, yews, black cherry, pin oak, serviceberry and American elm.

The Orono Tree Board, established in 1996 by the Orono Town Council, has been active in maintaining and planting trees on Orono streets and public school grounds. Members of the board are Chairwoman Ann Pilcher, Dick Campana, Kathy Carter, Chris Dorian, Dave Thompson and Emily Wesson.

Over the years, many Orono citizens have contributed to the effort to grow the urban forest by sponsoring trees and helping to plant them. Kiwanis members and high school students have been faithful in that regard.

From 1993 to 2003, 382 trees were planted in Orono’s public domain, making it a truly community enterprise.

The inventory of Orono’s street trees enables the Tree Board to plan for the future by developing a Street and Park Management Plan. Such a plan would include maintenance of the town trees on a planned annual basis, including the necessary removal of hazardous trees and limbs. It also would ensure a balanced range of additional tree species, which reduces the incidence of disease.