Concord Celebrates Arbor Day 2011

On Friday, a three-flower maple will join a decades’ worth of Arbor Day Trees throughout the town that have been selected by Peter Flynn, Concord’s Tree Warden and planted by his crew.  

Each year, the Garden Club of Concord pays for an Arbor Day selection, Flynn told Patch. “I really appreciate what they do for the community with these trees," he said.

Arbor Day, a day which encourages the planting and care of trees, was first held in Nebraska on April 10, 1872, with over a million trees planted that day. It is now celebrated around the globe. In the U.S., it is marked on the last Friday of April.

“I try to chose a tree with all year interest. This one has a beautiful light brown bark and outstanding foliage,” said Flynn, arborist, forest management major, and 30-year veteran of Concord Public Works, Parks and Trees Division. 

Crewmembers Bob Mee and Scott Cullinaine are installing the new 10-foot beauty in in front of the

 “I believe in the right tree in the right place,” said Flynn, instantly recalling Arbor Day trees of the past. Those trees range from a Dawn Redwood, a deciduous conifer near the MBTA lot in West Concord, to a Kousa Dogwood at the .

Flynn also has an eye for other trees around town. Asked to identify some of his favorite Concord trees, he paused, but only momentarily, then rapidly fired off some choice offerings.

“That Elm at the top of [Laurel Street] is gorgeous. There are a couple of European Beech in the National Park, that huge Beech on Walden Street (at the Trinitarian Congregational Church), some big White Pine in by Punkatassett, Tupelo on Whittemore Street and Virginia Road, and some beautiful old Oaks in Sleepy Hollow," he said.

Last year CPW planted over 55 public shade and park trees, including trees planted on private property as public shade trees, following the shade tree setback planting policy, according to the 2010 Town Report.

“The key is diversity,” said Flynn, the 2007 Massachusetts Tree Wardens’ and Foresters’ Association Tree Warden of the Year.  He doesn't want what happened to the elms on Concord's Elm Street happen again.  Only "about a half-dozen" of the stately trees remain on the road. CPW is planting elms, not all in one place, and they are disease-tolerant.

Here’s a partial list of Arbor Day Trees noted by Flynn, and their locations. Take a look.

London Plane Tree – Junction Park

Eastern Red Bud –

Kousa Dogwood – Concord Free Public Library

Sugar Maple – Entrance to the Doug White Artificial Turf Fields

Dawn Redwood – Entrance to the MBTA lot in West Concord 

Honey Locust –

Pin Oak –

Heritage River Birch –