Chester volunteers inventory public trees;
Bank, club join hands to spruce up BRAM grounds

On Tuesday, June 21, members of the Chester Conservation Committee and volunteers from the community conducted a tree inventory along several major roadways in Chester.

The inventory was conducted with the help of Elise Schadler of the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Program and two State foresters.  The purpose of the inventory is to help Chester to understand, steward, and manage its “community trees,” which are those on town lands and in the town right-of-way on the edges of the roads.

Volunteers collected information about the species, size and health of the trees.  This information will be entered into a statewide data base of community trees, as well as provided to the town.

The report will alert the Highway Department to trees that need to be monitored because of declining health or susceptibility to invasive insects, may lead to the creation of a walking tour highlighting some notable trees, and may help Chester to plan ahead for replacement of some trees.

Garden club, bank employees spruce up BRAM grounds

Volunteers from the Ludlow Garden Club and Ludlow branch of Berkshire Bank  joined forces to give the grounds at the Black River Academy Museum a good clean-up prior to the Museum’s seasonal opening day.

They raked the lawn, cleared out flowerbeds and pried leaves from under shrubs.

The Ludlow Garden Club has helped the museum get ready for its seasonal opening day for a number of years, however, this was the first time for the Berkshire volunteers and they are already committed to helping with the fall clean-up in early November.