Tree Removal Wood Available to Residents

The Highway Dept is going to be removing several dying ash trees around Town that are threatening our roadways. This is the first round of an effort that may take a few years.

Rather than have the logs hauled away, they want to try to make them available to residents who can use rough lengths for firewood.

The Select Board has approved a policy and procedure for doing this. Property owners abutting any cutting will get first rights. But if they don’t want the wood, we’re establishing a sign-up list for other residents to get in a queue.

Details about the policy and the sign-up form can be found on this Highway Department page.

If this policy works well and is easy to manage, then we will continue it for future planned cuttings (though not emergency tree removal).

Residents should be aware that the current cutting plans are targeting diseased ash trees affected by emerald ash borers. We’ve consulted with DCR forester Kris Massini and he was in favor of keeping the wood local to reduce the potential spread of pests beyond our already affected area. But residents should make their own decision about whether they want this kind of wood.