Trees For Bloomfield Initiative Becomes An Inspiration For Action Across Connecticut

By Sharon Mann

Trees have long been revered for their beauty and symbolism, but in recent years their role in combating climate change has come to the forefront. This growing awareness is at the heart of Bloomfield's successful Trees for Bloomfield (TFB) initiative, which is now inspiring similar actions around Connecticut.

Bloomfield Takes Root: The story began in 2020 when Sharon Mann, Chair of the Bloomfield Beautification Committee, and Paula Jones, Chair of the Conservation, Energy and Environment Committee, and a group of interested residents, concerned about the decline of Bloomfield's tree canopy, decided to take action. By 2021, their vision sprouted into TFB, a comprehensive program that included educational talks, guided walks, and workshops. The initiative culminated in a well-attended Arbor Day event where residents of all ages planted 27 trees. Over the past three years, 223 trees were planted, mostly on private property at no cost to the homeowner, with a TreeKeeper volunteer corps of about 50 residents and support from the local DPW. In addition, TFB created an Arboretum on the grounds of their town hall in 2021, with tree identification and a walking tour. The group also drafted an initial tree replacement ordinance approved by the town, that begins to deal with the increasing number of tree removals.

Spreading the Branches: TFB's success didn't stop at Bloomfield's borders. Their dedication and willingness to share knowledge sparked similar initiatives in Suffield, Windsor Locks, and Goshen. These "branches" of TFB are now tackling local tree challenges, from organizing photo contests to training residents in tree care.

A Forest of Hope: On March 19th, representatives from these tree groups convened in Bloomfield to share experiences and plan for the future. The gathering recognized impressive achievements, such as TFB's mentioned above. Individual initiatives of each tree group were highlighted: Trees for Suffield is weaving history into environmental stewardship by honoring their town's long-standing sycamores along with a “Trees for Free” giveaway. On May 4th, they'll hold a special ceremony to officially name a "Notable" Connecticut sycamore, the "Burbank Sycamore," at the Phelps-Hathaway House.

Meanwhile, Trees for Windsor Locks is taking a future-focused approach, fostering environmental awareness in the next generation through educational planting programs for students. Trees for Goshen, the newest member of this network, is tackling the challenges of planting in a busy intersection of their town and is actively seeking guidance to ensure their efforts thrive.

A Call to Action: The collaborative spirit of this gathering is a testament to the power of shared purpose. The hope is that their collective efforts will inspire even more Connecticut towns to embrace tree planting and protection initiatives.

Residents of Bloomfield, Goshen, Suffield, and Windsor Locks are invited to join these local tree groups and contribute to a greener future.

“Learn character from trees, values from roots, and change from leaves.”

Contact: treesforbloomfield@bloomfieldct.gov, treesforsuffield@gmail.com or treesforwindsorlocks@gmail.com to get involved.