ADDISON COUNTY — Public tree inventories will be conducted in Bristol, Middlebury and Vergennes this week by the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program, known as VT UCF, and students enrolled in the Land Stewardship Program (LANDS) at the University of Vermont.
This summer VT UCF has been working with the Bristol Conservation Commission, the Middlebury Town Planner, and the Vergennes Planning Commission to plan for these concurrent tree inventory projects.
VT UCF is a program of UVM Extension and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, & Recreation. Last year, the program was awarded a grant from the USDA Forest Service to assist 20 priorities communities statewide in moving their urban forestry programs forward in three specific ways, by: 1) conducting public tree inventories, 2) developing urban forest management or master plans, and 3) training town employees and citizen volunteers in best practices for tree care.
Bristol, Middlebury and Vergennes will join seven other towns that have worked with VT UCF so far on this grant project. 
On Sept. 16, 17 and 18 a group of LANDS students will be collecting data on the location, species, size and condition of the trees within the public right-of-way along downtown and residential roads, and in a number of parks and town-managed lands within each town. The LANDS students are gaining experience in managing and stewarding natural resources throughout Vermont this summer and they are specifically being trained in tree species identification and inventory data collection methodology to prepare for the public tree inventories.
In addition to collecting inventory data, the students will be reaching out to municipal staff to collect necessary information for the development of a draft management plan based on the inventory results, which they will present to each town in the fall. They’ve got a lot of work to do, but UVM officials said they would be happy to speak with members of the public about the project and would appreciate a wave and smile.
 The completion of the public tree inventories and draft management plans will support each town in understanding, stewarding and managing its tree population more effectively and efficiently. Public street trees and trees in community parks are a significant part of a community and its green infrastructure. Understanding, maintaining and preserving public trees results in the proliferation of the many benefits that urban trees provide, including enhancing air and water quality, increasing property values, mitigating stormwater runoff and flood impacts, and providing shade and recreational opportunities for neighborhoods.
Questions about the tree inventories, or about urban forestry in Vermont in general, should be directed to Elise Schadler, community outreach specialist with UVM Extension and VT UCF at [email protected] or 802-656-2657.