Boston Flora

Tag: Otis Grove

  • Esplanade Association Update

    The Garden Club of the Back Bay provided two grants to The Esplanade Association in 2010 in support of its work with trees – updating the tree inventory and replacing storm damaged trees.  We have received a note from Executive Director Sylvia Salas at The Esplanade Association which we’d like to share with our readers:

    “1. Tree inventory: We have been working with Joyce Husseni from Nitsch Engineering and David Rines on this project. David has assessed the condition of every tree on the Esplanade and has input this data into an Excel spreadsheet for Joyce to import into a database. David also has re-plotted tree locations on the maps, as needed. The assessment and data update include approximately 90 new trees, including the Yoshino cherries. The updated inventory will prove very useful to DCR as well as TEA in identifying and prioritizing tree work. We hope next to re-tag the trees.

    2. Replacement trees and tree care: The process of planting, even pruning, trees on the Esplanade is somewhat complicated because of oversight requirements by the Massachusetts Historic Commission and Boston Landmarks Commission, but we have managed to work through all of the DCR requirements to move forward with tree work. We are planting 10 willows at Otis Grove this spring and we intend to plant trees, as well as shrubs, ground cover and other plants at Eliot Plaza. The Eliot Plaza project is a significant one, encompassing a redesign of the plaza’s current landscape to convert it into the classic room within the park as intended by Arthur Shurcliff. We also have managed to get nearly 200 trees pruned around the Hatch Shell and are working with DCR to have as many as 300 trees pruned in the Otis Grove, Esplanade Café and Sherborn exercise areas this spring.

    Please express our gratitude to the members of the garden club for their support of The Esplanade Association’s ongoing work to improve the health and care of the Esplanade.”

  • Letter of Thanks from The Esplanade Association

    Our Garden Club of the Back Bay members will be pleased to read an excerpt from  a letter recently received by our Presidents, Jackie Blombach and Jolinda Taylor,  from Sylvia Salas, Executive Director of The Esplanade Association.  As you may remember, at the end of our past fiscal year we contributed $2,500 to The Esplanade Association for its tree inventory work, and an additional $2,500 to the Emergency Tree Fund:

    “Thank you, again, for support of The Esplanade Association’s Emergency Tree Fund.  The funds you contributed are helping to replace storm damaged and destroyed trees on the Esplanade.  Some exciting progress has been made for new plandtings and TEA also has been working with the Department of Conservation and Recreation on a number of fronts to ensure that newly planted trees thrive and that the health of existing trees is improved.

    New willows will be planted in Otis Grove, one of the areas hardest hit by the June 6th storm, beginning this spring. (Salix alba ‘Tristis’ has been recommended for its vigor and hardiness);

    With funding from TEA, around 100 trees surrounding the hatch Shell have been pruned in the last couple of weeks and more will be pruned in the next few weeks;

    A highly qualified arborist has begun to update the existing tree inventory. He will assess each tree’s health and make recommendations for appropriate tree care;

    TEA is working with the DCR to establish demonstration projects where an intensive program of tree management will be engaged.”

    For continued updates on TEA’s tree work, log on to www.esplanadeassociation.org, or contact them at 617-227-0365.