After losing 200 red pine trees to invasive insects last year, a corner of Rollins Park is springing back.
Preschoolers from the Woodside School took turns dumping dirt around the base of a newly-planted maple sugar sapling Friday morning as part of a reforestation effort by the city of Concord. The maple sugar was one of two trees planted to celebrate Arbor Day.
The sight was a welcome one for Chris Jacques, the Parks and Recreation grounds supervisor, who said he was “very sad” to see the park’s trees lost last year. The danger isn’t over, either – Jacques said Concord is at risk of losing 20 percent of its canopy, especially its ash trees, to invasive insects.
The city will begin planting about 50 news trees on Monday. They will be a variety of species, with different growth patterns and textures that mature at different levels so their bloom patterns will occur at different times of the year, Jacques said.
Some trees will be provided by Concord residents through the city’s Adopt-A-Tree program. Jacques said they have raised about $2,000 through $50-$100 donations. Donations of $350-$650 can buy a single tree, whereas larger donors can purchase five trees of various species at $2,750.