1. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal Amount Requested $24,952.19 Black walnut area Fern Boardwalk 2015 CPA Application Presentation to CPC December 18, 2014

2. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal Project Summary: Wetlands filing Remove red maple hazard Remove 13 black walnuts Mass. DCR public demonstration portable sawmill Demolish old boardwalk by hand – volunteers and NR staff Rebuild boardwalk Replant flowers, trees and shrubs Re-mount “Mary’s Brook” plaque

3. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal Existing Conditions Fern Boardwalk Vertical posts rotten at bases Concrete footings decayed/eroded Stringers, center section sagging

4. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal Existing Conditions Fern Boardwalk Handrails rotten Many repairs have been made Structural integrity failing Time to rebuild for safety, accessibility

5. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal Existing Conditions Fern Boardwalk In 2015, we will seek State and Federal recognition of our locally named “Mary’s Brook”

6. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal Existing Conditions Trees Dying, hazardous, red maple (remove before construction)

7. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal Existing Conditions Trees Bounteous black walnuts White pine Immeasurable non-native, invasive Honeysuckle in understory. Many dozen more black walnut growing in Arboretum

8. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal What is Gained by Removing 13 Black Walnuts? Improve forest diversity – reduce monoculture of black walnuts In keeping with Arboretum Master Plan Appropriate urban forestry management Supported by the Friends of the Acton Arboretum, Inc. Educate the community about unique horticultural opportunities for their own properties Promote healthy variety of understory plants Volunteers will also remove many invasive honeysuckle Replanting many more times the amount of plants we are removing

9. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal Understory Replanting Plan Flowers with fall color Educational flower beds: compare native to imported Understory trees like Dogwoods and Japanese Maples Shrubs with seasonal color like amelanchier, white halesia, styrax, witch hazel, viburnums, fothergilla

10. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal Understory Replanting Plan Arboretum is blessed with generous master gardener friends. Volunteers donate plants, offer lifelong knowledge. Spring 2014, we removed 30 non-native, invasive Japanese Honeysuckle by hand, replanted wildflowers.

11. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal DCR Portable Sawmill Demonstration Education about Urban Forestry Forest Products = Renewable Resource Nothing wasted

12. Acton Arboretum Fern Boardwalk Replacement and Tree Removal Additional leverage for project Volunteer demolition labor NR Crew - construction debris removal Volunteer plant donations ($25.40/hr x 4 hours=$101.60) Volunteer labor re-plantingNR Budget purchase new plantings