An arborist prunes a tree in the Back Bay Fens.Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — You can expect to hear a lot of chainsaws throughout the Back Bay Fens over the next few months.
Arborists with Bartlett Tree Experts began pruning hundreds of trees in the Fens and Charlesgate Park this week. The project runs through March.
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"We check the health of every single tree, and then those arborists determine which ones could benefit from pruning," Jack Schleifer, field operations manager for the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, told WBZ NewsRadio Friday. "So of that list of 2,400 total trees, they gave us these 935 trees that could really benefit from specific work, and then they gave us notes on what that work could be."
Although the early months of the year make it chilly and wet for the arborists to do their work, Schleifer said this is the perfect time for pruning season.
"First off, the trees are all dormant right now, so it’s a bit easier on their system to kind of be taking out some of the dead wood, be doing some of the prunings, and there’s a lower risk of infection when they’re healing," Schleifer said. "And then the park’s also quieter right now, ‘cause in the summer, everyone’s out, making the most of it, but it’s a bit chilly cold today, so it’s a good time to get the work done."
Schleifer said by the time spring and summer roll around, the results from pruning season will be enjoyed by parkgoers.
"Some people can walk through the parks and just see a sea of green, but each tree has its own story and has its own specific characteristics, and that’s kind of what we’re trying to continue to take care of through this project," said Schleifer.
WBZ’s James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.