AMHERST — Arbor Month is being celebrated in Amherst throughout April, extending what is normally a one-day event. Tree Warden Alan Snow, who serves as the division director for trees and grounds for the Department of Public Works, said Arbor Day is becoming Arbor Month “because we have events planned every weekend.”
The activities begin Saturday, when the Public Shade Tree Committee launches its Second Saturday Tree Planting program with plantings near 510 North Pleasant St., across from the Studio Arts Building at the University of Massachusetts, and along Butterfield Terrace. Snow said the plantings, which will have assistance from UMass students, begin at 9 a.m. Additional volunteers are welcome.
On April 16, the committee will have a booth on the Town Common during the Amherst Sustainability Festival, giving out information about planting trees and how residents can apply to have a tree planted near their homes in the town right of way.
Activities continue April 23, when students in the arbor program at Stockbridge School of Agriculture work on honey locusts, lindens, oaks and white pines at a downtown park.
“Students will be volunteering to climb and prune trees at the north end of Kendrick Park,” Snow said.
Snow will also be taping signs to ash trees at Kendrick Park and Realignment Park, supplied by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, to alert the public about the dangers of a beetle.
The signs read “this ash tree is at risk of being killed by the emerald ash borer” and feature images of the beetle. Finally, Snow will do a tree planting April 29, the last Friday in April that is traditionally designated as Arbor Day.
Alisa Brewer will continue as chairwoman of the Select Board after a unanimous vote during a reorganization this week following the March 29 town election.
“Thank you to all my colleagues to trusting me to this responsibility for another year,” said Brewer, who, along with James Wald, was reelected without challenge.
An Amherst Police enforcement initiative focused on texting while driving takes place from Friday through April 29. The U Drive, U Text, U Pay mobilization is funded by a grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. “Driving and texting is illegal and irresponsible,” Police Chief Scott Livingstone said in a statement. “People who break our state’s texting law will be stopped and fined.”
Any driver who writes, sends or reads electronic messages, or browses the Internet while driving, can be fined $100 for the first offense, and juveniles who use electronic devices, including cellphones, can be fined $100 and have their licenses suspended for 60 days.
Master horticulturist and garden designer Debbie Windoloski will give a presentation “A Guide to Growing and Maintaining a Garden” at the Amherst Woman’s Club, 35 Triangle St., at 1:30 p.m. Monday. The free event is open to the public and refreshments will be served after Windoloski’s talk.
The International Students Club at the University of Massachusetts will hold its second annual Five-College International Festival on the Town Common from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. The festival will raise awareness of cultural diversity and feature both booths with souvenirs and handmade goods from numerous countries, authentic international food and performances. Thu Trinh, public relations coordinator for the club, said in an email that the event promotes cultural understanding and combats stereotypes. Activities will include a petting zoo and arts and crafts provided by the Amherst Family Center and UMass Craft Center.
MONDAY: Select Board, 5 p.m., Town Room, Town Hall; Charter Commission, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall.
TUESDAY: Public Shade Tree Committee, 4 p.m., First Floor Meeting Room, Town Hall.
WEDNESDAY: Planning Board, 7 p.m., Town Room, Town Hall.
