Newport Tree Society Sprouts Awards, Details Tree Culture Objectives

Jennifer Booth Connie Hayes & Nanette Herrick

In a pleasant and thoughtful commentary, president of the Newport Tree Society Lillian Dick announced new awards, and detailed grants for the work of the organization at a recent gathering at the Carey Mansion of Salve Regina University.

Attended by Mayor Steve Waluk, Susan Ruf of the Tree Commission, Scott Wheeler, Newport Tree Commissioner, Jeff Curtis, the Preservation Society’s arborist, Charles Ridolf, the city forester, and his wife Megan, Senator Teresa Paiva-Weed, and an overflow crowd of concerned citizens, the evening began socially, and included a brief , informative program.

Charles Weishar, who was a founding member the Newport Tree Society in 1988, told Newport Seen that it was not written as a city ordinance until 1992, as one person would not sign off on it.

Mike Walsh playing

Mrs. Dick commented on the campaign to restore to health, or replace, Newport's magnificent beech trees by referring to efforts to keep them alive as "geriatric arboriculture." She said it was her husband Ronnie Dick who got her "in trouble", saying that the trees lining Newport's street were "not looking good". She then commenced learning one new Latin word per week, and said that the Society's campaign was initiated to make the historic, ailing trees feel "loved and nurtured."

After praising Jean Gorham's efforts, she announced a $5,000 grant from the estate of Helen Raleigh and a $5,000 grant for beeches and elms from the Rhode Island Foundation for Trees of Rhode Island.

Commissioner Wheeler honored the importance of the work of the Newport Tree Society, discussing the Raleigh tree inventory, which was mapped with a GPS locator.

Marie Robinson manned the membership table

The Community Forester award went to Mr. Patrick McGrath; the Point Association received the Good Neighbors citation; and the Citizens Forester Award was given to Carla and James O'Rourke for their work on Mann Avenue, Newport.

For more information and history on Newport's beeches, go to a recent science article in the New York Times:

www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/science/25beeches.html?_r=1&hpw

-- L.P.