Public hearing for tree cutting and removal scheduled

Editor’s notes:

• Based on new information from the DPW on April 16, plans to cut undergrowth trees on Lexington Road, Trapelo Road, South Great Road, and Tower Road as described in the penultimate paragraph below have been shelved.
• This article was updated with more relevant tree hazard descriptions from Eversource on April 10.

On Wednesday, April 22 at 7:00pm at the Town Hall, a public hearing will be held to consider the removal of three sets of trees in the public right of way. 

Eversource Energy wants to cut and/or remove the trees listed here that are dead, in decline, or otherwise posing a hazard to the safe and reliable operation of the electrical system and the roadway. Eversource focuses on pruning within specific clearances (8–10 feet to the side, 10 feet below, and 15 feet above lines), but they will remove entire trees that are deemed to be severe hazards. They are listed on that page by size category (DBH, or diameter at breast height) and hazard rating. Those ratings are based on a detailed inspection International Society of Arboriculture tree risk assessment form used by Eversource arborists, with 1–3 ratings corresponding to low, medium and high risk.

As described by Eversource arborist Matthew Miller, “generally the 1’s are smaller diameter ‘wrong tree, wrong place’ situations where they are growing over the wires with proximity and a lean but don’t necessarily have defects. While I gave these trees the ‘low’ risk rating, that is with respect to risk within the tree list. If a tree in my opinion posed no risk to the wires or roadway they wouldn’t be included in the list. 2’s generally have more obvious potential health issues. They may not die in the immediate future but they could start dropping limbs or be stressed enough for a windstorm to get them. 3’s have the largest rot cavities, are dead outright or are infected ash, or they are touching the primary wires.”

Miller also offered a comprehensive explanation of the company’s tree removal practices as of 2024 in this Lincoln Squirrel article.

A second set of trees listed here is being considered for removal by the Town of Lincoln (at Eversource’s expense) because they are dead, in decline, or otherwise posing a hazard to the safe and reliable operation of the roadway.

Eversource also wants to cut and remove undergrowth trees on Lexington Road, Trapelo Road, South Great Road, and Tower Road. With abutter approval, all trees 10” or less in diameter under the wires that are growing up into the wires will be cut to the stump.

For more information, contact the Lincoln DPW, see this Eversource Tree-Trimming FAQs page, or call 800-592-2000.