Keyser: Save Birch Trees or Take Them Down?

I hate to say it, but the fall weather just showed up this weekend, with temperatures that are a bit chilly and may stick around for a few days.

In goings on around the two towns, there several interesting items to talk about and hear what folks are saying about them.

One item that folks in Wenham are discussing is the fact that the nice white birch trees in front of are , since a tree borer is in them and is causing them to slowly die.

A plan to save these trees has been outlined by the tree warden for the town, who wants to dig up the area around the two trees and replace the dirt with compost and treat the problem with this action. But several town officials do not like the plan to dig up the fairly new lawn, as it would be a large section that would be opened up for compost.

In talking to several folks who are in the tree business, word from these folks is that birch trees have a fairly short life and once a borer bug gets into them it is just a short matter of time before the trees die.

In a related comment, one person said that since the trees are slowly dying, the town should take them down and use the space for the war
memorial instead of . It would be a more fitting spot beside the town hall than the proposed location on the car barn lot.

And with an open spot on the School Committee from Wenham, have applied to fill the spot until the town election in May.

In talking to people around the town, it would appear that Harriet Davis, who was on the board up until this year, would be a good choice to fill the vacant spot on the school board. She has been dealing as a selectman with town business and school budgets in the past years and has been active in town business as member of several town boards and her parents were both very active in town affairs.

By adding her to the school board, it would give the board a member who has a good background on town business and how it fits into school business while making up the yearly school budget.

And just a last small comment - when folks have , would they please take down the signs from trees and poles after the sale is over. Many signs get left on trees for weeks after the sale.

That's all for this week, and just keep in mind, bills travels through the mail twice as fasts as checks. That's a fact. Bye, bye.