The Town of Woodbridge is seeking donations of flowering trees to replace trees cut back in 2018.
“One of my goals is to make the Town Center Campus a more attractive public gathering space,” says First Selectman Beth Heller. “This row of flowering trees will help us beautify the entryway to our Town Center Campus.”
The tree donation program came into being following United Illuminating’s removal of trees under power lines at Fitzgerald Tract along Center Road as part of the utility's Vegetation Management Program. Heller asked staff to look into the possibility of replanting the denuded area along Center Road with trees that would not interfere with the power lines and would add to the space’s natural beauty.
Since the program began, several residents have donated to the planting program at Fitzgerald and three others donated trees that were removed from the Town Green.
Until local nurseries receive their tree stock for the season it is difficult to pinpoint a price, but the Town estimates that a donation of $500 will cover the cost of a tree, delivery fee, installation and a plaque to thank donors. The plan is to line Fitzgerald Fitness Tract along Center Road with alternating groups of flowering dogwoods and crabapples. There are already five dogwoods and five crabapples. The next group purchased will be crabapples.
Anyone interested in the tree donation program should fill out on the tree donation form,which can be found on the Town website (woodbridgect.org) on the Town’s Public Works Department page and through the Recreation Department page.