Tree Warden: Robert Mellstrom, rmellstrom@town.plainfield.ma.us
The Tree Warden is an elected position in the town of Plainfield. The Tree Warden has the care and control of all public shade trees, as defined in the Public Shade Tree Law, MGL c. 87.
The Public Shade Tree Law defines shade trees as follows:
"Section 1. All trees within a public way or on the boundaries thereof including trees planted in accordance with the provisions of section 7 shall be public shade trees; and when it appears in any proceeding in which the ownership of or rights in a tree are material to the issue, that, from length of time or otherwise, the boundaries of the highway cannot be made certain by records or monuments, and that for that reason it is doubtful whether the tree is within the highway, it shall be taken to be within the highway and to be public property until the contrary is shown."
Cutting, trimming, or removal of public shade trees requires a public hearing (Section 3), except for "the trimming, cutting or removal of any tree which endangers persons traveling on a highway" (Section 5).
If you need to cut a tree which is within the public right of way or on the boundaries thereof or you think might be a public shade tree, contact the tree warden for details.
