BERNARDSTON — The town recently removed a magnolia tree and a spruce tree near the veterans memorial in Cushman Park to enhance the memorial’s visibility, although a magnolia tree is expected to be replanted elsewhere to honor a well-known arborist.
The tree removal work was approved during a Nov. 16 Selectboard meeting. Tree Warden Brad Bordewieck said nobody contested the removal.
The magnolia tree to the right of the veterans memorial was planted more than 20 years ago in honor of Frank Foster Sr., father of Frank “Bud” Foster Jr., who also has a memorial in Cushman Park. Foster lived in Leyden and was a well-known arborist who completed a lot of work in Hatfield near Route 5, according to Randy Foster, a Northfield resident and Frank Foster Sr.’s grandson.
Marvin Shedd, chair of the Veterans Memorial Committee, said the magnolia tree was rotting and the branches would get tangled in the flags at the memorial, tearing the fabric. According to Shedd, the town will be planting a new magnolia tree farther to the right of the memorial, keeping Foster’s legacy alive.
“We’re trying to be respectful of everything,” Shedd explained, “and we also want to make (the veterans memorial) nice and neat.”
Jill Roth, one of Frank Foster Sr.’s granddaughters, said planting a new magnolia tree in his honor is a “good idea.”
Shedd said the Veterans Memorial Committee spearheaded the project but that it has also been a community effort involving the Selectboard, the Cushman Park Committee and Bordewieck.
Bordewieck said he’s unsure of the funding for planting a new magnolia tree at this time, but that money may come from the tree replacement account that is funded by people who have made past tree removal requests.
Other recent tree removals included about five trees that were taken down behind Dollar General, funding for which came from the tree warden’s budget. The Highway Department helped Bordewieck with wood chipping.
Bordewieck said this removal effort was requested by the highway superintendent due to the area’s tricky topography that resulted in stormwater runoff draining toward nearby site work and onto South Merrifield Road. The tree removal grants space for the town to create a swale to prevent future road flooding by directing runoff water into the nearby wetlands.