Reading Plans Town Forest Dead Tree Removal

READING, MA — Reading officials warned area community members away from parts the town’s Town Forest area last week ahead of upcoming logging operations this week.

A new phase of town dead tree removal is set to begin during the week of Nov. 28, the town said. Anyone who does enter the town forest during this week’s operations does so at their own risk, officials continued.

This round of tree removal involves downing dead red pine, white pine and scotch pine trees close to high traffic areas within the town forest. Anyone who is in the area of logging operations should not approach and should be on the lookout for falling trees, the town said.

Anyone with questions about this work can contact the Reading tree warden at 781-942-9092 ext. 1216.

The Town Forest is an area north of the Meadow Brook Golf Club along the Reading/North Reading line. The town-owned site includes numerous trails.

The Reading Town Forest Committee previously brought the topic of tree removal work before the Reading Conservation Commission in September.

Existing red pine trees in the Town Forest were planted beginning in the 1930s, according to Town Forest Committee filings. The trees are better suited for northern latitudes, though, the committee said. Climate change has also strained the trees, leaving red pine areas vulnerable to invasive growth, the committee continued.

Two prior phases of work dating back to 2020 already removed roughly nine acres of dead trees at a cost of roughly $51,000, according to committee documents.

The Select Board then approved $100,000 in additional funding for Town Forest tree removal through its share of American Rescue Plan Act dollars in July.

Phase three work beginning this week looks to remove another 4.8 acres, with phase four work to follow in 2024, according to September plans.

The Town Forest Committee in its September Conservation Commission presentation documents said removal of existing dead trees will benefit other trees in the area while reducing safety risks flowing a spike in Town Forest usage after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Plans call for "serious control measures" after tree removal work to avoid new invasive growth.