Residents of the City of Ellsworth,
As my time as the Urban Forestry Assistant comes to an end, I wanted to thank you for welcoming me into your community. You showed up to volunteer events at the Community Tree Nursery, hikes at Branch Lake Public Forest, and presentations to learn about the urban forest. I spoke to you outside your homes and businesses, in neighborhoods filled with cherished trees. In speaking with you, I gained a greater understanding of the varied and complex relationships you all have with Ellsworth’s trees. Your engagement has made a profound impact on our understanding of an urban forest that provides essential services for our community. I have seen the influence that public engagement can have on people’s opinions regarding trees, which makes it all the more important.
Along with Michael Otzwirk, Community Tree Steward, I have laid the groundwork for a productive and impactful citizen volunteer group in Ellsworth, the Ellsworth Community Tree Stewards. Michael’s next big event will be the street tree planting in the fall. I hope that you will join him and fellow community members during the weeklong event in late October.
My next chapter is to return to the University of Maine, where I will be spending my senior year finishing up my forestry degree. I am leaving Ellsworth with a solidified understanding of varied topics, including riparian mapping, street tree inventory, tree nursery management, and pruning, among others. This internship experience has solidified my belief that the intersection of trees and people is right where I want to be. After college, I hope to become a forester or arborist.
A special thanks to the Arbor Commission, Roddy Ehrlenbach, Director of Parks and Recreation, and Michael Otzwirk, Community Tree Steward. And thanks to you Ellsworth, for welcoming me into your home and letting me care for your most precious possessions, your trees.
Sincerely,
Alan Chausse
Urban Forestry Assistant, City of Ellsworth
