Tree Assessment and Management Plan for The Pine Hill Cemetery

Lauren Guertin, Stephanie Ladas, Ryan Malakie, Patrick Rieker, and Dr. Michael Vorwerk
Westfield State University Department of Environmental Science

Table 2: Tree species counts and distributions

Introduction
Joan Corell and Dale Dickson, representing Table 2
the Friends of The Pine Hill Cemetery Tree Type
(FOPHC), Westfield MA, contacted Westfield (Common Name) Count Percentage
State University’s Environmental Science
Department. They were seeking students to Basswood 4 2.78%
identify, map, and assess the health of the Black Oak 1 0.69%
trees to establish a tree management plan. Crab Apple 6 4.16%
The cemetery was established in 1842 and
occupies 53 acres. Flowering Dogwood 4 2.78%
Green Ash 3 2.08%
Hackberry 1 0.69%
Methods Hickory 3 2.08%
For our research, we created a map of all Honey Locust 6 4.16%
trees on the cemetery property. Using GIS
Horse Chestnut 1 0.69%
(Figure 1) we created a database with
species (Table 2), size, location (Figure 1), Japanese Maple 1 0.69%
and an index of tree health (Figures 2-6 & Japanese Weeping Cherry 3 2.08%
Table 1). We created the index of tree health Juniper 7 4.86%
which was later validated by Doug
Hutcheson of the Massachusetts DCR. He Kousa Dogwood 3 2.08%
also aided us in discussing management Northern White Cedar 4 2.78%
strategies. The diameter at breast height of Norway Maple 11 7.64%
each tree was measured with a diameter
Norway Spruce 6 4.16%
tape, and tree height was calculated using a
laser rangefinder. Pignut Hickory 6 4.16%
Figure 1: GIS Map of the Pine Hill Cemetery with the paths, roads, and tree health created for FOPHC Red Maple 10 6.94%
Management Plan Red Oak 1 0.69%
We created a GIS map and a database Acknowledgements Sugar Maple 51 35.42%
containing tree species, diameter, height, Joan Corell of The FOPHC Sweet Gum 1 0.69%
and health of existing trees in the cemetery. Dale Dickson of The FOPHC Unknown 2 1.39%
New trees planted should have small root Professor Robert Thompson of WSU
Unknown Deciduous 1 0.69%
systems such as Dogwood trees, dwarf Professor Michael Vorwerk of WSU
evergreens such as the Northern White Doug Hutcheson service forester from DCR Unknown Ornamental 3 2.08%
Cedar, or other dwarf trees. Additionally, we Professor Tim Parshall of WSU Unknown Spruce 1 0.69%
identified 5 trees with a rating of 1 which First Year Seminar Student assistants White Oak 1 0.69%
should be prioritized for removal.
White Pine 3 2.08%

Rating 1 Rating 2 Rating 3 Rating 4 Rating 5

Dead, decayed trunk, extensively
damaged, majority of leaves
absent, unsalvageable.
Thin crown, lacking in a strong
central leader, faded or patchy leaf
color, does not appear to be dead
but may not be salvageable.
Thinning of crown, average central
leader, occasional discoloration in
leaves, tree may be diseased,
moderate structural defects, curable
upon regular maintenance.
Relatively strong central leader, Strong central leader; full canopy,
green leaves, occasional crown no evidence of disease or sickly
thinning, minor structural defects, leaves, branches sprout high up on
capable of salvaging. trunk, good structure and form.

Figure 2: Sample tree for Rating 1 Figure 3 : Sample tree for Rating 2 Figure 4 : Sample tree for Rating 3 Figure 5 : Sample tree for Rating 4 Figure 6 : Sample tree for Rating 5