UPCOMING EVENTS:
Arbor Day Celebration
April 25, 2026
Planting Phase One of the Coolidge Cove
May 9, 2026
The Maynard Tree Corps vision is to remake and vegetatively restore the corner of Coolidge Park where the long slide used to reside, a corner that has since overgrown with a predominance of introduced species.
The planned patch of forest is called the ‘Coolidge Cove.’ A cove forest is a natural, botanically-diverse, multi-layered ecosystem that lives and evolves in moist, bowl-shaped valleys or ravines. The majority of the land for this project faces north and east making the local environment akin to a cove. Our vision is to plant densely with a range of native species that, over time, will grow in height as various rates to create a botanically-diverse, multi-layered patch of woods. We anticipate planting over two or three growing seasons to complete our vision.
The first installment of our planting will begin on May 9th, 2026 on the west side of the cove. The intention here is to provide shade for future understory plantings down slope to the north and east. The highlight of our vision might be the plantings on the north slope, which is juxtaposed to existing path and stairs climbing to the top of the hill on the west side of Coolidge Park. This planting, being less exposed to direct Sun and a bit cooler and wetter, will be comprised of eye-popping spring ephemerals and plants, such as Yellow Trillium, Maidenhair Fern, Trout Lily, and many more. These plants will be at eye-level for people strolling the pathway, ensuring there will be no stooping required to admire the natural, native understory plants planned for the north-facing slope.
We believe this project will have great educational, ecological, aesthetic, and economic value as the diverse cove forest moves to maturity (see below).
Join us at 8 am on May 9th, 2026 to give a hand or learn more about our project.
Abstract interpretation of the Coolidge Cove Project in ca 2040; Artwork by Maynard resident Federica Jancek.
PAST EVENTS:
MAYNARD’S FIRST EVER WEEK OF TREES!
April 22 – 29, 2023
April 22, 10 am – 2 pm.
Parking Island Pollinator Planting. Across from Maynard Fine Arts Theatre, 19 Summer St., Maynard, MA
Register and bring your gardening gloves and join Tree Corps for a day of planting pollinator friendly trees, shrubs and flowers to cool and brighten the heart of downtown Maynard. Water and a light lunch available for volunteers. This event is made possible by a generous $3,000 grant from the One Tree Planted Foundation. They have asked us for photo releases and liability waivers. Here is your registration link: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/tree-planting-event-maynard-ma-tickets-578064625857
April 26, 6:00 pm doors open, 6:30 pm start.
Survivors: Exploring the Incredible Resilience of Old Growth Forests through Art, Traditional Knowledge, Science, and Literature.
The Sanctuary, 82 Main St., Maynard, MA.
Come talk old growth forests with us! Enjoy gorgeous large-format photography of old growth forests by photographer Brent Mathison; Indigenous perspectives from Nipmuc tribal member and cultural steward Andre Strongbearheart Gaines Jr.; scientific insight from Harvard Forest senior ecologist Neil Pederson, and a reading from a new book in the works on First Forests and First Peoples by Lynda Mapes, Seattle Times journalist and Harvard University Bullard Fellow, presently in residence at the Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA. With thanks to the Maynard Cultural Council, event sponsor.
PAST EVENTS:
Kiss the Ground Fundraiser, Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 3:00 pm.
Thank you to everyone who came and for all your amazingly generous donations! And a big thank you to Lizza & Steve Smith of Smith and Finley/Keller Williams Realty for generously creating and sponsoring this fundraising event!
Tree Walk, July 10, 2021 at 4 pm:
The Maynard Tree Corps is hosting a tree walk in Downtown Maynard to introduce the newest members of our community.
Where: Memorial Park
Led by Neil Pederson, a member of the Maynard Tree Corps, we will and amble down Nason Street and then east on Main Street over the course of 1 1/2 hours. As we walk, each tree will be visited, given a tag noting its name and size when planted. Neil will also introduce attendees to each tree, talk about their ecology and unique values, while also talking about the benefits of trees to people and businesses that live in cities.The tags and tour are supported by a grant from the Maynard Cultural Council and the MA Cultural Council.
Life for trees in cities can be very hard and yet, when they are given conditions in which they can thrive, they beautify the landscape, cleanse the air and water, create an environment that literally enhances people’s lives and the businesses and neighborhoods in which they inhabit. We celebrate Maynard’s Sesquicentennial Year with high hopes for the Town and its tree canopy.
An old proverb states, “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” This understanding is a partial driver of the philosophy within the Maynard Tree Corps. We aim to preserve, maintain, and enhance the trees of Maynard for all of us today, yes. But, we keep our eyes on the future, a future that brings many challenges. Our choices of a diversity of mostly trees home to eastern North America reflect both the growing ecological culture in our society and challenges for trees and forests moving forward.
May 1, 2021
Maynard Trees Corps’ May 1 Arbor Day Celebration of Maynard’s 150th
Morning Tree Planting & Dedication and Afternoon Arbor Day Amble
In celebration of the Town of Maynard’s sesquicentennial, The Maynard Tree Corp (www.maynardtrees.com) is hosting two family friendly events on Arbor Day, Saturday, May 1st.
Morning Tree Planting, 10 am, May 1st, 2021:
The first event will be a tree planting workshop starting at 10 a.m. When the Tree Corps will be planting a native tree graciously donated by Steve Smith and Smith and Finley Realty Group, Keller Williams Boston Northwest in celebration of the town’s 150th anniversary.
Tree Dedication Ceremony, 11 am, May 1st, 2020:
The public is invited to join the Maynard Tree Corps along with local dignitaries and members of Maynard’s sesquicentennial committee at 11 a.m. to dedicate the tree and finish its planting to celebrate the town.
WHERE: Meet behind the parking lot at the CVS located at 105 Main Street in downtown Maynard along the Assabet River Rail Trail near the pedestrian bridge.
All attendees should wear masks and maintain COVID social distancing guidelines.
Afternoon Arbor Day Amble, 1 pm, May 1st, 2020
Later in the afternoon, starting at 1 p.m., Maynard’s forest expert Neil Pederson
will provide a guided tree tour of Downtown Maynard.
WHERE: The Maynard Tree Corps’ Arbor Day Amble will start at the green space at the intersection of Rte. 27 & Acton St. near Concord St. and the Assabet River Rail Trail.
This family-friendy event will:
- Walk along the Assabet River Rail Trail to the downtown core talking about various tree plantings along the trail along with the ecology of what attendees are seeing while also pointing out some failings.
- The amble will weave its way over to Nason St towards CVS where Neil will talk about the Maynard Tree Corps’ hard work with the Town that went into why specific trees were chosen and which ones are planned to be planted in the now-empty tree wells in the downtown core in what the organization is calling Maynard’s Downtown Arboretum.
- Neil will also talk about the ecological & economic value of trees in built environments, the difficulties tree have living in an urban environment such as lack of root space; size, heat, salinity, and the snow damage they experience.
- The Arbor Day Amble will conclude at the tree the organization has planted that morning near the foot bridge
behind the CVS along the rail trail.
· All attendees should wear masks and maintain COVID social distancing guidelines.
The Maynard Tree Corps (www.maynardtrees.com) is dedicated to promoting a healthy and diverse population of trees that will benefit people today. Trees planted today will also provide a living legacy for tomorrow.
November 2020
We have finalized a list of recommended trees to be planted in downtown Maynard starting in Spring 2021. Learn more about the background and philosophy on how we choose these species. You can also read about each species in this document.
May 2020
The Maynard Tree Corps planted its first tree, a tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera), on Friday, May 22nd, 2020 as a part of Maynard’s sesquicentennial celebration. The event was live streamed on the group’s FaceBook page.
Our event was also covered by local media, The Beacon. See their coverage, including an article and a photo spread.
MC’ed by the incomparable Jodi Beebe, remarks were made by Jen Picorelli, representing the Maynard Sesquicentennial Steering Committee; Justin DeMarco, representing Maynard’s DPW, and Neil Pederson, representing the Maynard Tree Corps.
Below you can download the transcript of our event:
Maynard Tree Corps 