Join the Maples in Civic Engagement

From the Tree & Landscape Board

It’s a new year and a chance to reconsider your civic engagement - not in a traditional sense, but by planting maples­!

We are surrounded by nature and by each other, all taking care of our community. Potawatomi, botanist, author, and professor Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer declares in her book, Braiding Sweetgrass1, that her community is in a “nation of maple trees” and “being a citizen does mean sharing in the support of your community.” She writes as she prepares for tax season, reflecting on how “...the maples have been giving all year long. Their contribution of limb wood kept my old neighbor Mr. Keller’s house warm all winter when he couldn’t pay the oil bill. The volunteer fire department and the ambulance squad as well rely on maple contributions to their monthly pancake breakfast, to raise funds for a new engine. The trees make a real dent in the energy bill for the school with their shade, and, thanks to big canopies of maples, nobody I know ever pays a bill for air-conditioning. They donate shade to the Memorial Day parade every year without even being asked. If it weren’t for the maples’ ability to break the wind, the highway department would have to plow snowdrifts off the road twice as often.”

What contributions have our City’s maples made to our community? They have cooled our homes and neighborhoods and been a habitat for squirrels and birds. They paint our street-scape and our sidewalks with brilliant yellows and reds for a few weeks each fall, sending winged seeds and samaras (pictured below) through the air each spring and thus creating an opportunity for children to learn about nature and aerodynamics.

Norway Maple samaras (seeds) and Red Maple samaras.

In the last three years, the City Residential Tree planting program has added 40 (of 366 total trees) new Red and Freeman2 Maples – to our neighborhoods and we welcome these generous neighbors. The Department of Public Works administers and funds the program with Casey Trees growing and planting the trees. The City encourages the planting of maples that are native to Maryland – namely Red and Sugar Maples. These trees are best adapted to our climate/soil conditions and thrive here. Red Maple, in particular, matures quickly offering plenty of shade in just a few years3. They are hearty and are frequently planted as street and lawn trees. Silver Maple is also native but often grows in a weedy form which requires pruning more often because of it’s aggressive growth. However, look out for the Norway Maple – which is invasive and is not native. This species also grows quickly and competes with native trees. You can identify it due to the bristles on the lobes and by how the two parts of the samara form a straight line (180 degrees) and the seed pocket is very flat4.

Have you been a good citizen to your maples recently? Have you watered your trees when needed and pruned dead branches? Most importantly, have you planted and nurtured any new maples?

We encourage you to be curious about the types of trees in your yard. What color will the leaves turn? Which ones grow slower or faster? Learn how to care for them as they are important to your family and community. Plant native trees like Red, Sugar, or Freeman Maple, when possible, to provide a healthy tree canopy. These small steps will help our community to thrive.

If you are in College Park Districts 2, 3, and 4 … then you may want to consider applying to join the Tree and Landscape Board. Your City needs your representation!

Citations:

1 Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. Milkweed Editions, 2015.

2 The Freeman Maple is a hybrid of Silver and Red Maple which are both native. (Morton Arboretum)

3 Source: UMD Extension article, https://extension.umd.edu/resource/native-trees-maryland-red-maple/

4 Source: UMD Extension article, https://extension.umd.edu/resource/invasives-your-woodland-norway-maple/

City Tree Programs:

The City of College Park offers various tree programs to enhance the urban environment. These include:

  1. Residential Tree Planting: Residents can request trees to be planted on their property in the fall and spring. To request a tree, complete the interest form here or contact arborist@collegeparkmd.gov.
  2. Urban Tree Protection (Ordinance 21-O-09): This ordinance requires a permit for the removal or pruning of trees over 36 inches in circumference on residential properties. A permit application is available here.
  3. Street Tree Planting Requests: The City offers tree planting in the right-of-way area between the curb and sidewalk. To request a tree, submit the form here.
  4. Tree Canopy Enhancement Program (TCEP): College Park property owners can apply for up to $150 reimbursement per year for trees planted on their residential property. For guidelines and the application, click HERE.
  5. Tree Maintenance: The City handles the maintenance of street trees and trees on public property. Private property owners are responsible for maintenance on their land. For landscaping tips and tree care advice, visit here.
  6. Tree Planting Tips: A list of suggested trees and planting tips can be found on the City's tree webpage.