Fitchburg Planting Goal Progress:
324 Trees Planted
Last Updated: January 19, 2023
Am I In The Zone?
Meet Your Local Foresters:
Larissa Parse
Education: B.S. Plant, Soil and Insect Science UMASS-Amherst. International Society of Arboriculture certified.
B.A., Liberal Arts, Sociology Concentration, UMass Boston
Experience: I started my professional career as a grower at a wholesale native plant nursery. I accepted a job with DCR as a Forester with the Asian Longhorn beetle program before transferring to Urban Forestry in 2016. I took a few seasons off during covid to care for my children but now I am back and happy to be planting trees in Leominster and Fitchburg.
Interests: My family and I enjoy growing and preserving food, swimming, hiking, sledding, going to parks and exploring. Favorite Trees: Burr oak and tulip tree.
Favorite Tree & Reason: Tuliptree and Bur Oak – The trees of my childhood have remained my favorites. I grew up with a gigantic tuliptree outside my window. I especially love how the tree’s canopy provides ample shade over a large area without restricting use under the tree. Bur oaks are found dotted throughout the pastures of the upper Midwest. These trees were selected because they were hardy enough to handle extreme heat and drought and tough enough to survive the frequent visits of cattle.
Ahron Lerman
Education: M.A. Ecological Design, The Conway School (2011); B.A. American Studies, Brandeis University (2005).
Experience: 7+ years of tree planting, recent member of the City of Cambridge’s Urban Forest Master Plan Task Force; former Greenhouse & Nursery Intern at the Arnold Arboretum; former board member of ReGreen Springfield; organic farming in Hawaii, CT, and MA.
Interests: Exploring wild places; learning about history and horticulture; plant-based food.
Favorite Tree & Reason: I first got interested in trees while farming in Hawaii, and always love thinking of the giant banyan trees I encountered (and climbed) there. I love the way their branches grow new roots and continuously explore new territory, growing the tree’s canopy larger and more complex. I also love planting swamp white oaks (Quercus bicolor) because of their beautiful leaves and bark, and for all the wildlife they support!
Fitchburg Partners:
Growing Places
Growing Places (GP) is a nonprofit serving North Central Massachusetts (NCMA) since 2001 that seeks to improve the health of our region through an equitable, just local food system and sustainable environment. Our volunteer-driven organization is rooted in our history of providing backyard vegetable gardens to empower residents to supply their own healthy food and improve their well-being, but we have expanded in response to community need. Today, we work to create long-term, sustainable changes in our community – changes focused on increasing fresh food access and environmental sustainability through programs such as our community gardens, mobile market, farmers markets, CSA program, HEAL Winchendon food system rebuilding initiative, and outreach for Greening the Gateway Cities tree canopy program.
