Our History

West Springfield, a town that was known as THE town to emulate for tree planting and care, gained that reputation under the leadership and passion of our tree warden, Seth Swift. To this day, the Massachusetts Tree Wardens and Foresters Association awards their tree warden of the year with “The Swifty Award" , in memory of Seth.

After Seth's retirement in 2002, The Forest Department was absorbed into the DPW. Tree care declined significantly to the point of neglect due to lack of funding and lack of qualified leadership.

On June 1st, 2011, a devastating tornado goes through the Merrick Section of West Springfield, between Main and Union, leaving a path of destruction.

Diane Crowell, a community advocate and member of the West Springfield Garden Club and the Environmental Committee, heads up “the Trees for Merrick Committee” which consists of volunteers from the Garden Club, the Environmental Committee and residents.

(Photo courtesy of the West Springfield Record)

After the tornado, the Trees for Merrick Committee called for help from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

Knowledgeable people from that department and from the Springfield Forestry Department advised the committee on how to proceed to restore the trees in the Merrick Section. Street trees were recommended, site situations were discussed, and input was solicited from residents of the Merrick section. Committee members went door to door to talk to homeowners, getting their cooperation to care for a tree placed on their tree belt. Money from a Community Block Grant was used to cover costs. After the first planting, the Trees for Merrick Committee continued their work planting trees, engaging homeowners, pruning trees as they aged, and advocating for proper leadership and funding for trees.

It became apparent that when the Trees for Merrick committee ceased to exist, there would be no ongoing support for town trees. The committee then met with Ed Sullivan, a candidate for mayor, and advocated for an official permanent town board, incorporated into our town government. Ed supported our proposal, and upon becoming mayor, established the Tree and Urban Forest Committee in 2014.

In the years following, the committee constantly campaigned for a qualified tree warden, an individual with a degree in Arbor Culture or Forestry and whose sole job was the care of trees, with a sufficient dedicated crew to take care of trees. Several meetings with Mayor William Reichelt convinced him that the beautification of the town could not happen without the care of trees. In the summer of 2022, the town of West Springfield hired a full time, highly qualified tree warden, the first since Seth Swift retired, twenty years earlier. A dedicated but limited crew was also put in place under the direction of the new tree warden, Marcus Catlett.

It will take a long time before West Springfield will enjoy the glory days our trees enjoyed under the care of Seth Swift. Hiring a qualified, energetic, visionary tree warden with a dedicated crew in the year 2022 was a major accomplishment.

Now, we feel we can move forward.

We love our trees!