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WINTHROP — Where once tall trees stood, all that remained for the last several months along the edges of the Kennebec Land Trust’s Office property in Winthrop were large yellowing stumps. The tall white pine trees, of which the stumps were vestiges, were removed by an arborist because of safety concerns.
The vacancy of the trees was visible to travelers along Main Street, and was all too apparent to those living and working in the area, those at the land trust said.
In an effort to restore life and beauty, three community businesses — C.B. Mattson, Longfellow’s Greenhouses and D.R. Struck Nursery — lent their support in the installation of shrubbery. Jamie Ault, a longtime gardener, landscaper and supporter of KLT took the lead on choosing the type and location of plantings. She was also pivotal in the installation of the shrubs, along with KLT’s summer interns and staff.
C.B. Mattson brought support in the form of covering excavation costs for the stump removal — no small task given the many years of growth seen by those pines. D.R. Struck Landscape Nursery donated a load of compost necessary to amend the roadside soils.
Scott Longfellow, KLT vice president, provided many of the shrubs at a reduced price. The now planted shrubbery, of which many species are native to the region, will undoubtably bring an abundance of color and life for the enjoyment of KLT visitors, nearby residents, passersby and wildlife alike.
The use of native shrubs aligns with KLT’s broader goals to encourage native habitat and manage the spread of invasive plant species — many of which began as ornamental plantings, but have spread and choked out native habitat.
