Grant to provide township with 89 trees

A grant designed to restore tree canopies in the Rouge River watershed will help provide for the addition of 89 new trees in areas of Bloomfield Township that are within the right-of-way and along public property. The grant, which will pay $125 per tree, is from the Alliance of Rouge Communities Restoring Tree Canopy in the Rouge River Area of Concern. The township's Engineering and Environmental Services Department along with the Department of Public Works, selected the planting locations based on infill and replacement needs. Charles Markus, project coordinator for environmental services, said tree plantings are planned near Bloomfield Hills High School on Long Lake Road; along Long Lake Road, west of Adams; and in medians where trees were damaged by cars along Woodward, north of Hickory Grove, and south of Berkshire. Plantings will include six Red Sunset maples; 15 Kentucky Coffeetrees; eight Hackberry trees; 10 Serviceberry trees; three tulip trees; 16 white spruce; nine black spruce; five Chinquapin oak; 11 Bur Oak; and six Honey Locust trees. The cost per tree is $470. The total cost of the project will be about $41,830, with the work to be done by Crimboli Nursery. The Township's Woodland Trust Fund will be used to fund the project, with the grant to reimburse it about $11,125.