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David Lefcourt of City of Cambridge Recognized as Tree Warden of the Year

caution sign The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 6 years ago.

City Arborist planting tree Arbor Day 2011
The Massachusetts Tree Wardens’ and Foresters’ Association (MTWFA) has presented its 17th annual Seth H. Swift Tree Warden of the Year award to David Lefcourt, City of Cambridge.

President Alexander Sherman presented the elegant silver tree award to Mr. Lefcourt at the association’s 105th annual conference, held this year at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center on January 9-10, 2018.

David Lefcourt was recognized for his commitment and dedication to the protection of public trees, and for his work with his community to maintain and improve tree growth and health. In the words of one nominator, “he is passionate about preserving the urban forest. Dave stresses the importance of trees in the community and will work tirelessly to protect them. He is well educated and understands tree physiology to the point where he is able to make logical decisions when it comes to pruning, planting and removing trees.”

David Lefcourt has served the City of Cambridge as its City Arborist/Tree Warden for more than ten years. In that role he is responsible for the preservation and maintenance of over 19,000 city trees, plants 300-600 trees each year, and maintains a proactive 6-year pruning cycle, pruning approximately 3,200 trees each year. He works closely with other city divisions and departments on tree-related issues, and he educates residents and contractors about the importance of tree protection and tree care. As a result of his continuing efforts within the Forestry Division to improve existing programs and develop new ones, the City of Cambridge has received a Tree City USA Growth Award for ten consecutive years.

Prior to coming to Cambridge, Mr. Lefcourt was an Urban Forester with DDOT-Urban Forestry Administration in Washington D.C. for 1.5 years, and he was a Horticulture Technician with the Town of Wellesley for 3 years. He is a past president of both the Massachusetts Tree Wardens’ and Foresters’ Association and the Society of Municipal Arborists. He is a Team Leader for the U.S. Forest Service’s volunteer Urban Forest Strike Team, trained to assist communities following natural disasters.

Mr. Lefcourt holds a degree in Environmental Horticulture from the University of New Hampshire. He is a Massachusetts Certified Arborist (MCA), a Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA) with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), an ISA Municipal Specialist, and he holds the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ).

The Massachusetts Tree Wardens’ and Foresters’ Association is the nation’s oldest urban and community tree protection organization, founded in 1913 for the protection and preservation of trees. The position of tree warden is a municipal one, mandated under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 87, with the charge to protect public shade trees within the 351 cities and towns of the Commonwealth.

The Tree Warden of the Year award was created in 2002 to honor the late Seth H. Swift, a longtime tree warden for West Springfield and an active member of the association. For more information about the position of tree warden and about the association, visit www.masstreewardens.org.

The MTWFA will hold a spring Arbor Day Celebration with a commemorative tree planting in Cambridge in honor of Mr. Lefcourt’s award in April or May. Details will be posted on www.masstreewardens.org.
Page was posted on 1/11/2018 2:34 PM
Page was last modified on 7/25/2023 3:37 AM
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