LETTER: Drought emergency - Please water the trees in Cambridge Thursday Posted Jul 28, 2016 at 4:15 PM Share <http://cambridge.wickedlocal.com/#facebook> <http://cambridge.wickedlocal.com/#twitter> <http://cambridge.wickedlocal.com/news/20160728/letter-drought-emergency---p lease-water-trees-in-cambridge> To the editor: Editor's note: This is an open letter to the residents of Cambridge. The state of Massachusetts has officially declared a drought watch, for the first time since 2002. Unfortunately, we can already see the impact this drought is having on our public street trees in Cambridge, especially younger trees that do not have deep roots and aren¹t able to store as much water as large, established trees. Drought-stressed trees also are at greater risk of insect damage. Many trees have already died and many more will die if we don¹t intervene. In an era of accelerating climate change, we simply cannot afford to lose the younger generation of street trees. By 2030 the number of days above 90 degrees could triple, and by 2070 temperatures are predicted to top 90 all summer long (according to the City of Cambridge Climate Vulnerability Study). The city has been investing hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to plant and maintain new trees. Their survival will be critical in mitigating the urban heat island effect of hotter summers over the coming decades. City Councilor Jan Devereux, who chairs the Health and Environment Committee, has issued a policy order for the council¹s Aug. 1 meeting to ask that additional measures be taken to protect public trees during declared droughts. ³Many residents already know the importance of preserving and enlarging our urban tree canopy. In the first round of the Participatory Budgeting process residents voted to plant 100 new trees. We need everyone to pitch in to help care for these trees,² she said. Please do all you can to water young trees near your home or place of business, especially if the tree is showing any signs of stress such as browning, dropping, drooping or curled up leaves. If you think the tree is at serious risk or shows signs of insect damage, please inform the city arborist by emailing cambridgetree@cambridgema.gov, or using the Commonwealth Connect app to report a tree issue. Please take action and help preserve our valuable trees. Thanks very much for your efforts, and please feel free to contact us at any time with questions or suggestions for how to respond to this drought. We¹ve also created a Facebook page, ³Cambridge Trees,² where you can connect with fellow citizens taking action on this important issue to protect our trees. - Quinton Zondervan, Cardinal Medeiros Avenue, president of Green Cambridge Inc.