‘I Speak for the Trees’: the Master Arborist Behind West Chester’s Urban Forest

Michael B. Dunn, a board-certified master arborist, is ensuring that trees in West Chester are properly maintained, writes Holly Herman for the West Chester Patch. 

The borough streets are lined with thousands of trees, with the majority between 50 and 70 years old. Each year, around 200 new trees are planted and 35 are removed. 

For Dunn, maintaining the trees in an urban environment involves constant regulation and tree monitoring to ensure the safety of residents. 

The regulations adopted by the borough of West Chester in 2018 carry fines of up to $1000 for removing trees without a permit, injuring trees, and other violations. 

The main goal is to protect the urban canopy. 

“The trees have a finite life,” said Dunn, the borough’s arborist consultant. “In an urban forest, the soil volume is limited.” 

Read more about the tree maintenance in the West Chester Patch.