The sounds of buzzing saws and wood chippers echoed through the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen on Wednesday as Unitil joined other utilities and tree care professionals for Saluting Branches, an annual day of service that honors those who served by beautifying and improving landscapes dedicated to veterans.
Over 4,500 arborists, tree climbers, landscapers and other volunteers took part in the national event, which involved nearly 100 American veteran-dedicated properties across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.
In addition to the work at the State Veterans Cemetery, Unitil also sent forestry employees and Asplundh crews to Cathedral of the Pines, a sanctuary in Rindge that serves as a memorial to war veterans and their families.
Much of the work involved tree removal, pruning, and other landscaping. Two silver maples donated by a man who visits the State Veterans Cemetery almost daily were also planted.
Saluting Branches is a nonprofit organization that aims to recognize and honor veterans for their service. Founded in 2015, it has become the largest one-day volunteer event in the tree care industry.
“We are so proud to be a part of this incredible effort again this year. This is one small way that we can give back to those who gave so much for all of us. For us at Unitil, this is more than tree trimming and maintenance at a cemetery. This is about caring for a sacred place where people come to remember and it’s incredibly powerful for us to be a part of that effort,” Unitil External Affairs Manager Amanda Vicinanzo said.
Saluting Branches is also personal for Vicinanzo, whose father, Major James Dennehy, served in the New Hampshire Army National Guard and is among the more than 19,400 veterans and family members buried in the State Veterans Cemetery.
“Every time I come to this cemetery, I’m impressed by how peaceful and beautiful the grounds are and that’s a result of the dedication of the staff and volunteers who maintain this cemetery all year round, but also to these crews who came here today to make sure this remains a beautiful and sacred place for people to come to honor and remember their loved ones,” she said.
One of the goals of the annual effort is to keep younger trees pruned so that they mature into healthy, well-shaped trees.
“Before this program started that just didn’t happen. I want to keep the trees that we’ve planted in great health so in the next 30 to 40 years those trees will look great and will just require a little bit of maintenance,” said Shawn Buck, director of the State Veterans Cemetery.
The cemetery has five full-time employees who are responsible for digging the approximately 1,000 graves a year, placing headstones, mowing the grass and trimming around the headstones every week, and other routine maintenance.
“This day is so important. We look forward to this day every year. It’s work that we just don’t have time to do, and frankly, the expertise in a lot of areas,” Buck said.
Unitil’s forestry team partnered with tree crews from Asplundh Tree Expert for the event. Unitil, which regularly contracts with Asplundh for tree pruning and vegetation management and has been participating in Saluting Branches since 2016, donated the time of Asplundh crews for the work at the State Veterans Cemetery.
“We’re honored to be able to participate in the Saluting Branches day of service again this year. It’s nice to know that our small contributions can positively impact the appearance and safety of our local veterans cemeteries by using our knowledge of tree care. It’s a unique way to honor those who sacrificed for us. We look forward to it each year,” said Chris Moultroup, Unitil’s Manager of Forestry Operations.
Saluting Branches has contributed $5 million in donated services and thousands of volunteer hours since the day of service began.
For more information on Saluting Branches, visit salutingbranches.org
