SCARBOROUGH, MAINE – A candidate for the Maine House of Representatives for Scarborough’s District 127, is beginning a project he calls SCARBOROUGH 350 TREES PROJECT. Scarborough native Sean Flaherty believes it will be a great way to start replenishing a great resource in Scarborough and also commemorate the town’s upcoming 350th birthday.

Flaherty said The Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit conservation organization of nearly one million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant trees, will be a great resource. The Foundation provides 10 trees just for becoming a member. With the cost of membership of just $10, it would be an inexpensive way to plant a few trees. However, Flaherty hopes to get people around town to pledge to plant a tree whether they get them through the Foundation or one of the local nurseries.

The Arbor Day Foundation suggests the best times for planting new trees to be during the Spring and the Fall. Flaherty will work through the summer to get people signed up to receive trees then help to plant them in September and October.

“This can be a great community effort,” Flaherty said. “What a fantastic way to celebrate Scarborough’s 350th, and to replenish an important resource in town. The town has seen great growth the past 10 to 15 years, as we all know. Certainly, Scarborough looked a bit different when I grew up here. The housing boom has cost us some trees. Let’s replant at least a few.”

Flaherty, who went on to study at the George Washington University, said he has been inspired by a number of people in town. He hopes to enlist the help of these people. “Even when I was away at college, I kept in touch with people in town. Friends would send me newspaper clippings and notes. I was always interested to see, amid all the building, there were people still working really hard to preserve Scarborough, and what makes it beautiful. It would be great to take the leadership skills of those people, and their energy, and help make this project a success,” Flaherty said.

Flaherty said he hopes to get people to encourage their friends and neighbors to plant a tree this fall. “No blue ribbon committees. No working groups. No 20-page study papers. Let’s just get some people together to get this done, in the process we’ll get our hands dirty for Scarborough, but help make a long lasting difference. I learned early in my swimming career from my coach to just dive in the pool, and swim – no substitute for action!”

Sean Flaherty is hoping to get at least 350 trees planted in the fall to honor Scarborough’s 350th Anniversary. For information on the tree planting project or to pledge to plant a tree please contact Sean Flaherty at 450-4188 or by e mail at 350Trees@gmail.com.

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