WORCESTER, Mass. - City Manager Edward Augustus says the City Council is looking for residents who are knowledgeable about the environment and trees for the proposed Urban Tree Forestry Commission. 

At Tuesday night’s city council meeting, Augustus will recommend the creation of the commission.

Commission members will help the city's Department of Public Works and the Tree Warden better manage the tree population. 

The commission will also help advance the mission of the Green Worcester plan.  Members would help by recommending policies and guidelines for tree removal and how to protect the population from invasive species such as the Asian longhorn beetle. 

“We would be looking for people who have some experience,” Augustus said in an interview this week.. “Maybe they are an arborist. Maybe they are somebody who has some knowledge about trees and tree care so we have people who already have a passion for this work, but also have some expertise that they can contribute." 

City councilor Sean Rose introduced the idea of the commission back in August. 

Augustus says the members would typically serve five years, but since this is a new board, the number of years members would serve in each term would be staggered.