From the May 2005 issue

Governor Commemorates Arbor Day in New York State by Announcing $200,000 in Urban and Community Forestry Grants

Governor George E. Pataki was joined by state and local officials, industry representatives, and school children from across New York in commemorating Arbor Day at a special ceremony at the State Capitol in Albany. New York's annual Arbor Day observance, held at West Capitol Park, featured a special tree-planting ceremony, presentation of industry awards and the unveiling of the state's official Arbor Day poster, featuring the work of famed Adirondack photographer Nathan Farb. At the event, the Governor announced more than $200,000 in Urban and Community Forestry Grants to 26 communities across the state for tree-planting projects that will help enhance and revitalize local neighborhoods and parks.

"New York's annual Arbor Day observance is an important way to recognize the critical role trees play in our local communities and in our daily lives," Governor Pataki said. "Trees help clean the air we breathe, beautify our neighborhoods, conserve energy and provide critical habitat for wildlife. We're proud of our efforts to promote and fund tree-planting projects in urban areas throughout the state as a way to improve the quality of life for our citizens and help protect our precious natural resources for our children and future generations."

West Capitol Park, adjacent to the State Capitol, is a popular lunch-hour destination for state employees and many workers in downtown Albany. The park is lined with greenspire linden trees, and in honor of Arbor Day, a new greenspire linden was planted to replace one that had previously fallen.

Urban and Community Forestry Program Grants

In addition to adding beauty
to our communities, trees
improve air quality and
provide wildlife habitat

The Urban and Community Forestry Program grants are administered by the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) with funding from the state Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and the U.S. Forestry Service. They are provided to municipalities and not-for-profit organizations across the state for community tree-planting projects that will result in the planting of 2,700 new trees. The grants-ranging from $3,500 to $10,000-will have lasting impacts on neighborhoods, especially where there is a need for increased tree cover. The grants provide funding for trees, soil and labor. The community will match the funds with in-kind service, donations, and project-related purchases, including additional trees.

DEC Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan said, "As we mark Arbor Day, it is important to recognize the value that trees add to our communities from the most rural stretches of the vast Adirondack Forest Preserve to the busy paths of community parks in New York City. Trees not only beautify our neighborhoods, but they also promote energy savings, create critical habitat for hundreds of species, increase property values, prevent soil erosion and improve the quality of life for New Yorkers and visitors to the state. Trees are precious natural resources that DEC and our sister agencies will continue to protect, promote, and cherish."

Environmental Stewards

Ryan Balas is recognized for winning
DEC's Arbor Day Poster Contest

In addition to the tree planting, several individuals and groups were recognized for their outstanding environmental stewardship efforts and contributions within the arboriculture industries:

The Palm Family-including Dan, Linda, Charlie and Cora Palm of Stamford, Delaware County-received the 2005 New York State Outstanding Tree Farmer Award.
Mike Greason of Catskill, Greene County, was named the 2005 New York Tree Farm Inspecting Forester of the Year.
Ryan Balas, a fifth-grader from Windom Elementary School in Orchard Park, Erie County, was recognized for winning DEC's Arbor Day Poster Contest. Balas' poster, depicting the theme "Trees are Terrific ... and Energy Wise!" was reproduced on nearly 400,000 bookmarks which will be distributed to children across the state.

Environmental Beautification

This year's recipients of the state Environmental Beautification Landscape awards, presented by the New York State Nursery Landscape Association were as follows:

James Sollecito of Sollecito in Syracuse, Onondaga County, received the grand prize for garden structures and pavement projects costing under $10,000 and received the grand prize for landscape projects costing between $25,000 to $50,000.
The design team of Goldberg and Rodler, Inc. in Huntington, Suffolk County, received the grand prize for landscaping projects costing more than $100,000.
Angelo Fuschetto of Fuschetto and Son Nursery, Inc. in Melville, Suffolk County, received the grand prize for Unique Use of Water, Unlimited.

2005 Arbor Day Poster

The ceremony concluded with the unveiling of the 2005 Arbor Day Poster. This year's poster features a photograph taken by renowned Adirondack photographer Nathan Farb. His photograph, "Lone Pine on St. Regis River," is one of many extraordinary photographs in his new book, Adirondack Wilderness, which captures the unique beauty of New York's northern region. Paper for the posters comes from the sustainably managed Adirondack Forest and was donated by International Paper's Ticonderoga Mill.

Grant Recipients

This year's community tree-planting projects were selected by DEC from a large pool of worthy proposals. DEC received 106 tree-planting applications from communities and groups throughout the state.

Recipients were chosen based on future contributions their tree-planting projects will have on their communities. Criteria that DEC used to determine grant recipients included: how the proposed tree planting would increase the tree canopy; whether the project would create wildlife habitat; whether tree-planting techniques and tree species outlined in the application were appropriate for the planting locations; whether the plan included long-term maintenance of the trees, and whether the plan included community outreach and education. In addition to environmental and forestry components, DEC also considered population density and relative economic status.

DEC and NYSERDA

In his 2004 State of the State Address, the Governor directed DEC and the New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to form a partnership with local communities to help plant thousands of trees in neighborhoods throughout the state as a way to help reduce energy usage in urban areas, improve quality of life, increase property values, and preserve natural resources.

At the Governor's direction, DEC and NYSERDA are currently working on a study to identify ways that tree plantings can contribute to energy reduction goals. This is especially needed in built-up areas that experience a "heat island" effect, which is created when blacktop and concrete surfaces are exposed to the sun, causing summer air temperatures to rise.

The Governor also recently joined with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council to announce a $10 million urban forestry "greening" project to undertake extensive tree-planting projects in parks, recreational areas and streets throughout the Bronx that will employ tree-planting strategies outlined in the NYSERDA and DEC heat-island study.

Arbor Day

Arbor Day is a nationally celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and tree care and highlights the importance of trees to our environment, our economy and our quality of life. Founded by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska in 1872, National Arbor Day is celebrated each year on the last Friday in April. This year, Arbor Day will be officially celebrated on Friday, April 29, 2005.

Arbor Day in New York State is coordinated by the Arbor Day Committee, made up of representatives from the New York State departments of Agriculture and Markets and Environmental Conservation, the New York State Nursery Landscape Association, New York State Arborists and the Empire State Forest Products Association.

Environment DEC