Trees for Tribs
A Program of the Colonel William F. Fox Memorial Saratoga Tree Nursery
Example of treed buffer along a river
Since 2007, New York State's Trees for Tribs Program has been working to reforest New York's tributaries, or small creeks and streams, which flow into and feed larger rivers and lakes. The goal of the program is to plant young trees and shrubs along stream corridors, also known as riparian areas, in order to prevent erosion, increase flood water retention, improve wildlife and stream habitat, as well as protect water quality. Trees for Tribs has engaged more than 8,751 volunteers in planting more than 101,416 trees and shrubs at 614 sites across New York State.
Grant Program
Learn more about the Trees for Tribs Grant Program for organizations or municipalities interested in conducting large-scale streamside planting projects in New York State.
Buffer in a Bag
Through the Buffer in a Bag initiative, NYS DEC's Trees for Tribs Program and the Nursery provide landowners with a free bag of bare-root trees and shrubs to enhance the streamside area on their property. Each Buffer in a Bag kit contains a variety of native trees and shrubs chosen specifically to improve streamside areas in New York to support wildlife and water quality. Learn more about Buffer in a Bag here.
Support Tree Planting
If you are not able to plant trees, you can still take part in reforesting our streams and forests by donating to support tree plantings across New York State for the future of our natural resources. Simply click the Donate to Help Plant Trees button to the right (leaves DEC's website) to make your donation today.
Trees for Tribs Events
Stay tuned for upcoming planting events.
Statewide Riparian Opportunity Assessment
The goal of the Statewide Riparian Opportunity Assessment (link leaves the DEC website) is to support the identification and prioritization of riparian sites for restoration or protection, in support of Trees for Tribs to improve wildlife habitat, water quality, climate resiliency, and to provide flood protection during storm events. The assessment products can also be used for related conservation work, including: conserving and restoring native fish and wildlife biodiversity and habitats, improving water quality, and enhancing community resiliency and ecosystem integrity. The results have been packaged into a suite of tools that conservation practitioners, watershed stakeholders, and others can use to inform their decisions about where to perform riparian restoration and protection work in their region. The webpage for the assessment, linked above, includes recorded webinar about the assessment, and how to get started using it. Site-specific knowledge is imperative and field validation is a necessary step before actual implementation of conservation actions by those who use these tools.
Where Trees for Tribs is Offered
Please see our grant webpage for more information.
Links to Local Trees for Tribs Programs
- Hudson Estuary Program Trees for Tribs
- Upper Susquehanna Coalition (leaves DEC website)
- Croton Trees for Tribs (leaves DEC website)
Useful Resources
Trees for Tribs Documents
- Planting Guide (PDF)
- Maintenance Guide (PDF)
- Maintenance Calendar Checklist (PDF)
- Trees for Tribs Factsheet (PDF)
- Stream Buffers Factsheet (PDF)
- Managing Invasive Plants in Riparian Areas (PDF)
Related Information
- Shoreline Stabilization Techniques
- New York State Tree Nursery
- Riparian Buffers webpage by DEC's Division of Water
- Stroud Water Research Center (leaves DEC website)
New York Riparian Buffer Supporters
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) - New York
- USDA Forest Service Chesapeake Bay Program
- Treecycler (leaves DEC website)
- Hudson River Estuary Program
- Upper Susquehanna Coalition (leaves DEC website)
- Au Sable River Association (leaves DEC website)
- Catskill Streams Buffer Initiative (leaves DEC website)
- Great Lakes Watershed Program
- Mohawk River Basin Program
- Watershed Agricultural Council (leaves DC website)
- Battenkill Conservancy (leaves DEC website)
- Essex County Soil and Water Conservation District (leaves DEC website)
- Clinton County Soil and Water Conservation District (leaves DEC website)
- Wyoming County Soil and Water Conservation District (leaves DEC website)
- Friends of Scarsdale Parks (leaves DEC website)
- Housatonic Valley Association (leaves DEC website)
More about Trees for Tribs:
- Buffer in a Bag - Learn about the Buffer in a Bag initiative and access resources for recipients.
- Trees for Tribs Grant Program - Learn about the Trees for Tribs grant program and access resources for grantees.
- Watch the Forest Grow Initiative - Taking photos periodically helps DEC monitor tree planting sites and shows the sites' progress.
