Trees for Tribs
A Program of the State Tree Nursery at Saratoga
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 Program and Saratoga Tree 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
Upcoming events in the Hudson Valley:
- Friday, April 26th (9am-4pm) - DEC Region 3 Office in New Paltz - Join the Hudson River Estuary Trees for Tribs staff to put more than 2,000 bare-root plants into pots. These native plants will then be used to replant the streams of the Hudson Valley. On-site training will be provided. To volunteer, please RSVP to David Hendler via email or call (845) 256-3875.
- Friday-Sunday, April 26th-28th (10am-5:30pm) - Thorn Preserve in the Town of Woodstock - Trees for Tribs is teaming up with the Catskill Center to plant 800 native trees and shrubs along the Saw Kill Creek at the Thorn Preserve in Woodstock. If you are interested in volunteering for this event or would like more event details, please email Michael Drillinger or visit the Catksill Center's website.
- Saturday, May 4th (11am-1pm) - Stony Kill in Wappingers Falls - Join Trees for Tribs and the Stony Kill Foundation to plant native trees and shrubs along the Stony Kill at 79 Farmstead Lane, Wappingers Falls. If you are interested in volunteering at the event or would like more details, please email the Stony Kill Foundation.
- Saturday and Sunday, May 11th and 12th (10AM - 1PM) - Roeliff Jansen Park in Hillsdale -Trees for Tribs is teaming up with the Hillsdale Conservation Advisroy Committee and volunteers from the Roe Jan Watershed Community group to plant 80 native tress and shrubs along the Roeliff Jansen Kill. If you would like to volunteer please bring boots, a shovel and water to drink. For more information, please call Mary King at 518-380-4681.
- Saturday, May 18th (12pm) - Mettachohonts Creek in the Town of Rochester - Trees for Tribs and the Town of Rochester Environmental Conservation Commission will be planting native trees along the Mettachohonts Creek and tributary streams near Sundown Road in Kerhonkson. If you would like more event details or to sign up to volunteer please call (845) 626-1240.
- Sunday, May 19th (10 am) - Wallkill River Tributary in Gardiner - Trees for Tribs is teaming up with the Town of Gardiner and Climate Smart Gardiner to plant 75 native trees along a Wallkill River tributary on Farmer's Turnpike in Gardiner. If you are interested in volunteering for this event or would like more event details, please call Rebecca Carucci at (973) 931 -1345
- Saturday, May 25th (10am) - Quassaick Creek in the Town of Newburgh - Join Trees for Tribs and the Town of Newburgh as they plant 130 native trees and shrubs along the Quassaick Creek on Mill Street in Newburgh. If you'd like to volunteer at the event or are curious for more event details, email Ted Kohlmann.
- Saturday, June 1st (10am-12pm) - Roeliff Jansen Kill in Copake - Trees for Tribs and Trout Unlimited are looking for volunteers to help plant 300 native trees along the Roeliff Jansen Kill near Empire Road in Copake. Want to volunteer, or looking for more information? Call Vince DuBois at (845) 757-3915.
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.
