Progress being made, but 47,000 empty street tre locations remain; Buffalo, NY

Thinking of Green City Buffalo Rising - SlideFrame_0:
With the Powder Keg Festival this coming weekend and the weather definitely still exhibiting the signs of winter - I invite everyone to begin thinking about spring. I know it's some time off yet but as we are approaching the tail end we need to start preparing for Re-Tree WNY's Spring Tree Planting.

Thanks to continued support from everyone in the community donating their time, energy and resources together we have truly begun to reforest our city. The accompanying map shows all the street trees that have been planted since Re-Tree WNY's inception in 2007 (this does not include the parks). While progress has definitely been made in every corner of the city - the second map shows the continued need. The City of Buffalo still has approximately 47,000 available planting locations! So please consider lending a hand this spring.

Denver Digs Trees offering no or low cost street trees; Denver, CO

Living Urban in Denver » FREE Trees:
Applications are due for The Park People’s annual Denver Digs Trees Spring Street Tree Distribution on February 15!
Apply for a street tree that will beautify your neighborhood, improve your property value, filter air pollution, and cool your neighborhood in the summer.
Trees this size usually sell for more than $100, but Denver Digs brings them to Denver residents for only $25 each!
Trees are FREE for residents in target neighborhoods. These neighborhoods, chosen for their particularly low canopy cover.

Sustainable Design Student Outlines Plan for Increasing the City of Chicago’s tree canopy; Chicago, IL

Steven can plan » Increasing the City of Chicago’s tree canopy:
The assignment: You are on a team working with the City of Chicago on increasing the City’s tree canopy from just under 15% to 25%. What would you recommend? Please bear in mind that most city staff feel that they have covered most city owned land and that to reach the goal they will have to get private landowners to plant the trees. How can we get them to do this? What types of parcels present opportunities?
The class: Sustainable Development Techniques
I’ve identified four parcel types that present opportunities to increase the City of Chicago’s tree canopy from 15% to 25%.
1. Existing surface parking lots, both private and public
2. New surface and multi-level parking lots, both private and public
3. Schools, both public and private
4. Condemn private lots

TreeBaltimore kicks off with free trees, park tree planting under $300,000 grant; Baltimore, MD

TreeBaltimore Kicks Off With Free Trees - Baltimore News Story - WBAL Baltimore: TreeBaltimore, the city's effort to grow a tree canopy throughout the city, kicked off Saturday with Mayor Sheila Dixon, representatives from BGE and Constellation Energy and a host of other city officials and environmental activists on hand.
“TreeBaltimore is a key component of the city’s sustainability plan, and is aimed at preserving and increasing our tree cover to create a greener, healthier and more vibrant city,” said Dixon. “We believe that Baltimore has a green future. It is our responsibility to work with each other to care for this city we love so much. Constellation’s support gives us a head start on making Baltimore a greener city now and in the future.”

Great Tree Canopy Comeback relies on volunteers, NGOs, agencies to reach its goals; Fort Wayne, IN

Volunteers needed for Great Tree Canopy Comeback The News-Sentinel - Fort Wayne IN:
The Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department is looking for volunteers and donations for its 8th Annual Great Tree Canopy Comeback on Saturday.

Departmental staff and a local group called Friends of the Parks will plant more than 250 multi-species trees across several city and county parks – Johnny Appleseed, Shoaff Park, and Salomon Farm in Fort Wayne; Werling Park in New Haven; and Metea County Park.

“The more volunteers we have, the better,” Parks Department spokeswoman Sarah Nichter said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to come out and for parents to teach kids how important trees are in the community. Donating is an option for people who aren’t able to come out and volunteer but still want to help out.”

The Great Tree Canopy Comeback is a grass-roots movement to combat the critical loss of trees in Fort Wayne. Since the 1940s, the city’s tree canopy had decreased by almost 50 percent, a hired consultant told the Parks Department in 2002, Nichter said. Diseases wiped out trees and budget cuts wouldn’t allow for total replacement.

Homestead residents can expect plenty of improvements, including $1 million UTC enhancement; Homestead, FL

Homestead residents can expect plenty of improvements citywide - South Miami-Dade - MiamiHerald.com:
This year, residents can look forward to a host of upgrades to Homestead's public spaces -- from downtown Krome Avenue to a senior center on its west side -- Mayor Lynda Bell announced during her second State of the City address.
Three hundred people gathered Tuesday night at the Champions Club of the Homestead-Miami Speedway to hear her speak.
Homestead and the Redland Tropical Gardens will get $1 million worth of new trees from Albert Livingston's Tree Farm, Medallion Tree Farms and Arazoza Brothers. The trees will enhance the tree canopy throughout Homestead. A plan is being drafted for where to plant them, Bell said.

Government, private industry and non-profits partner with volunteers to increase UTC; Terra Haute, IN

Terre Haute News, Terre Haute, Indiana- TribStar.com - TREES to plant more trees:
Special to the Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — Street trees will be planted this fall in “The Avenues” as part of the ongoing effort to rebuild Terre Haute’s street tree canopy. There is no charge to residents for the trees.

All of the trees are provided through a grant with the following partners: TREES Inc., the City of Terre Haute, ALCOA and the IDNR Community and Urban Forest Office. They will be planted by volunteers Oct. 24, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Locations for the trees will have been previously marked with a sign. The sign contains instructions on how a property owner can “opt out” of the tree planting.

In face of recession town reframes street tree program as remove/replace 50:50 cost share with resident; Elburn, IL

The Chronicle Elburn enacts 50/50 tree program
ELBURN – Homeowners in the village wanting to replace a tree along the street in front of their house can ask the village to cut it down and plant a new one.

The catch, however, is that the homeowner will now have to foot half the cost.

For years, the village of Elburn has paid the full expense of removing and replacing diseased and dying trees that line village streets.

But as the economic recession has placed a strain on village finances, village officials have decided to stretch tax dollars further by asking homeowners to pay 50 percent of the cost for the removal and replacement of the parkway trees.

The Elburn Village Board created the program earlier this summer when it enacted the village's budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year, setting aside $12,000 for the program.

Avon maintains momentum gained by Tree City USA designation with tree sale for public and private property; Avon, IN

Avon's annual fall tree sale occurring until Aug. 31 | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star
Avon’s campaign to become a Tree City USA blossomed last year with an official designation, so this year town officials are trying to keep it growing.Town residents, property owners and neighborhood associations can help promote Avon’s Urban Forestry Program by buying trees to be planted in yards, subdivision common areas and along curb lawns near streets.

Everyone loves trees, right? Well, actually...; Hamilton, NJ

Hamilton raises concerns over tree-planting - NJ.com
Hamilton raises concerns over tree-planting
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Erin Duffy
STAFF WRITER
HAMILTON -- With temperatures pushing the 90-degree mark yesterday, a little shade might seem like the perfect antidote to beat the summer heat.
But a recent state and township project to plant shade trees as part of the Cool Cities Initiative (CCI) was met with mixed reactions from township residents, some of whom said the trees were planted against their wishes.
Now, in a resolution scheduled to be heard at the township council meeting tonight, council members are calling on the two state agencies in charge of the CCI to revise portions of their policy to provide for better communication between the organizations and affected homeowners and allow residents a way to opt out of the program.

Seattle tree giveaway program provides for trees for street and yard; Seattle, WA

Get Free Trees For Your Neighborhood And Your Own Yard
by Seattle Medium
Originally posted 8/5/2009
Seattle residents can get free trees for their neighborhood, plus get a bonus fruit tree for their own yard, as part of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Tree Fund. Under the Neighborhood Matching Fund program, the Tree Fund provides street trees to organized groups of neighbors who plant the free trees together to beautify their neighborhood.

Help your neighbors plant street trees provided by the city, get a free fruit tree for your yard as bonus; Seattle, WA

West Seattle Blog… » City says West Seattle needs more trees - want some?
Did you know that West Seattle is one of the areas in the city with the barest residential and street tree densities? Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ (DoN) Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) is currently accepting applications for this year’s Tree Fund*. All it takes is organizing a group of your neighbors to plant street trees in your neighborhood together. You put in the volunteer time; DoN provides the trees!
Wait, there’s more! To increase local food security and expand the tree canopy on private properties, we are testing a pilot expansion this year. All NMF Tree Fund participants who plant street trees with their neighbors have the bonus option of selecting one free cherry or apple tree to plant on their private properties. You can help bring more trees to West Seattle streets and private yards!

Hialeah's go green effort includes UTC assessment, tree plantings and giveaways; Hialeah, FL

Move to make Hialeah green is thriving - Miami-Dade - MiamiHerald.com: "ENVIRONMENT
Move to make Hialeah green is thriving
Hialeah still has a way to go, but it's more eco-friendly today than ever before.
ypineiro@MiamiHerald.com
South Florida's concrete jungle is headed for greener pastures.
As the fifth-largest city in the state with a bustling industrial center, Hialeah has long been dumped on for paving over every patch of grass -- a truth that gave birth to the phrase la ciudad de agua, fango y factoria or the city of water, mud and factories.
In November, the county's Department of Environmental Resources Management expects to release results of a study noting the percentage of tree canopy coverage by area. The county conducted a similar study in 1996, and found much of the county had severely inadequate tree canopies, leading to sky-high electric bills and sun-baked gardens and lawns."

MillionTreesNYC plants public trees in Red Hook, offers assistance with private property plantings; Brooklyn, NY

Real Estate Brooklyn coverage Bay Ridge Eagle Brooklyn, 2007 NY information :: daily paper in Brooklyn: "Hundreds of Trees To Be Planted In Red Hook This Weekend
by Sarah Tobol (Sarah.Tobol@brooklyneagle.net), published online 05-12-2009

Program Part of City’s MillionTrees Planting Program
By Sarah Tobol
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
RED HOOK — At this point, there’s a lot of talk about what everyone should be cutting back on or eliminating from their lives to reduce their impact on the environment. But there’s at least one thing we always need more of: trees.
It’s estimated that one mature tree can absorb carbon dioxide at a rate of 48 pounds per year and release enough oxygen back into the atmosphere to support two human beings (coloradotrees.org).
Trees are not only good for reducing carbon emissions, they also provide shade to buildings. This reduces the need for air conditioning in the summer, curbing energy consumption.
Sounds good, right? But how do you plant trees if you don’t have a yard? Or, if you have a yard, where should you go to get trees? MillionTreesNYC has the answers for you.
An initiative started by Mayor Bloomberg as part of his PlaNYC program, with the New York Parks Department and the New York Restoration Project, MillionTreesNYC has an ambitious (if not obvious) goal: to plant one million trees in New York City in the next decade."

Pittsburgh UTC effort goes metro; Cambria and Blair counties, PA; 4/26/09

Aid for shade: Municipalities eyeing money to buy trees The Tribune-Democrat - Johnstown,PA,USA
The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is making available to Cambria and Blair counties – which are home to cities – $85,000 to purchase trees. Volunteers will be enlisted to plant and maintain the trees for years to come.Regionally, the program known as TreeVitalize is being administered by the Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission and will mirror similar initiatives in place in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.While distribution of the money is pending receipt of a state contract, funding applications are being reviewed for Johnstown, Richland Township and the boroughs of Southmont, Ebensburg and Loretto, said Stephanie Powers, Southern Alleghenies community development planner.

Grow Boston Greener offers free trees; Boston, MA; 4/24/09

'Grow Boston Greener' One Tree At A Time WBZ - Boston,MA,USA
Arbor Day originated in Nebraska in the late 1800s and is observed by dozens of countries around the world from Cambodia to Kenya. With the help of a team of volunteers, the City of Boston planted 40 trees in East Boston on this Arbor Day, but this effort is just a small piece of a much bigger plan to Grow Boston Greener (GBG).The goal of GBG is to plant 100,000 trees in the city by the year 2020 so that in the decades to come our tree canopy grows from 29 percent to 35 percent.

NJ DEP gives tree grants for demand-side energy reduction through Cool Cities program; Palmyra, NJ; 4/8/09

Cool relief: State donates trees to Palmyra phillyBurbs.com - Philadelphia,PA,USA
Three hundred trees for free and a chance for more may sound too good to be true, but it's not.
The borough recently learned it had been selected to receive hundreds of trees as part of the Cool Cities program, sponsored by the state Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
The statewide initiative is aimed at planting more trees in developed and urban areas to reduce the demand for electricity and lower overall energy consumption.
"[Tree] canopy cover helps residents with heating and cooling costs, it increases property value, and makes the town more aesthetically appealing," said Scheffler, the council's liaison to the Shade Tree Commission.

Denver Digs Trees' UTC enhancement strategy includes free or inexpensive street trees; Denver, CO; 3/4/09

Group Offers Free & Inexpensive Street Treescbs4denver.com - Denver,CO,USA
There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but there is such a thing as a free tree."What we are trying to do is increase the urban canopy in under-canopied neighborhoods," Robert Bond with the Denver Digs Trees program said.Limited canopy basically means there aren't many trees in particular neighborhoods. "There aren't many trees, so you end up having the concrete heat effect. So we are trying to provide as many trees to try to mitigate that," Bond said.

Center offers low cost bare root trees for public and private planting; DE; 2/22/09

A chance to plant a tree with 'street smarts 'The News Journal - Wilmington,DE,USA
If you're looking for a sign that warmer weather is on the way, consider that the deadline to order bare-root trees from the Delaware Center for Horticulture is just days away.
And by this time next month, the center will have planted more than 100 bare-root trees at locations throughout the city, including Riverview Cemetery, Brown Burton Winchester Park and Speakman Park.

City, NGO partner to offer trees to replenish UTC lost in storm; Buffalo, NY;

Lest We Forget the City of Trees... City Buffalo Rising By Justin Booth
In an effort to continue ongoing reforestation efforts, Re-Tree WNY is partnering with the City of Buffalo to again provide free trees and supplies to plant within the public right-of-way (between sidewalk and street curb) and non-Olmsted parks in neighborhoods this Spring on May 2nd & 3rd. If you are interested in doing a neighborhood tree planting this Spring in the City of Buffalo, Re-Tree WNY is asking all interested groups to follow the steps outlined below in order to secure trees for the planting: