Since completing the Natural Resource and Open Space Inventory in the spring of 2019, the Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) has focused its attention on trees. This year--2020--was to be the Year of the Tree, with informational panel discussions, tree plantings, and interactive programs, but all that had to be canceled because of the pandemic. One tree-related thing did happen, however. It was just announced that Hudson has been awarded an Urban Forestry Grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The $20,000 grant will fund a tree inventory and a tree management plan.
Hilary Hillman, the member of the CAC who worked to get the grant for the city, commented, "We . . . are very excited about this Tree Inventory and Urban Forestry Management Plan. Our tree canopy belongs to every resident in the city. It provides each of us cleaner air, cools down our streets and buildings in the summer, drinks up storm water, keeps our topsoil from eroding, and invites nature into our lives. Once we have an inventory and a management plan we will be able to chart the care for the trees we have and better plan for future planting of native species trees to expand our urban forest while enhancing the livability of the city for all. . . . Hudson's Urban Forest belongs to us all and we want to make it strong for generations to come."
Great work, Hilary! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAnd let's not forget the dead and dying ashes in the City-owned "Amtrak parking lot." So far, inexplicably, these trees have been passed over in the city's more casual tree censuses.
Very soon that parking lot will be treeless, an eventuality known to any granting agency reviewing the species list.
The fire station parking lot at 7th and Washington has doubled in size this year as the fill from the Harry Howard bike lane project was dumped there. Several trees were killed in the process, or soon will be, as their trunks were buried. Wonder if DPW superintendent Rob Perry cares how many trees we lost, or if he cares about trees at all. If the city, developers or property owners kill a tree, shouldn't they be required to replace it? Of course they should. Will the Tree Inventory project be communicating with DPW? Good luck with that. Bill Huston
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, this is promising:
Delete"The trees will be cataloged by GIS location, species, size, health, planting site, and care recommendations.
Hudson allegedly had a tree inventory begun a decade ago - with no results and many great losses - hopefully this time the project will be taken more seriously with lasting results.
ReplyDeleteI love this. An inventory of trees.
ReplyDeleteSo the losses can be documented instead of saved.
DeleteUnfortunately, little old Hudson is probably not ambitious enough to come up with an incentive scheme encouraging landowners to care for their noteworthy trees.
DeleteAnyway, it's too late for many of our favorite trees which will now live only in memory.