Newsletter Archives
Fall 2011: Taking Root: Missouri Gravel Beds Can Help New York’s Urban Forests
This past year, Region 7 ReLeaf members toured a Missouri Gravel Bed at Rare Earth Nursery in Cazenovia. The term Missouri Gravel Bed (MGB) refers to a system developed at the University of Missouri by Professor Chris Starbuck over 20 years ago.
It basically consists of holding bare root
plants in a mix of small round gravel
and sand, drip irrigated and fed with
a complete fertilizer. By placing
dormant bare root plants in this mix
in early spring, and holding them
there for about 10 or more weeks,
an incredible, fi brous root system
results. The roots are so fi brous and
the growing medium does little
damage during harvesting that
one can harvest plants fully in leaf
throughout the growing season.
Wilting does not occur and success
rates are in the 90+ percent range.
Click here to download the Fall 2011 newsletter 
Summer 2011: Planning and Trees: Focusing on the Needs of Communities
As with past conferences, this year’s conference will offer a host of informative and motivating workshops such as Promoting Native Plants and EAB Updates, but this year there is a special focus on planning. Confl ict Resolution: Green Infrastructure in Communities and Planning for Management of Conservation Land are just a couple of examples of planning and zoning board sessions on the menu.
You can now submit your Tree City USA and Growth Award applications electronically. By submitting your application online, you are assisting in increasing the efficiency of the program by helping to provide more timely information about your community forest.
Click here to download the Summer 2011 newsletter
December 2010: Tree City U.S.A Online Application Now Available
The Tree City USA programs provide state and national recognition for urban
and community forestry programs in communities where more than 135 million
Americans call home.
You can now submit your Tree City USA and Growth Award applications electronically. By submitting your application online, you are assisting in increasing the efficiency of the program by helping to provide more timely information about your community forest.
Click here to download the December 2010 newsletter
Summer 2010: The Eighteenth Annual New York ReLeaf State Conference 2010
This is THE event of the year!
The Social Tree: How Trees Grow Communities
We have an exciting program for this year’s conference! Responding to feedback
from last year, we reduced the number of workshops and added time
for audience feedback and speaker interaction. The keynote address will be
integrated with a workshop and a tour to give participants
a chance to explore the theme of the social tree in depth.
Finally, the breaks have been lengthened to provide more
time for interactions.
Click here to download the Summer 2010 newsletter
Early Winter 2010: Taking Root
Tree City USA Applications Are Due
Tips for a Successful Application
Tree City USA is a program sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation
in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Tree City USA
is a recognition of a community’s hard work in starting, continuing and
enhancing a tree program.
Click here to download the early winter 2010 newsletter
Summer 2009 Newsletter : Seventeenth Annual New York State ReLeaf Conference
This is THE event of the year!
Greening the Big Apple: Forestry From the Streets
Join us in Brooklyn (where the trees really do grow!) and learn about
forestry in a city of neighborhoods. Hear about PlaNYC, the City’s sustainability
initiative, and the latest on the Million Trees initiative, both
of which are changing the face of urban and community forestry in New
York City. Learn about studies on street tree mortality, climate change,
and the urban heat island.
Click here to download the spring 2009 newsletter
Spring 2009 Newsletter : Tree City U.S.A.: Recognition Luncheon
This year’s recognition luncheon will be held on
March 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Holiday
Inn Express in downtown Albany.
All Tree City Representatives are invited to the
Annual Recognition Ceremony! This is a free, educational
and inspiring event! Come hear about
innovated programs in cities across the state!
Click here to download the spring 2009 newsletter
Fall 2008 Newsletter : Engaging Youth in Urban Forestry
“We need to clean-up the Southside.”
“We need more parks, more gardens and more trees.”
“We need a reduction of vacant homes.”
These are the thoughts of Onondaga Earth Corps (OEC) youth.
Based on the Southside of Syracuse, the OEC is a youth development
program that employs teenagers
ages 15-17 to beautify their community
and maintain the urban
forest.
Click here to download the fall 2008 newsletter
Summer 2008 Newsletter : Taking Root
Some community trees come down in storms or need to be removed for various reasons. Many people and communities
have used the wood from these trees to make fine furniture, benches for public parks and even signs and
sculpture. The following are just two stories of such reuse.
Click here to download the summer 2008 newsletter
Winter 2008 Newsletter : Taking Root
Final Report: Health and Incidence & Severity of Decay of Street Tree Maples in four Upstate New York Cities.
Click here to download the winter 2008 newsletter
Fall 2007 Newsletter : $ Urban Grants Available $
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will shortly announce that $400,000 in funding from the Environmental Protection Fund is available for Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF) projects.
"Large" cities with populations of 65,000 or more may request $5,000 to $50,000 in State funds, while other communities may request $2,500 to $10,000. These grants, which must be equally matched by local resources, may be used for tree planting, or for any combination of other U&CF activities, including inventories, management plans, training, and some components of tree maintenance.
Click here to download the fall 2007 newsletter
Summer 2007 Newsletter : Statewide Annual Conference
THE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL New York Releaf State Conference is here. If you love trees, care for trees or want to be better educated about the values of trees in your community, this conference is for you. Experts in tree care, invasive plants and insects, and other professionals present the latest research and updates in urban forestry.
Click here to download the summer 2007 newsletter
Winter 2007 Newsletter : After the Storm—Tree Funds Are Needed!
THE EARLY FALL 2006 SNOWSTORM in western New York State has been widely reported, as have the outstanding efforts made to clean up the debris and return life to its normal patterns. But the ongoing story poses critical questions for the future of urban and community forestry in the area. How many trees were lost? How and when will they be replaced? And where will the money come from?
The Forestry Council’s own efforts have been helpful, given its role in creating the urban and community forestry budget line in the NYS Environmental Protection Fund. The remainder of the 2006 EPF urban forestry funds—$200,000—was sent to NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation’s Region 9 for distribution.
Click here to download the winter 2007 newsletter
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