Trees are an important part of our ecosystem. They clean our air and water, provide shade and regulate temperature. Trees reduce flooding, conserve energy and beautify streets. They provide food and house birds and other valued animals. Trees help us heal – physically and mentally. The list goes on.

To help bring all of these wonderful benefits to local communities, Atlantic States Legal Foundation (ASLF) – a longtime advocate for urban tree planting in Central New York – is working with the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning (CDTP) to look for new tree planting sites and partners.

“We’ve collaborated very successfully on previous tree planting initiatives,” said Oswego County Director of Strategic Initiatives David Turner. “Now, we need help identifying other tree planting locations, developing planting projects and building new partnerships with communities for tree planting and maintenance.”

The partnership is particularly interested in potential tree planting ventures that can help reduce the amount of untreated stormwater runoff entering Lake Ontario and its tributaries.

“These projects could be planting opportunities in urban areas near large, paved surfaces or along streets – or they could be in rural areas between lakes and streams and known nutrient sources,” said Turner. “Proposals can be on public land or on privately-owned tracts that border publicly accessible areas or rights-of-ways.”

Reducing stormwater-related nonpoint source (NPS) pollution remains one of the priority action items for Oswego County and other lakefront communities on the current Great Lakes restoration agenda.

Turner concluded, “Oswego County has nearly 40 miles of shoreline on Lake Ontario as well as several of its tributaries, including the Oswego River – the second largest river flowing into the lake. Our geographic location makes us a crucial partner to help address Lake Ontario’s NPS pollution issues.”

ASLF has planted over 1,600 trees in the Central New York region over the years. They’ve done this by working collaboratively with government agencies, nonprofit organizations and community groups who share an interest in building healthier, safer and more connected communities through urban forestry improvement.

More than 900 of those trees were planted in the cities of Oswego and Fulton. Most of them were planted on degraded urban sites surrounded by large, paved surfaces or in close proximity to Lake Ontario or its tributaries. The trees helped improve the water quality of Lake Ontario by reducing the amount of contaminated stormwater runoff flowing into its waterways.

Those planting projects were funded by federal grants that aim to protect, conserve and restore the water quality and the overall health of the Great Lakes ecosystem. ASLF and Oswego County CDTP will continue to seek federal funding to support the planning and implementation of viable project proposals in the future.

For more information or to discuss planting ideas, contact Karen Noyes at the Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning at 315-349-8295 or karen.noyes@oswegocounty.com.

About ASLF
ASLF (www.aslf.org) is a 501c3 organization based in Syracuse, N.Y., whose mission is to develop and promote innovative and practical ways to preserve the environment, green the urban core and protect water resources. Current programs combine technical expertise, planning, design and citizen advocacy to empower communities towards a better level of environmental decision-making and involvement. ASLF helps build bridges between communities, technical experts and governments to advocate for systemic improvements in environmental management, policy-making and public engagement.

 A RENEWAL OF URBAN GREEN SPACES – The Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning is partnering with the Atlantic States Legal Foundation to plant more trees and improve green spaces around the county. They are currently looking for planting proposals and partners from the public, businesses and organizations who are interested in joining this renewal. For more information, call 315-349-8295. Pictured is a completed tree planting project located in the city of Oswego. Photo courtesy of Karen Noyes.