Arbor Day Foundation Names the Village of Scottsville Tree City USA
Lincoln, Neb. (June 9, 2020) Village of Scottsville, New York, was named a 2019 Tree City USA® by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.
Village of Scottsville achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program's four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
"Tree City USA communities see the impact an urban forest has in a community first hand," said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. "The trees being planted and cared for by Village of Scottsville are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy to a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride, whether it's through volunteer engagement or public education."
If ever there was a time for trees, now is that time. Communities worldwide are facing issues with air quality, water resources, personal health and well-being, energy use, and protection from extreme heat and flooding. The Arbor Day Foundation recently launched the Time for Trees initiative to address these issues, with unprecedented goals of planting 100 million trees in forests and communities and inspiring 5 million tree planters by 2022. With Tree City USA recognition, Village of Scottsville has demonstrated a commitment to effective urban forest management and doing its part to help address these challenges for Village of Scottsville residents now and in the future.
More information on the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.
About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a million member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information is available at arborday.org.
Lincoln, Neb. (June 9, 2020) Village of Scottsville, New York, was named a 2019 Tree City USA® by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.
Village of Scottsville achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program's four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
"Tree City USA communities see the impact an urban forest has in a community first hand," said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. "The trees being planted and cared for by Village of Scottsville are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy to a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride, whether it's through volunteer engagement or public education."
If ever there was a time for trees, now is that time. Communities worldwide are facing issues with air quality, water resources, personal health and well-being, energy use, and protection from extreme heat and flooding. The Arbor Day Foundation recently launched the Time for Trees initiative to address these issues, with unprecedented goals of planting 100 million trees in forests and communities and inspiring 5 million tree planters by 2022. With Tree City USA recognition, Village of Scottsville has demonstrated a commitment to effective urban forest management and doing its part to help address these challenges for Village of Scottsville residents now and in the future.
More information on the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.
About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a million member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information is available at arborday.org.
About the Scottsville Forestry Board
Founded around the principle that Scottsville’s trees, one of the village’s greatest assets, are aging and unsafe, and the canopy is in need of preservation, the Scottsville Forestry Board “manages” village trees on public property.
We are a committee of residents of the Village of Scottsville, with functional and fiduciary responsibilities as a Board and to the Village Board. Our work is that of planning preservation and replacement activities, and advising the Village Board for action. The work of removing and maintaining (pruning) trees is accomplished through contractors or employees of the DPW. The Mayor and the DPW Superintendent are ad hoc members of the Tree Board. We meet monthly and as needed to accomplish our goals.
We’ve been in place for about six years, mostly in the background as we organize and create our vision and mission, ordinances, and a Management Plan. Members include a cross section of village residents; we employ the services of a professional arborist and a DEC Forester, who advises us. Our funding comes from the Village and grants from state and federal sources.
Here is a partial list of the various activities performed by the Tree Board and its members.
• Inventory the trees and their condition on public property to prepare for their succession
• Plan for plantings, pruning, and removals, and track the results of the planning
• Work with village stakeholders – schools, utilities, officials, contractors, and residents – for the common goal of a vibrant, healthy canopy
• Educate the public on trees and their value to individuals, homeowners, and communities
• Reach out to other communities who share common issues with Scottsville on trees and tree health
• Perpetuate a Forestry Board and Management Plan to ensure that our tree health remains a priority to the Village of Scottsville
As of 2015, we are a Tree City USA of the National Arbor Day Foundation, an honor that villages and cities have to earn through sound organizational practices and activities. We are always need and welcome volunteers on our board. Periodically we need help in the following areas: finance, grants, Earth Day/Arbor Day events and celebration, modern methods of communication on issues and activities with Scottsville residents, photography, writing, and computer applications. School, Scouts, and community projects are always welcome – please inquire!
Founded around the principle that Scottsville’s trees, one of the village’s greatest assets, are aging and unsafe, and the canopy is in need of preservation, the Scottsville Forestry Board “manages” village trees on public property.
We are a committee of residents of the Village of Scottsville, with functional and fiduciary responsibilities as a Board and to the Village Board. Our work is that of planning preservation and replacement activities, and advising the Village Board for action. The work of removing and maintaining (pruning) trees is accomplished through contractors or employees of the DPW. The Mayor and the DPW Superintendent are ad hoc members of the Tree Board. We meet monthly and as needed to accomplish our goals.
We’ve been in place for about six years, mostly in the background as we organize and create our vision and mission, ordinances, and a Management Plan. Members include a cross section of village residents; we employ the services of a professional arborist and a DEC Forester, who advises us. Our funding comes from the Village and grants from state and federal sources.
Here is a partial list of the various activities performed by the Tree Board and its members.
• Inventory the trees and their condition on public property to prepare for their succession
• Plan for plantings, pruning, and removals, and track the results of the planning
• Work with village stakeholders – schools, utilities, officials, contractors, and residents – for the common goal of a vibrant, healthy canopy
• Educate the public on trees and their value to individuals, homeowners, and communities
• Reach out to other communities who share common issues with Scottsville on trees and tree health
• Perpetuate a Forestry Board and Management Plan to ensure that our tree health remains a priority to the Village of Scottsville
As of 2015, we are a Tree City USA of the National Arbor Day Foundation, an honor that villages and cities have to earn through sound organizational practices and activities. We are always need and welcome volunteers on our board. Periodically we need help in the following areas: finance, grants, Earth Day/Arbor Day events and celebration, modern methods of communication on issues and activities with Scottsville residents, photography, writing, and computer applications. School, Scouts, and community projects are always welcome – please inquire!
“Scottsville Tree Inventory Update”
The Scottsville Forestry Board is pleased to announce that the field work for the project entitled ”Scottsville Tree Inventory Update & Risk Assessment” is completed. The work was accomplished last Fall by Davey Resource Group who is under contract with the Village to complete the work. The project is being funded by a NYSDEC grant under the Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program (Round 14, 2018). The next steps include synthesizing the data into a report that can be used by the Village to help maintain a healthy and diverse urban forest.
The completed field work included two major tasks. First, a ground inspection of all the publicly owned trees in the Village was completed. Documentation included GPS location, type, condition, maintenance needs along with a cursory risk assessment. The second component was a more detailed inspection of a select group of 28 trees that have greater maintenance needs. This detailed inspection included the use of a bucket truck. A more detailed risk assessment was also completed on this group of 28 trees. Once all the data is assembled in report format, it can be used to help the Village implement a long term maintenance program and to seek additional grant monies for maintenance.
The recent NYSDEC Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program (Round 14, 2018) was one of the first to include a level II and level III risk assessment as an eligible item. The Village of Scottsville tree inventory is among the first in the state to include “tree risk assessment” as part of the grant services and as such, the project represents a unique opportunity to demonstrate the practical applications of risk assessment on a population of municipally owned trees.
In the grant application the Village of Scottsville identified a scope of work that included: 1) a tree inventory update (the last inventory was in 2011); 2) a Level II risk assessment completed as part of the inventory phase; and, 3) a level III risk assessment on a select group of trees, identified at the level II assessment for a highest risk for failure to thrive. Of the 715 Village of Scottsville street trees assessed, 28 trees were identified for a level III risk assessment that required further examination and evaluation by a Davey Resource Group using arborists who hold a certification from the International Society of Arborists (ISA) as per NYSDEC requirement. As a result, the level III assessment will inform the Village regarding maintenance needs over an eight-year period in which remedial strategies such as critical pruning of some trees and removal of others will be programmed and budgeted for annually.
A public presentation and information session on the tree inventory by a Davey Resource Group arborist will be held at a future Village of Scottsville Board Trustees meeting. The meeting date and time will be announced on the official Village of Scottsville website and on the Village of Scottsville Facebook page.
The Scottsville Forestry Board is pleased to announce that the field work for the project entitled ”Scottsville Tree Inventory Update & Risk Assessment” is completed. The work was accomplished last Fall by Davey Resource Group who is under contract with the Village to complete the work. The project is being funded by a NYSDEC grant under the Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program (Round 14, 2018). The next steps include synthesizing the data into a report that can be used by the Village to help maintain a healthy and diverse urban forest.
The completed field work included two major tasks. First, a ground inspection of all the publicly owned trees in the Village was completed. Documentation included GPS location, type, condition, maintenance needs along with a cursory risk assessment. The second component was a more detailed inspection of a select group of 28 trees that have greater maintenance needs. This detailed inspection included the use of a bucket truck. A more detailed risk assessment was also completed on this group of 28 trees. Once all the data is assembled in report format, it can be used to help the Village implement a long term maintenance program and to seek additional grant monies for maintenance.
The recent NYSDEC Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program (Round 14, 2018) was one of the first to include a level II and level III risk assessment as an eligible item. The Village of Scottsville tree inventory is among the first in the state to include “tree risk assessment” as part of the grant services and as such, the project represents a unique opportunity to demonstrate the practical applications of risk assessment on a population of municipally owned trees.
In the grant application the Village of Scottsville identified a scope of work that included: 1) a tree inventory update (the last inventory was in 2011); 2) a Level II risk assessment completed as part of the inventory phase; and, 3) a level III risk assessment on a select group of trees, identified at the level II assessment for a highest risk for failure to thrive. Of the 715 Village of Scottsville street trees assessed, 28 trees were identified for a level III risk assessment that required further examination and evaluation by a Davey Resource Group using arborists who hold a certification from the International Society of Arborists (ISA) as per NYSDEC requirement. As a result, the level III assessment will inform the Village regarding maintenance needs over an eight-year period in which remedial strategies such as critical pruning of some trees and removal of others will be programmed and budgeted for annually.
A public presentation and information session on the tree inventory by a Davey Resource Group arborist will be held at a future Village of Scottsville Board Trustees meeting. The meeting date and time will be announced on the official Village of Scottsville website and on the Village of Scottsville Facebook page.
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Invasive Species News - Oak Wilt
Success in South Bristol In February, DEC Division of Lands and Forests and Division of Operations staff worked together to wrap up an oak wilt treatment project on two sites in the Town of South Bristol. Oak wilt was detected at this location during aerial surveying last summer. Since then, DEC has worked with the private landowners to remove and chip infected trees, as well as dig trenching around the infection area to prevent oak wilt from spreading through roots into nearby trees. DEC staff expect the sites to receive clean bills of health during field visits this summer and will continue to monitor the area until it can be considered eradicated after five years with no oak wilt. Top photo: A tree infected with oak wilt was first detected in the area during an aerial survey. Bottom photo: Infected trees were put through a chipper. Chips were then covered with a tarp that prevents insects from entering and allows the chips to dry out, killing any remaining fungus. Prune to Protect - Make Smart Cuts Now Have you trimmed your trees yet this winter? Avoid any risk of oak wilt by fitting in your pruning before the end of March. November through March is the safest time to make cuts because both the oak wilt fungus and the beetles that spread the disease are dormant. Winter pruning can also benefit trees by helping them grow more vigorously in the spring. For more information about the oak wilt fungus, check out our website. |
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Take Time to Inspect Your Hemlocks this Winter
You can help protect New York's forests this winter by learning how to identify and report hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). This invasive forest pest kills hemlock trees in the eastern United States. HWA can be difficult to spot because of its small size, so infestations are best identified by the white, woolly masses the insects create to protect themselves and their eggs. These woolly masses are most easily seen from November through April and are found at the base of the needles on infested hemlock trees.
Visit DEC's webpage for information on how to report possible infestations, as well as what you can do to help slow the spread of this invasive pest.
You can help protect New York's forests this winter by learning how to identify and report hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). This invasive forest pest kills hemlock trees in the eastern United States. HWA can be difficult to spot because of its small size, so infestations are best identified by the white, woolly masses the insects create to protect themselves and their eggs. These woolly masses are most easily seen from November through April and are found at the base of the needles on infested hemlock trees.
Visit DEC's webpage for information on how to report possible infestations, as well as what you can do to help slow the spread of this invasive pest.
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Left photo: White woolly egg masses on a hemlock branch. Photo by Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station
Right photo: Hemlock woolly adelgid adults at the base of a twig's needles. Photo by Mark Whitmore
Right photo: Hemlock woolly adelgid adults at the base of a twig's needles. Photo by Mark Whitmore
Trees in the Village of Scottsville are a benefit to all. Before you take down a tree, or if a utility company contacts you to
take down a tree or prune a tree on your property, talk to a member of the
Village of Scottsville Forestry Board
for alternative ideas by calling 889-6050 (Village of Scottsville Office)
they will put you in contact with a member of the Forestry Board
take down a tree or prune a tree on your property, talk to a member of the
Village of Scottsville Forestry Board
for alternative ideas by calling 889-6050 (Village of Scottsville Office)
they will put you in contact with a member of the Forestry Board
Oak Wilt Disease
Oak wilt is a serious tree disease in the eastern United States, killing thousands of oaks each year in forests, woodlots and home landscapes. It is caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum. The fungus grows in the water-conducting vessels of host trees plugging up these vessels and preventing water transport. As water movement within the tree is slowed, the leaves wilt and drop off, often killing the tree rapidly.
DEC requests that the public be on the lookout this summer for oak trees that suddenly lose their leaves during the months of July or August.
These occurrences should be reported to DEC's Forest Health Information Line toll-free at 1-866-640-0652 or via email foresthealth@dec.ny.gov. Submitting pictures of oaks showing symptoms of oak wilt is encouraged. If people think they have Oak Wilt they should contact the Forestry Board and DEC Region 8.
For more information about oak wilt or the emergency orders, please visit DEC's website.
Oak wilt is a serious tree disease in the eastern United States, killing thousands of oaks each year in forests, woodlots and home landscapes. It is caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum. The fungus grows in the water-conducting vessels of host trees plugging up these vessels and preventing water transport. As water movement within the tree is slowed, the leaves wilt and drop off, often killing the tree rapidly.
DEC requests that the public be on the lookout this summer for oak trees that suddenly lose their leaves during the months of July or August.
These occurrences should be reported to DEC's Forest Health Information Line toll-free at 1-866-640-0652 or via email foresthealth@dec.ny.gov. Submitting pictures of oaks showing symptoms of oak wilt is encouraged. If people think they have Oak Wilt they should contact the Forestry Board and DEC Region 8.
For more information about oak wilt or the emergency orders, please visit DEC's website.
Earth Day 2019
Earth Day 2018
Earth Day 2017
Earth Day 2016
Forestry Board and TJ Connor Environmental Club Team Up and Plant Trees
Useful Links:
Village of Scottsville Tree Inventory
Village of Scottsville Tree Inventory