Community Forestry Partnership Project

Key Tree Resources:

• Before planting a tree in the ground, call 811 to make sure that spot is safe from utility lines.
• Make sure the tree species you will be planting is right for the space for where the tree will be planted.
  • Consider:
    • Making sure the tree is a native species
    • How tall the tree will be at maturity
    • What the tree canopy width will be at maturity
    • That the tree's root system is suited to be near sidewalks, sewers, foundations, and driveways
    • That the tree will be planted in the right environment for its species, such as wet, shady areas with acidic soil
• Become acquainted with tree maintenance to support healthy tree growth.

To access more information about tree resources, visit our webpage on Resources for Tree Planting!

Our Selecting Tree Species Booklet will teach you about some native trees found in our region that may be a good fit for you!

Right Tree, Right Place

Trees provide us so many wonderful benefits, including wildlife! By planting more trees, you will be helping you, your friends and family, your community, and the wildlife around you. It is also important to protect the trees that you already have now. Trees do not last forever, but proper care and maintenance of trees will allow them to continue providing their amazing benefits.

A short list of the benefits of trees:

• Clean the air
• Reduce flooding
• Provide homes for wildlife
• Reduce home cooling costs
• Provide shade
• Improve quality
• Increase property values
• Are beautiful
• Reduce noise

Erie County was awarded a $5.2 million U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Grant through funding from the Federal Inflation Reduction Act. 

In December 2023, Erie County released the Erie County Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) to help guide and prioritize the County’s climate actions. The CCAP had several action items that called out the need to improve the tree canopy by maintaining and planting trees. The CCAP was created with the help of over 100 volunteers, which led to essential community conversations and helped foster relationships with local organizations and municipalities allowing Erie County to quickly develop the Community Forestry Partnership Project proposal when the Forest Service funding was announced.

This multi-faceted project was developed as the result of recommendations that were included in the Erie County Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP), which was released in December 2023 and adopted by the Erie County Legislature February 1, 2024. The project has several elements and community partners – read the Community Climate Action Plan details.

Buffalo Freedom Gardens’ Gail V. Wells Freedom Food Forest will greatly impact the neighborhoods on the East Side of Buffalo and the City by reducing the impact of various health challenges on people living on Buffalo’s East side and increasing access to fresh, healthy foods for people living in food apartheid areas in Buffalo’s neighborhoods.

Erie County held a press event at Tifft Nature Preserve in March 2024 to announce the release of the CCAP and discuss the Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Grant award.

Studies show that trees improve air and water quality, reduce flooding, reduce cooling and heating energy needs, increase property values, and improve the quality of life for people and wildlife around them.

Trees remove air and water pollutants through both their root systems and their leaves. Certain species can channel rain to the roots and reduce stormwater runoff. Tree canopies shade buildings, sidewalks, streets, and other structures keeping them cooler which reduces air conditioning and other energy needs in summer. Strategically placed trees, and correct tree species selection, can shelter buildings from cold winds in winter months, reducing heating costs.

The positive effects trees have on human health and well-being are numerous. Studies have found that exposure to trees reduces the symptoms of stress and depression, can aid in the recovery from surgery, and reduce the incidence of domestic violence. People are more likely to exercise if parks are nearby. When people utilize parks and shady street trees, they are more likely to meet and establish bonds with their neighbors, which helps to create a sense of community. When people enjoy spending time in their neighborhoods, they develop pride and a sense of ownership in their communities. The presence of trees and the proximity to parks can also increase residential and commercial property values.

Under this project, Erie County will:

• Manage the development of a Community Forest Management Plan looking at existing conditions of tree cover and maintenance throughout Erie County and making recommendations for best management practices and implementation projects to increase tree canopy, reduce stormwater runoff/flooding, address heat island effects, and more for the community.
• Address native tree supply in Erie County by establishing a tree nursery through Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry (Parks). Saplings and seeds will be collected from existing Parks’ property and grown in the nursery for use by local governments and organizations in planting projects in Erie County.
• Expand workforce development opportunities around tree planting and maintenance for incarcerated individuals at the Erie County Correctional Facility with Erie County’s Sheriff’s Office. The Erie County Sheriff's Office Community Reintegration Forestry Program currently has a compost generating program and horticulture program for workforce development that will be combining efforts with this project.

• Work closely with the City of Buffalo, Niagara River Greenway, partners listed below, and other municipalities and community groups to plant trees throughout Erie County. 

  

Black Rock Riverside Alliance

The Black Rock Riverside Alliance has worked with various organizations and individuals to find ways to improve the quality of life of the Black Rock, Riverside, Grant-Amherst, and West Hertel communities.

The Black Rock Riverside Alliance will create two fruit orchards to address the food insecurities of residents in food desert neighborhoods within their community. The Black Rock Riverside Alliance will also create a community educational arboretum along the Jesse Kregel Pathway along Scajaquada Creek and the Niagara River Trail up to the City of Buffalo line. The arboretum will be used as a teaching tool for environmental programs at Buffalo State University, local environmental and conservation high school programs, and the public.

Buffalo Freedom Gardens

Buffalo Freedom Gardens is a black-led community-based organization that provides plants, growing supplies, and educational support to families that want to grow gardens in the City of Buffalo.

Buffalo Freedom Gardens will be installing a Food Forest located at JFK Recreation Center, which is in one of the oldest neighborhoods of Buffalo. Community members will be recruited and trained to be tree stewards and garden guides. There will also be garden tours, workshops, and lectures for school children, block clubs, residents, and church congregations. In addition, 75 backyards will receive food trees to expand the food forest across Buffalo.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County

Cornell Cooperative Extension brings local experience and research-based solutions together to build stronger communities. Cornell Cooperative Extension works across generations providing training and education based on community needs in Environment and Natural Resources; Sustainable Energy and Climate Change; Agriculture and Food Systems; 4-H Youth Development: Nutrition and Community health; and Consumer and Economic Vitality. 

Cornell Cooperative Extension will work with SUNY Erie Community College to develop tree planting and maintenance certificate courses with scholarships for participating communities in Erie County. They will also create a high school summer internship program to train interested students in becoming Tree Stewards.

Monarch of Infinite Possibilities

Monarch of Infinite Possibilities works to engage and connect faith-based community to raise awareness about environmental issues.

Monarch of Infinite Possibilities will steward the relationship building process with churches, educate about the importance of trees in regard to climate change, connect congregants to workforce development/training, coordinate tree planting projects, and conduct outreach and engage the community in this project.

Town of Tonawanda

The Town of Tonawanda has been a Tree City USA for 15 years and has won the National Arbor Day Foundation Growth award for five years. The Forestry Division of the Tonawanda Highway Department is responsible for planting and maintaining 31,000 trees in the public rights of way, pruning and removing dead trees that are endangering public health or property, and identifying the sites where there are few trees and planting new trees. 

The Town of Tonawanda will expand their tree nursery and develop a comprehensive planting and maintenance program for street trees and park trees. In addition, they will reach out through existing partnerships to various school and community groups to host at least one planting and tree maintenance workshop per year.