WaPo has published an article that talks about the benefits of trees in a neighborhood. I’m not just talking about the aesthetic beauty of trees, I’m talking about the way trees affect our health – body and mind. By adding more trees to a city block, the outcome is fascinating. There’s even a correlation between the number of trees where you live, and the amount of money that you earn. Neighborhoods that have lots of healthy trees, such as Linwood Avenue, are beautiful to walk down and have a majestic appearance. One block over, on Main Street, the trees are few and far between, and it’s not a pleasant sight.
Over the years we have talked about the importance of planting trees. Last November, Buffalo native Karen Dombrowski-Sobel submitted an article to BRO called “Can Trees Save Us?“. Buffalo was once known as The City of Trees, and while we still have many tree lined streets, the state of affairs in Buffalo, when it comes to trees, is far from exemplary (see the City’s latest tree findings).
If you are part of a block club, and you have noticed that your neighborhood has suffered from lack of trees, there are steps that you can take to remedy the situation. You can call 311 and report a dead or missing tree. If you want to plant on a vacant lot, or another public property of this nature, contact the City Forester, Ross Hassinger at 716-851-4170 or email rhassinger@city-buffalo.com.
Finally, if you would like to volunteer your time to plant trees, contact Paul Maurer, chairman of Re-Tree WNY at pmaurer@entercom.com or 716.843.0133.
In the end, a city is only as healthy its trees. Olmsted knew that. Ellicott knew that. And there are key organizations in Buffalo that also know that (Grassroots Gardens, ReTree, etc.). We need to keep planting, but in order to be successful, the community as a whole must be part of the widespread endeavor.