Re-Tree WNY pushes Buffalo’s tree program beyond the finish line

In the article, a Buffalo city official claimed they were close to creating a pre-plan. As a Re-Tree WNY volunteer who has planted numerous trees on the East Side, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel to get this project started: just attach it to Re-Tree, a well-established wagon ! Why waste a lot of time or effort creating something that already exists?

Since 2006, Re-Tree WNY has planted more than 30,000 trees using an all-volunteer workforce to replace those lost in response to October’s surprise snowstorm. This groundbreaking act of community development alone positions Re-Tree for a critical partnership in executing the federal grant.

There are other reasons. Re-Tree offers excellent tree planting training and the CommuniTree Steward Program, an intensive, multi-week program taught by local experts. This training could be free for the city. I am a proud graduate.

Re-Tree has equipped more than 200 City of Buffalo residents with tree care skills. They collaborate with East Side neighborhood clubs and community groups seeking trees and training. Re-Tree is also very familiar with the standards and specifications of the City of Buffalo Forestry Bureau.

The Tool Library has also significantly supported Re-Tree’s efforts by providing access to planting tools, free educational programs, and a community of doers and creators – and by organizing the planting themselves of trees. East Side Garden Walk and its parent organization, Gardens Buffalo Niagara, upon learning that Re-Tree would focus on planting trees on the East Side, raised funds for its green legacy of kindness and generosity.

This urban planting initiative should be accompanied by a comprehensive community education campaign promoting the many mental and physical benefits of trees to East Side residents. Growing evidence links exposure to trees to reduced rates of mortality, cardiovascular disease, stress and depression. Greener areas are associated with higher levels of happiness, cognitive development and learning outcomes. These benefits are linked to reduced exposure to air pollution, noise and heat, increased contact with nature and strengthened social cohesion.

Although I have planted many trees in my East Side neighborhood while volunteering with Re-Tree, I could have planted many more if residents had understood the ecological, aesthetic, safety and economic benefits that they bring to urban areas. Many residents view trees as a threat to their plumbing system. However, as some studies indicate, they provide significant value to local communities, improve social interactions and even help reduce crime rates.

So, let’s dig in. Re-Tree trained the group of multi-talented green thumbs needed to begin the job.

Renata Toney is a Re-Tree WNY volunteer and co-chair of the East Side Garden Walk.