The Corning Street Tree Project (CSTP), an independent, all-volunteer nonprofit organization in the city of Corning, planted its 100th tree during its spring planting season this month.
“We’ve lost so many trees over the years,” said city of Corning Mayor Pam Walker. “This is a group of volunteers who are taking it upon themselves to go out and raise the money and dig the holes and plant the trees to make Corning green again.”
Trees are provided and planted for free for anyone in the city who signs up to receive one. The organization prioritizes tree distribution based on the order in which property owners sign up.
“We know greenery brings health to us all, so what a great way to take care of the public health and welfare,” said Walker.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, planting trees reduces temperatures by providing shade, preventing heat islands in urban settings. Trees offer storm drainage and soil retention through the absorption of excess rainwaters. They filter pollutants from the air, water and soil, and provide benefits for overall health and well-being.
Trees also support wildlife and diverse food systems as well as provide property owners with economic benefits, according to the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chemung County.
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, property owners can see the impact of trees in lowered energy bills and increased property value.
“I basically jumped for joy and said, ‘Please come [and] plant as much as you want,’ said Bonady Garden Apartments owner Lucinda Bonady.
The CSTP planted several trees along West Pulteney Street outside her apartment complex last week. The property is home to the 100th tree.
Bonady is what the Corning Street Tree Project calls a “tree ally.”
“We partner with the homeowners to maintain the trees, or with tenants who live in the building nearby,” said CSTP co-founder and volunteer Jess O’Connor. “We always look for what we call a tree ally who is willing to water the trees for the first year of their life.”
Joan Payne, a homeowner on the Northside, said her daughter told her about the free tree opportunity.
“I just want trees,” said Payne. “It’s so dull without trees.”
Planting season for the organization is during the fall and the spring to maximize the health of the saplings and prevent dehydration from the heat of the summer.
Volunteers work with the city’s approved tree species list to prevent invasive species from being planted throughout the city.
The city requires all digging projects to work with UDig NY. This ensures any underground utility locations are identified prior to planting. Organization volunteers work with property owners and UDig NY to determine whether it is safe to dig at the sites identified for tree planting.
“Placing a location request is free and can be done online from UDigNY.org, or over the phone by dialing 811 at least two full working days before the planned start date,” said a UDig NY spokesperson. “Digging without placing a location request is dangerous and can lead to negative consequences, such as injury, damage to property, or outages of important services.”
UDig NY is a nonprofit organization that serves 55 counties in Upstate New York.
Permits with the city are not required, according to city officials.
The Corning Street Tree Project takes donations. The cost per tree is $150.