Scenic Hudson and Partners Plant 800 Trees and Shrubs in Catskill
CONTACT:
Riley Johndonnell, Director of Communications & Creative Strategies
845 473 4440 Ext. 222, rjohndonnell@scenichudson.org
For Immediate Release
This national “Plant Something Day,” the organization celebrates the beginning of a new forest habitat
CATSKILL, N.Y. – This spring more than 70 volunteers from the Catskill Montessori School, SunCommon, and Scenic Hudson planted 800 native trees and shrubs near the RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary in Catskill over the course of three days. What was once a former lawn area at the site is now transforming into native forest, extending the upland forests to meet the unique tidal swamp habitat of the sanctuary.
The plantings included 11 species of native trees and shrubs with a focus on oak trees — including black oak, red oak, and scarlet oak — which provide food and habitat for more species than any other North American tree type.
The three teams of volunteers were guided by Scenic Hudson parks and science staff as they dug holes, pounded in stakes, loosened the roots, properly positioned each tree, and secured translucent plastic tubes to protect the young saplings from deer.
The Town of Catskill funded the purchase of the trees to offset those that were removed for an unrelated solar development project in the town. The trees planted will enhance the diversity of wildlife in the area. As the trees grow, wildlife that specialize in young forests, such as goldfinches, indigo buntings, and blue-wing warblers will make the area their home. As the forest matures, wildlife that prefer large, mature trees like cerulean warblers, scarlet tanagers, and endangered Indiana bats will move in. A variety of pollinators and insects that specialize in oaks will also benefit from this planting effort.
These trees will help people too. Their roots will absorb water and decrease erosion and flooding during severe rainstorms. Trees take in carbon dioxide and give us oxygen in return, and help clean pollutants out of the air and pull in carbon from the air at the same time.
