Trees for Tribs
The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation sponsors a program that uses volunteer help to plant native trees and shrubs along waterways, ponds, brooks and lakes. The plantings help to protect water quality by offering shade and providing filtration that keeps pollutants from washing into the water. The plantings promote the development of a healthy riparian ecosystem, even in heavily urbanized areas.
The Quassaick Creek Watershed Alliance has been holding tree-planting events in and around the City of Newburgh for several years now. They invited Birch School students to participate. We did our first maintenance volunteer day in September, 2019, when 11 Birch students raked and pulled invasives near Cronomer Park in Newburgh. This past October 9 Birch students participated in a social-distanced planting event. With the help of DEC workers, they put in 115 trees and shrubs in a little over 2 hours.
Alasdair planting a willow.
Volunteers watch a DEC worker demonstrate the technique.
Trevor observes as the DEC worker explains how to install deer guards on saplings.
Cat Pleva installing a deer guard.
Cat, Alasdair and Fu-Xin, working hard
Meira's dad taking pictures of the event.
Meira, Trevor and Josephine
Meira and Fu-Xin
Alasdair, Fu-Xin, Meira, Trevor, Josephine, (and a Town of Newburgh guy)
Meira's dad taking pictures of the Birch School crew.