New York Distributes 1,650 Trees For State Program
SARATOGA SPRINGS, United States (WHN) – New York State officials have distributed 1,650 trees and shrubs from the Saratoga Tree Nursery to 33 Capital Region communities and organizations. The distribution is a key part of the state’s “Trees for Tribs” program, an initiative designed to restore streamside habitats and improve water quality, the Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) confirmed.
The program is critical. It directly supports New York’s broader environmental agenda to increase climate resiliency by using natural solutions.
In a statement, Governor Kathy Hochul’s office affirmed the state’s commitment to protecting water resources. The governor called trees a “critical tool” for safeguarding water quality and combating the impacts of climate change across New York.
This local distribution is part of a much larger statewide effort. This spring, the program is providing over 8,000 plants for restoration projects from Long Island to Western New York.
The “Trees for Tribs” initiative provides free native saplings to qualifying landowners and municipalities for planting along tributary streams. The goal is to create or enhance riparian, or streamside, forest buffers which are vital for ecosystem health.
These buffers help slow floodwaters and reduce erosion. They also filter pollutants like pesticides and fertilizers from runoff while lowering stream temperatures for fish populations, according to NYSDEC documents.
DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said the program is essential to the agency’s mission. He noted its success helps New York meet its “nation-leading climate goals” and protects communities from flooding.
The program has operated for years. Since its start in 2007, “Trees for Tribs” has planted more than 125,000 trees and shrubs along 16 miles of streambanks in the Hudson River estuary watershed alone.
Over 1,500 volunteers have participated in the program’s planting events over its history, state records show.
“The Saratoga Tree Nursery provides hardy, native species of trees and shrubs that are key to the success of local projects to restore our streams and rivers,” stated Assemblymember Carrie Woerner.
The effort aligns with Governor Hochul’s directive to plant 25 million trees by 2033. This target aims to bolster forest cover and carbon sequestration throughout the state.
New York’s Saratoga Tree Nursery, operated by the DEC, is the primary source for the native plant materials used in these conservation efforts. The nursery produces over 50 species of trees and shrubs grown from locally sourced seeds.
