Urban and Community Forestry Program The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) administers the New York State Urban and Community Forestry Program. This program is designed to provide technical assistance for local government, citizen groups, service clubs and other organizations interested in promoting community forestry. Forestry staff is available to provide assistance on trees preservation, selecting species for planting, tree inventories and other management strategies or to speak with citizens interested in community forestry. Funding for implementing community forestry projects is available through the Urban and Community Forestry Grants Programs.

 Got Tar Spot Disease? In 2003 Tar Spot of Norway Maples is a Rochester regional issue and this year is the worst we have ever seen. Some trees are now showing some defoliation. Fortunately since they are losing their leaves in late summer (the end of the season) the trees will be okay. The problem we are seeing now is related to the wet spring weather. It is unlikely that the conditions will be as favorable for this disease again next year. Below we have reproduced the excellent fact sheet from Cornell Cooperative Extension.

The Monroe County Soil and Water District: (249 Highland Ave Rochester, NY 14623-3036 - Phone: 585-473-2120 -Fax: 585-473-2124  Email: swcd@monroecountyswcd.org) The MCSWCD assists more than 700 area residents and landowners with the distribution of approximately 90,000 seedlings. This helps to preserve natural resources by slowing erosion and improving water quality while renewing wildlife habitat.

Roadside Weeds - "Crews are trained and certified by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. To learn about specific chemical application plans for an area, call (877) 201-8762. The toll-free DOT hotline is updated weekly." --from  (May 4, 2003) Democrat and Chronicle

 FingerLakes National Forests--our only Federal forest in New York State? The Finger Lakes National Forest encompasses 16,032 acres, nestled between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. The Forest has over 30 miles of interconnecting trails that traverse gorges, ravines, pastures, and woodlands. Currently there are Forest Plan Revisions which may include the use of ATV's and other motorized vehicles. If you have questions about public meetings or Forest Plan Revision, please contact Mike Dockry at 607-546-4470 or send an email to gmflplanrevision@fs.fed.us

Rochester's Urban Forest --(from -- Tree-planting efforts take root - Rochester benefiting from renewed focus on urban forestry. — Once a week, Jim Rhody and a few friends — all volunteer "community foresters" — head into the woods at Durand-Eastman Park. They cut back weeds and otherwise care for the unique trees that range over the park's 1,000 acres. (November 9, 2004) Democrat and Chronicle)  Read For the full American Forests report on forest cover in five New York cities, including Rochester, go to:   http://clinton.senate.gov/~clinton/treereport.pdf Summary of Tree Cover, Planting Needs, and Benefits For Rochester, NY -

Preventing invasive species: Firewood and Invasive Insects - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation "New York's forests are under attack from numerous invasive exotic insect pests. In years past, we have been hit with Chestnut blight, European gypsy moth, Dutch elm disease and Beech bark disease, all with devastating results. Recently, we have discovered Asian long-horned beetles, Hemlock wooly adelgids, Pine shoot beetles and Sirex woodwasps infesting New York's urban and rural forests and killing thousands of trees. Other, potentially devastating insect invaders such as Emerald ash borer and Asian gypsy moth loom just over the horizon."

Plants, Gardens and Trees in the Rochester-area News (Please note, links below open in a new window.)

Resources for Plants and Trees

•  Home / Garden -- from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County - Welcome to these Horticulture pages! We are ready to assist your 'green' activities. The horticulture program serves as a resource to residents of Monroe County. We provide information based on conditions and needs of this region, using research and experienced-based information from Cornell University, and our locally-based professional staff. We provide services to help you with issues related to lawns, trees, and vegetable, fruit or ornamental gardens. Your questions and problems are addressed through a number of methods. The Garden Helpline is staffed by trained Master Gardener volunteers who answer your gardening and pest problem questions. We have also added the capability to submit questions on-line 24 hours a day.
•  National Arbor Day Foundation  The idea for Arbor Day originally came from Nebraska. A visit to Nebraska today wouldn't disclose that the state was once a treeless plain. Yet it was the lack of trees there that led to the founding of Arbor Day in the 1800s.
  • Tree City USA, sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities that more than 93 million Americans call home.
•  USDA US Department of Agriculture : In 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln founded the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he called it the "people's Department." In Lincoln's day, 90 percent of the people were farmers who were in need of good seed and information to grow their crops. Today, USDA continues Lincoln's legacy by serving all Americans, the two percent who farm as well as everyone who eats, wears clothes, lives in a house, or visits a rural area or a national forest.
•  (RAMP) Rochesterians Against Misuse of Pesticides, 50 Landsdown Ln., Pittsford, NY 14618 716-383-1317 fax 383-1494 
•   Rochester Gardening Gardening in Upstate New York This web site is meant to encourage the transfer of information relating to the varied interests of gardeners living near Rochester NY. This is accomplished by presenting some material which is local in content, and links to resources found elsewhere on the Internet.

•  Caring for your lawn organically: A healthy lawn will not need pesticides. If properly maintained, your lawn will be naturally resistant to weeds and harmful insects. Here are some basic tips for having the healthiest lawn possible.--from NYPRIG

•  SHADE TREE ANTHRACNOSE Anthracnose is a leaf disease caused by fungi that are active in the early spring. It can highly disfigure leaves on susceptible trees, and this very noticeable damage often concerns homeowners greatly, especially in the spring. Shade tree anthracnose is separate from dogwood anthracnose, which is a different disease caused by a much more virulent fungus that requires early and aggressive management. Call the city's Forestry Division at 428-7581 or Cornell Cooperative Extension at 461-1000.

•  TreeLink! This site was created to provide information, research, and networking for people working in urban and community forestry. For the researcher, the arborist, the community group leader, the volunteer-our purpose is to inform, educate, and inspire.
•  New York State Agricultural Experiment Station: Our primary mission is to support New York's fruit and vegetable industry. Researchers and extension educators work to develop good farming, food storage, and processing practices while safeguarding the environment, increasing market share for New York producers, and assuring consumers safe, reasonably-priced, high-quality fruits and vegetables.
•  The Horticultural Society of New York Founded in 1900, The Horticultural Society of New York is dedicated to improving the quality of life in New York through horticulture.
•  The National Tree Trust was established in 1990 to mobilize volunteer groups, promote public awareness of trees and their benefits, provide grants, and unite civic and corporate institutions in support of local tree planting and education projects throughout the United States. Our Mission: The mission of the National Tree Trust is to act as a catalyst for local volunteer groups in the growing, planting, and maintenance of trees in rural communities, urban areas, and along our nation's highways.
•  GardenWeb - The Internet's Garden Community GardenWeb is an award winning site serving more than 3 million page impressions a month. GardenWeb hosts forums, garden exchanges, articles, contests, a plant database, the Web's largest garden-related glossary and online catalogs. We are also home to the Calendar of Garden Events, The Rosarian, Wild-Flowers and sister sites in Europe and Australia. It is our aim to provide the most comprehensive gardening site on the Web, combining the creative use of interactivity with imaginative content and a user-friendly interface.
•  Forest Stewardship Council The FSC promotes responsible forest management globally by certifying forest products that meet the most rigorous standards in the world. The organization brings industry, environmentalists, and community groups together to promote practical solutions that meet its diverse stakeholders’ needs. The organization was founded in 1993 by environmental groups, the timber industry, foresters, indigenous peoples and community groups from 25 countries.
•  SmartWood: Practical Conservation Through Certified Forestry SmartWood's purpose is to improve the effectiveness of sustainable forestry in conserving bio-diversity and providing equity for local communities, fair treatment to workers, and creating incentives for businesses so that they can benefit economically from responsible forestry practices.
•  Certified Forest Council - Our mission is to conserve, protect and restore the world's forests by promoting responsible forest products buying practices throughout North America.
•  The Champion Tree Project New York is estimated to have 400,000 acres of old growth forests. Because New York has only one modest-size National Forest (Finger Lakes N.F. between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes), most of the state's old growth is located in the Adirondack and Catskill Mountain Preserves. Very little is virgin forest that escaped the saws of lumbermen. Most is second growth forest that regrew after the first wave of land clearing and settlement. Outside the vast tracts of evergreen-dominated forests in the two great mountain preserves, New York's ancient forests are usually small, isolated stands of mixed hardwoods and hemlock located on state or private properties.
• American Chestnut Foundation   Local Chapter: American Chestnut Foundation - New York State Chapter Our goal is to restore the American chestnut to Eastern forests through a scientific breeding program and cooperative research. Since the founding of our nation, the American Chestnut was a source of great value for its timber and its nuts. Settlers called it the "King of Trees" In 1904, the chestnut blight first appeared at the Bronx Zoo in New York City. In a few short decades the "King of Trees" was virtually extinct. In 1983, The American Chestnut Foundation was founded to restore this American treasure. The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The American Chestnut Foundation, 469 Main Street, P.O. Box 4044, Bennington, VT 05201-4044, USA (802) 447-0110 E-mail: chestnut@acf.org
•  Green Guerillas -- Helping New York City's Community Gardeners Strengthen Their Neighborhoods Since 1973 greenguerillas™ has helped thousands of people realize their dreams of turning vacant rubble-strewn lots into vibrant community gardens. Each year we work with hundreds of grassroots groups throughout New York City to strengthen underserved neighborhoods through community gardening. With our help, people grow food, plant flowers, educate youth, paint colorful murals and preserve their gardens as vital community centers for future generations.
•  Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, Inc. NOFA-NY is an organization of consumers, gardeners and farmers creating a sustainable regional food system which is ecologically sound and economically viable. Through demonstration and education, we promote land stewardship, organic food production, and local marketing. NOFA-NY has been bringing consumer and farmer closer together to make high quality food available to all people for over 20 years! NOFA-NY welcomes organic gardeners and farmers, farmers interested in converting from conventional to sustainable methods, and consumers interested in supporting the development of organic farming in the Northeast.
•  GardensAlive.com "Gardens Alive! is one of the country's leading mail order companies dedicated to biological control of garden pests. Sales are nationwide and the company traces its roots back to the early 1980's and the kitchen and garage of founder and President, Niles Kinerk."
•  American Forests American Forests is a world leader in planting trees for environmental restoration, a pioneer in the science and practice of urban forestry, and a primary communicator of the benefits of trees and forests. American Forests (americanforests.org) is the nation’s oldest nonprofit citizens’ conservation organization. Citizens concerned about the waste and abuse of the nation’s forests founded American Forests in 1875.