Forests, Plants, and Land Conservation News

This Month's Topics:

• New York’s Champion Trees
• Buffer in a Bag Program: Free Seedlings for Landowners with Streamside or Lakeside Property
• Annual Stewardship Project Reports Now Available
• Public Input through February 27 on Draft Forest Preserve Work Plan Policy
• Urban and Community Forestry Corner
  • Updates on Grant Opportunities
  • Upcoming Events
  • Community Spotlight
  • What We’re Reading
• Take the DEC Kiosk Survey: Your Feedback is Important!
• Summer Employment Opportunities

New York’s Champion Trees

A species’ eligibility for champion status is determined by American Forests, which runs the National Big Tree Program, so please check the American Forests website to see which native and naturalized species qualify. If you think you’ve found a Big Tree candidate, measure its circumference at 4.5 feet above the ground and compare it to the existing champion - a large chunk of a tree’s score comes from the circumference, so it is a good way to see if your tree has a fighting chance. If it is close, contact the Lands and Forests Program at a DEC office near where the tree is located to have a forester measure the tree, or find a non-DEC professional experienced in identifying and measuring trees, such as a certified arborist or cooperating forester, to determine the tree's total point score. Complete a New York State Big Tree Nomination Form (PDF) and submit it to DEC for verification. The Big Tree Register is updated once a year in January. Nominations must be submitted by September 1 to make it into the following year’s list. Please contact the Big Tree Coordinator if you have any questions. Happy Big Tree Hunting!

Pictured: A champion of champions – the Schaghticoke eastern cottonwood. Photo courtesy of Fred Breglia.

Buffer in a Bag Program: Free Seedlings for Landowners with Streamside or Lakeside Property

To qualify, landowners must have property in New York State with at least 50 feet that borders a stream, river, or lake and provide photos or a map of the planting location as well as GPS coordinates. We encourage previous recipients to reapply to continue building their riparian buffer. Applicants are eligible for one bag of 25 seedlings and recipients are chosen on a first-come, first-served basis. A total of 350 bags will be available statewide for this round of applications. Apply soon for your best opportunity at receiving this year’s seedlings.

Landowners in the Hudson River Estuary watershed (PDF) may be eligible for additional assistance with streamside planting projects. For more details, visit the Hudson River Estuary Program's webpage.

Interested applicants can visit DEC's website for more information about the Buffer in a Bag application process and requirements. Applications are due by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 7.

Pictured: stream with trees and shrubs providing bank stabilization, shade, and improved water quality

Annual Stewardship Project Reports Now Available

Pictured: SCA Adirondack Corps members transporting timber via canoe.

DEC Seeks Public Input Through February 27 on Draft Forest Preserve Work Plan Policy

DEC is seeking public input on a newly developed policy to guide how DEC evaluates and reviews work plans for projects in the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve. Public comments on the draft will be accepted until February 27.

DEC drafted the Forest Preserve Work Plan Policy with the Trail Stewardship Working Group’s input and in collaboration with partners at the Adirondack Park Agency (APA). The Trail Stewardship Working Group includes members from local government, environmental groups, recreation groups, trail builders, and APA staff. Learn more about the draft Forest Preserve Work Plan Policy on the DEC website and read a copy of the draft (PDF).

Once adopted, the policy will establish administrative procedures for assessing the impacts of construction and maintenance activities and for drafting site-specific work plans on the Forest Preserve permissible within the parameters established by Article XIV of the New York State Constitution, the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan, the Catskill Park State Land Master Plan, Environmental Conservation Law, and DEC rules, regulations, and policies.

Public comments will be accepted on the draft Forest Preserve Work Plan Policy until Feb. 27, 2023. Comments can be submitted to:

Peter Frank, NYS DEC - Division of Lands and Forests
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4254

email: ForestPreserve@dec.ny.gov.

For more information, read the press release.

Urban and Community Forestry Corner

Updates On Grant Opportunities

Funding Opportunity Now Closed: Tree Replanting After Ash Loss in Disadvantaged Communities
This grant has closed as all funds have been exhausted. If you were working on a potential project for this opportunity, keep an eye out for announcements about the next round of Urban and Community Forestry Grants, coming this spring.

Grant Opportunity Now Open: NYS Urban Forestry Council Quick Start Grants- due by March 8
DEC’s partner in urban forestry, the NYS Urban Forestry Council, offers a Quick Start Grant Program for communities interested in becoming a Tree City USA. Applications are due by March 8 for a grant award of up to $1000 towards a tree planting or Arbor Day celebration event. For more information on how to apply visit the Council’s website.

Upcoming Events

Tree City Recognition Events: March 16 at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie & March 23 in Baldwinsville
If you’re a Tree City USA community, Tree Campus, or Tree Line Utility, keep your eyes on your inbox for your invite to the Tree City Recognition Events in March! This year we’ll be hosting 2 events – one at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie on March 16 and one at the Fireside Inn in Baldwinsville on March 23. These events are a thank you for all the effort communities and tree lovers put into their urban forests throughout the year.

Information Session for Round 16 of Urban and Community Forestry Grants (Virtual) – March 29 from 9:00-10:30 a.m.
DEC’s Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program will be hosting an informational webinar in advance of the anticipated release of the Round 16 UCF Grant Request for Applications this spring. The information session will include changes since the last round of the grant, disadvantaged community criteria, partnerships, application requirements, and time dedicated for questions for prospective grant applicants. Registration is required for this free information session; register for the Webex in advance.

Save the date: Electrical Hazard Awareness Training April 20 – This year’s annual event will take place in Rochester. More details to come in future newsletters.

Save the date: 2023 ReLeaf Conference July 20 –22 – Mark your calendars for the annual ReLeaf conference that will be held on Long Island at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. There will be two days of “tree-tacular” presentations with this year’s theme of “Keeping trees in mind: planning for a better tomorrow.” Registration opens in May and we will announce our speakers in the coming months.

Community Spotlight

Schenectady and Albany residents may remember the strong winds of the October 2021 derecho that brought down many trees across the Capital Region. For the one-year anniversary of the event, 40 trees were replanted in partnership with the Schenectady County Conservation District, Niskayuna Tree Council, and National Grid. National Grid provided $240,000 in funding for replanting trees in affected communities, helping ensure the right tree for the right place when replanting near utility wires. The Niskayuna Tree Council worked with homeowners to select small trees for the right-of-way plantings, while the Schenectady Count Conservation District transported and planted the trees and provided mulch. This partnership will help restore some of the lost tree canopy with well thought out trees that avoid future conflicts with utility lines – a win for everyone!

What We’re Reading

New research from Yale explains how plants moved farther onto land and adapted to dry climates, solving a hundred-year-old mystery.

Pictured: Tall trees growing up under and around powerlines. Photo by Hans Isaacson for the National Association of State Foresters.

Take the DEC Kiosk Survey: Your Feedback is Important!

Pictured: DEC information kiosk at Kaaterskill Falls.

Summer Employment Opportunities

Would you like to work in New York State's beautiful Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserves this summer?

2023 Summer Camps Program

We are actively recruiting Directors, Assistant Directors, Waterfront Directors, Cooks, Nurses, EMTs, Counselors, and Camp Aides for the 2023 Summer Camps Program. All positions offer competitive salaries, plus room and board for the summer.

Locations of DEC Summer Camps:

• Camp Colby in Saranac Lake;
• Camp Pack Forest in Warrensburg;
• Camp Rushford in Caneadea; and
• Camp DeBruce, near Livingston Manor.

DEC Summer Camps combine environmental education, hunter education, and outdoor recreation to create an adventurous experience for youth. Camp staff engage campers in ecological principles such as field, forest, aquatic, wildlife, and human impact and outdoor skills including backpacking, camping, and canoeing. Learn more about the employment opportunities and how you can apply to work at DEC Environmental Education Camps.

DEC Campgrounds and Day-use Areas

Be a part of a team that helps vacationers enjoy the great outdoors in the Catskill Forest Preserve and Adirondack Park. Positions available include Lifeguard, Maintenance, Security, Supervisor, and more! Some positions start as early as May, but varying start dates can be accommodated based on school and work schedules.

For more information on available positions or to apply for a position call 518-457-2500, e-mail campinfo@dec.ny.gov, or visit the Campground Seasonal Employment webpage on DEC's website.

Lifeguard Positions

Seasonal lifeguard positions are available at DEC campgrounds. The current hourly starting rate for New York State lifeguards is $20 an hour, and most DEC facilities offer free housing or site accommodations.

Candidates who qualify will be considered for employment. The qualifying procedure consists of two parts: a Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) skills component; and a water skills evaluation. Candidates may attend the qualifying location most convenient to them and the results will be forwarded to their preferred work location. 

At the time of employment, all DEC lifeguards must:

• Be at least 15 years old;
• Possess a valid certification in Waterfront Skills, Lifeguarding, First Aid, and CPR for the Professional Rescuer or equivalent;
• Successfully completed the New York State lifeguard qualifying procedure;
• Submitted a current New York State DEC medical form stating the candidate's physical ability to perform lifeguard duties;
• Meet the vision requirement of 20/70 uncorrected in both eyes and be correctable to the 20/40 standard. Candidates tested at a vision level below 20/40 in either one or both eyes must correct to a minimum of 20/40 with 20/20 preferred;
• Completed a personal interview with DEC; and
• Attended a DEC lifeguard orientation.

For more information, updates, or to pre-register, call 518-457-2500 ext. #1, e-mail Info.Lifeguard@dec.ny.gov, or visit the Lifeguard Positions webpage on DEC's website.