Rensselaer streets lined with new trees thanks to students
October 29, 2009
By MARK O'BRIEN
RENSSELAER, N.Y. -- A
large, white "X" marks the spot in Rensselaer's Riverfront Park
where one of two dozen new trees is being planted across the city.
It's a partnership among
students at Rensselaer High School, the Doane Stuart School, and the
Capital District Community Gardens.
"I have soft little
hands," says ninth grade Rensselaer High School student Sarah Brady,
who's taking part in the tree planting for the first time. "My
hands hurt because I don't have gloves."
But she says "no pain,
no gain" when it comes to helping the planet.
"Save the environment,
save the world because no environment, no future," she adds.
Manada Khaing is in
eleventh grade at Rensselaer High School. She, too, is doing this
for the first time, and says giving back is good experience.
"I wanted to do some
community service for my application for colleges," she says.
All across Rensselaer,
students are planting 25 new trees including nine different
varieties. Sarah and Manada are planting four Crab Apples, but
other varieties include Elm, Cherry, and Kentucky Coffee, each one
chosen for suitability to its location. Capital District Community
Gardens does these kinds of tree plantings twice a year, in the
spring and in the fall.
"Trees come down in
storms, trees come down because they are old, and unless we're
constantly replenishing the urban forest, it's going to have a
negative effect," says Amy Klein, the group's executive director.
"For more than ten
years, CDCG and the City of Rensselaer have partnered on tree
planting projects that have provided numerous benefits to the city's
neighborhoods, including cleaner air and water, increased shade,
reduced energy costs, more attractive communities, and increased
property values," says CDCG Program Manager Sharon DiLorenzo.
Not to mention they're
easy to plant, according to the students. After a half-hour of
digging, they lay some mulch, and their new tree is all set.
"It's a lot of fun,"
Manada says with a laugh and smile.
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