Trees are often one of the most neglected and overlooked components of our urban landscape. They beautify our cities, clean our air, and help reduce energy costs by providing shade on hot summer days and acting as windbreaks in winter. Trees improve the look of business and residential areas and can increase property values.

Our Program
Capital District Community Gardens’ program is on the cutting edge of municipal street tree plantings, reflecting the newest research on urban trees coming from Cornell University’s Urban Horticulture Institute. We utilize large bareroot trees in our plantings instead of the traditional balled and burlapped.

The bareroot trees offer many benefits particularly related to ease of planting. This allows us to educate and involve younger planting volunteers, which in turn helps to dramatically reduce vandalism on the newly planted trees. Additionally, the cost of the trees has been cut by more than half allowing us to purchase and plant twice as many trees.

The Trees
Trees face harsh growing conditions in the city, and CDCG works to plant trees especially well suited to an urban environment. Each tree is selected to match site-specific conditions such as limited growth space under utility lines and narrow canopies for sites close to buildings.  CDCG staff will thoroughly assess each potential planting site to ensure that the most appropriate type and size of tree is selected for each site.  We look closely at above and below ground infrastructure, overhead wires, signage, traffic and parking patterns to determine where and what trees to plant.  When possible we work with landowners when a specific type of tree is requested to find a good match.

The Community Helps
Capital District Community Gardens’ tree planting program uses a unique combination of paid professional staff and volunteers to maintain the planting’s affordability and sustainability. Trained volunteer supervisors provide on-site education and assistance to student volunteers who undertake the actual tree plantings. We have found that by including local residents, students and community organizers in our tree planting program, we simultaneously educate a broad cross section of the population on the importance of trees to our urban areas.

Free Trees for Local Residents and Businesses
Any Capital Region municipality interested in our tree planting program should contact our office. Trees make a big difference!

CDCG works with local municipalities (including Cohoes, Rensselaer, Troy and Green Island) to implement a Street Tree Planting Program that plants free trees for interested local residents and businesses.  All you need to do is submit an application for the planting to CDCG and be willing to participate in the ongoing care of the tree.  Attendance at an informational Tree Care meeting prior to the planting is strongly advised.