From WXXI news I'm Jasmine Singer and this is Environmental Connections.

Today's environmental connection was made on June 22nd, 1972.

That was the day Hurricane Agnes pushed Rochester to the edge of disaster.

The storm stalled over Pennsylvania, dumping relentless rain that sent the Genesee River surging through downtown.

Roads were washed out, entire neighborhoods flooded, and the city braced for the worst, if not for the mountains.

Morris Dam, which held back a record 200ft of water.

The destruction would have been far worse.

Even so, the storm left its mark on both Rochester landscape and its approach to flood control.

But here's the thing.

Flooding isn't just a problem of the past.

Far from it.

With climate change rapidly accelerating, flooding is a threat that's only getting worse.

And as Rochester loses more trees to development, the natural barriers that slow down flood waters are disappearing.

Tree roots help absorb excess rain and stabilize soil and prevent dangerous runoff.

Without them, the risk of flooding rises, urban heat increases, and lower income neighborhoods where tree cover is often already sparse faced the worst consequences.

So today we ask, how does the loss of tree cover impact Rochester?

And what can be done to protect our urban forest?

What happens when development reshapes a city often unnoticed while environmental damages accumulate?

And how do we balance modernization and economic growth with sustainability and conservation?

And today's episode will examine deforestation in Monroe County, focusing on Rochester's shrinking green spaces.

The policies driving tree loss, and the efforts to preserve and expand the city's tree canopy.

Joining me in the studio are two experts working to protect and shape Rochester's environmental future.

We have Miguel Melendez, junior, the president of Rochester City Council, who has worked extensively on issues of urban development and community sustainability.

Thank you so much, Mr. Melendez, for joining us.

Thank you for having me.

And Lorna Wright, who is the executive director of the Genesee Land Trust, which works to protect natural spaces and advocate for land conservation across the region.

Lorna, thank you so much for coming back to environmental connections.

Thanks for having me.

Such an important topic, and I'm really grateful that we're going to get to dig into it with both of you today.

Lorna, let's start with the basics.

When we talk about deforestation in an urban context, like Rochester, what exactly does that mean?

So when I think about deforestation in the general Rochester area, I actually go back to over 200 years ago when colonial settlers expanded their need for agricultural lands.

This region was actually heavily forested.

over 200 years ago.

So that's where I go first is that, our our landscape has already been transformed significantly.

So, and actually, we're seeing more forests in the surrounding landscape around Rochester and the other, suburban cores.

we're seeing more trees come back so that is exciting news.

as you know, some of those islands were maybe marginal.

And so they're being allowed to revert back to the natural forest.

and in the city of Rochester, though, when we think about deforestation, you you, cited Hurricane Agnes.

I think about the, ice storm of 1991.

I wasn't even here.

And yet, it's still such a prominent memory in people's minds as to the impacts of that ice storm on all of the trees in the in the region.

and so, yes, there's been, significant efforts to try to replant, and have have those street trees come back and continue to be part of our landscape.

And what would you say are the primary causes of tree loss in the city?

Is it primarily due to development or neglect, disease, other factors?

you know, development is certainly a factor.

but there's also there have also been significant number of natural, and invasive diseases that have come through and impacted the trees of our region, including Dutch elm disease and more, currently, the emerald ash borer.

and, you know, there was a policy for a long time that required that the homeowner be the one to request a tree to be planted in front of their home.

That has been changed.

and so that helps to, allow for anyone to ask for a tree to be placed in front of a home.

Okay.

Well, we'll definitely get more into that.

Into the weeds, as it were.

Miguel, let's turn to you as president of the Rochester City Council.

How do you see the tension between urban development and environmental sustainability?

Yeah, we have to be very thoughtful about the future of our city and our community.

And there's no question that there's, climate change challenges, environmental factors, that will ultimately impact a not only quality of life for the residents that are here, but quality of life for the the trees that exist in our community, as well as, the other, animals that visit.

the birding that comes through our community.

We have a significant amount of locations where, trees play a critical factor in how we embrace life in this community.

And I think from a development standpoint, we have to also be thoughtful about if we do urban development somewhere.

What are we adding to the equation here in terms of the number of trees that we can add to a particular neighborhood?

the city of Rochester is very focused on through our urban forest master plan, which was, initiated in 2023. really trying to get more trees back on tree lawns in our community.

when you think about equity of trees across our community, when we started looking at this deeply, the southeast quadrant of the city had an 84%, rate of having trees and their tree lawns, whereas the northeast had 66%.

Right.

So when you think about equity and thinking forward about neighborhoods that, are more affluent, having more trees than neighborhoods that are struggling a little bit, we have to be thoughtful about where we place and, and how we replenish trees.

And I hear stories all the time of the 1991 ice storm and how that has impact, impact to certain neighborhoods that were beautiful, tree lined streets.

And it's it's taken decades to get some of those trees back.

Wow.

I'm relatively new to Rochester.

I don't know how long it takes for someone to stop saying that.

It's been about three and a half years, and I'm still learning about so many of these sort of, iconic moments, for better or for worse, in the Rochester area.

I have heard of that, though, and I, you know, my neighbors, many of whom have been on my tree lined street for many years, still bring that up.

how much influence mingle does local government actually have when it comes to protecting tree cover, given property rights like private property rights and development pressures?

Yeah, I would say in terms of, what the city of Rochester directly controls.

everything between the sidewalk and the street, we have an opportunity to invest and influence, on private property.

there's maybe a little bit less that we can control.

however, we have been proactive.

when it comes to site plan review for projects that come into our community, you know, the city planning Commission and others, really looking at how are you also adding to and beautifying our community beyond just, doing an urban development, doing a project, a housing project or another, commercial investment and, and site plan review.

There's often conversations about what are you adding to the esthetics and what are you adding to the environment as you consider your development and learn?

I want to turn to you as we continue to sort of lay out the issues here, and then we'll continue to discuss some of the solutions.

But I know that research shows that urban tree loss contributes to higher temperatures.

And as we talked about increased flooding, loss of biodiversity.

Can you explain how each of these plays out in a city like Rochester?

Yeah.

So I think it's pretty well known that trees provide shade, which is fantastic.

especially on the really hot days that we've been having during the summers.

And so when trees provide shade, they also actually provide a way of cooling the air.

They also clean the air by taking in the air and taking some of those pollutants, out of the air.

and same with water.

They actually help to clean the water, by absorbing the water through their root system and holding on to some of those pollutants or simply dispersing them in other ways, so that they're no longer pollutants.

So, trees can play really critical roles in that way by planting a diversity of trees, which, the City of Rochester Forestry Department is very, very proactive about.

it increases the opportunities for wildlife to have, different, different things to eat, different things to, nest in, you know, so by increasing biodiversity, you know, increasing the diversity of trees increases biodiversity just through the trees themselves.

But then also subsequently with, wildlife and the insects and everyone else that lives on them.

and it just makes it more beautiful, too.

I certainly does, but though I know that with climate change on everyone's mind these days, hopefully flooding is a big concern.

And I know that Rochester in western New York is situated pretty, pretty well.

I mean, that's why I moved here.

but let's talk about flooding as it relates to today's topic, how big is the issue and how does deforestation contribute to this?

How does deforestation contribute to this problem?

So, flooding is it's an intermittent issue here in upstate New York.

we don't see it constantly.

We definitely see it in spurts.

And any vegetation is actually really, really beneficial to slowing down the pace of the water as it's entering into our streams.

absorbing it so that it is not just rushing straight into the streams.

and that's really key for being able to reduce the amount of flooding and trees, as you say, at the top of the show.

their root systems really do absorb quite a lot of water, significant amount of water.

And so that also really, if given the time, can really reduce the amount of flooding that can happen.

So but when we have a flash storm, it's a flash storm.

And there's not much that anything can do besides having the open spaces for the water to go so that it's not then impacting our infrastructure and our homes.

If you're just tuning in, I'm Jasmine Singer, this is environmental Connections and we're talking about urban deforestation.

And here in Rochester, you just heard from Lorna Wright, the executive director of the Genesee Land Trust.

We're also being joined by McGowan Melendez, the president of the Rochester City Council.

Lorna is sticking with you for just a moment.

Can you tell us about any initiatives that are in place to mitigate the loss of tree cover in urban areas, and what role the Genesee Land Trust plays in these conservation efforts?

Sure.

so we preserve and protect lands throughout the region.

One of the properties that we actually own and, it's typically open to the public, though it's not right now, is Island Cottage Woods and that's right up on the shores of Lake Ontario.

And so in 2019, when we had record lake levels, I remember, a person came up to me and asked me, like, wasn't I concerned about the impacts to that property on it?

No, that's what it's there for.

It's there to absorb that extra water.

we did have significant tree loss there.

We actually just recently cut down over 500 trees because of emerald ash borer.

but recognizing that was going to happen, we in advance planted over 2000 trees to take their place.

and to continue to have it be forested and to continue that absorption of water.

and the wildlife habitat, because it's a migratory bird, stopover place.

So birds love it, as do birders.

Yeah.

I mean, it's it's definitely something else.

That and the I'm really happy and grateful that both of you are bringing up the animals and the birds because, you know, we're not just talking about humans, but I want to focus on humans for a second.

Miguel.

Some communities, especially lower income areas, have disproportionate lower tree cover.

I want to talk about that.

How does this environmental disparity impact residents?

Yeah, I mean, I think in the middle of winter, people often think about things like the RGA and Bill.

Right.

And when when you get to the summertime, when you have to have the AC running all the time, because it's too hot in your house, a tree could help, reduce the, the heat.

That's, that's in the neighborhood.

And therefore, you would be saving on your, your energy costs and your efficiencies there.

in addition to that, I mean, when you think about residential neighborhoods that do not have trees, there tends to be, higher speeds in terms of traffic, especially when you get closer to the road.

so trees tend to be a traffic calming measure if you're thinking about humans and pedestrians and bicyclists and safety.

when you look at when we plant trees in a neighborhood, one of the things that I want to make sure that I talk about today is when we do those things, we want the neighbors to also protect the tree.

it's critically important.

You know, the city of Rochester can put a tree on a tree lawn, but if the neighborhood, And the residents, don't take ownership of it, there's a chance that that tree may not survive.

and we want these trees to survive.

Right?

These are your tax dollars at work as well as, they contribute to quality of life in your in your neighborhood.

in addition to that, I would say that, we've been trying to address the disparity.

So the city of Rochester, through our, through our master plan as well as in 2024, we had, introductory 155, which authorizes an agreement for, appropriation for a tree expansion, a beautification initiative in the city.

this was a grant that we received from the USDA, and our goal is to have 85% tree stocking in the entire city of Rochester, regardless of quadrant.

and as I mentioned earlier, there's some disparities.

you know, the 66% in the northeast, 76% northwest, 76% southwest, 84% southeast.

So southeast is almost there.

And what we've been aiming to do and pushing to do is bring all of those trees.

the tree stocking up across the city of Rochester so that it's equitably distributed, that you might have more trees in some neighborhoods, and another just because there's more tree lawns.

but the idea is to try to be equitable in terms of our distribution.

Do you see any opposition to tree preservation efforts from developers or even residents?

And if so, what are the biggest points of tension?

I don't see opposition.

I think there's maybe a lack of creativity that we should continue to talk about in this community.

We have much, many vacant land, making vacant lots.

Excuse me?

Vacant lots in our community that I think, you know, what we do with forestry, tends to be limited and close closer to the street, but with the amount of vacant land that we do own as a municipality.

I think there could be more that we do in vacant lots across our city.

I do think that the pause for concern is around once we plant a tree, making sure that there is enough upkeep and maintenance to ensure it survives.

And that is something that I think takes a village, takes everyone in the community.

Certainly the city of Rochester has a role in that.

and, you know, from my vantage point, we've been pretty good stewards of of, maintaining and being on top of trees since we removed that policy, of requiring the resident to request a tree.

forestry does an excellent job of, an inventory of what we have, when it's been planted and what maintenance needs, needs to be, at least proactively on our part to try to, survive the first 2 or 3 years.

I want to talk about the community initiatives, because I can tell you're very passionate about that.

And I want to also bring in our listeners to this conversation.

Please feel free to call in if you're listening to this.

844295 talk.

(844) 295-8255.

Or you can leave a comment as we are streaming on YouTube right now.

But before we do that, Mr. Melendez, when trees are removed for development, are there requirements in place to replace them and are they effective learning?

You might also want to weigh in on this.

Yeah.

I think for for development projects.

I don't want to be, wrong here.

So I'm going to have to take this back and double check.

And maybe there should be a policy related to this.

But, what we tend to do is when a tree is removed for a project, we encourage and and hope that, there will be, replacement trees.

I know that there's been many projects where, a tree had to move for one reason or another in terms of the site plan.

but they then added additional trees on the site to, ensure that we're replacing existing trees.

Lauren, I gave a great example of what the Genesee Land Trust is doing when it comes to, reforestation of existing sites.

I think that the city of Rochester has done a good job of, when there's major, community projects.

I'll use one example, in the area of the, the, International Plaza, which I'm very familiar with.

through my work at I Barrow.

and there was a development project that I, Barrow led, in the Sullivan wholesaler and Capital Street area.

when that project happened, there were some trees that did have to be removed.

And part of that project also included the planting of additional trees in a in a green space that's behind the International Plaza as well as along the street.

when they did the the reconstruction of the street grid, over there.

And so, you know, those are the types of intentional efforts.

If there are, projects that are coming to your communities to be mindful and actually advocate for trees to be planted.

And I I'm I'm certain that the city of Rochester will be your ally in doing that.

Lorna, you want to add to that?

Yeah, I would say, I know that the Forestry Department is actively involved in one of the active reviewers of any, proposals that are coming forward, for development or street redesign.

It is actually a question I have directly asked them, to make sure that trees are being thought about in the process of construction within the within the city.

and another example is along East Main.

that road was recently reading RedOne.

redesigned.

And I saw all the initial trees come down and I went to the Forestry Department, said, what's going on?

What's going to happen?

And and they did come in and replanted, more trees than had been there previously and healthier trees.

So many of the trees that had been there, had come down because of the site design, but also they were not healthy.

And so by having new, healthy trees, it's going to take a while till we feel those the effects of those shade, trees because they're so young.

But it is definitely an improvement already.

Do you know how Rochester compares to other cities in terms of tree loss and urban reforestation efforts?

Like are we falling behind?

Are we leading the way?

I don't know.

I don't keep up on other cities, efforts.

I do know, that all cities and all urban forestry departments across the US are struggling with many of the same issues.

you know, there is a, the tree disparity, is is pretty universal.

and is an impact of redlining.

Definitely.

In some communities, and climate change, invasive pests, the choices of trees have changed over time.

So our forestry plan definitely highlights more native trees, but also really recognizing which trees do well in the sidewalk on roads that are salted, you know, all of those, environmental factors that come in.

So, I really do firmly believe our, our forestry department is active, and learning and talking to others and really, trying to make improvements.

They're excited about making the improvements.

Yeah.

And I'll add, just a footnote here, which is, you know, the city of Rochester has, invested and, allocated resources for 6000 trees to be planted from 2022 up to 2025.

We also have, roughly, 1.5 million per year for the next four years allocated in our capital improvement budget specifically for, forestry, to ensure that we continue that approach of investing in planting.

and then I referenced earlier that we had a grant from the USDA that was another $3 million that we were able to invest in tree planting.

So we are actively pursuing this and pushing for it.

Let's talk about community, Mr. Melendez, because I hear you bringing this up, how can a community sort of rally around the trees in their area and advocate for them?

Yeah.

You know, one of the things that I often see in the community, and I've had to instruct some young people on this, you know, when a new tree gets planted, young kids, like to go and whack the tree a couple times and, and maybe mess with the branches, etc.. You know, kids are being kids.

Kids are being curious in the community.

I think what we have to do is educate our young people about the importance.

Once we plant a tree in the ground, how to nurture the tree, how to protect it.

we want it to really survive the first three years because after that I think it really takes root.

The tree takes root in the neighborhood and it's part of the neighborhood then, and has a higher likelihood of surviving.

So I think that's important.

I do think that also, while we are planting trees at a rapid rate, if there is a neighborhood that is lagging behind for some reason, or if you specifically, as a resident of the city of Rochester, want to add a tree to your tree lawn, do call 311 to request that tree, because the city of Rochester will add you to the list.

We'll get there, you know, in a specific order, but we'll get there when we can.

And, over time, you will be able to have your own tree in the front yard, which will also help.

I think from the community standpoint, you know, everyone in the fall around here worries about raking leaves.

That is a small task for us to do.

in terms of protecting our environment.

So if it means more leaves, I. I live across from the river gorge, so I get all the leaves every year.

raking leaves is a small price to pay to ensure that we protect our environment.

Couldn't agree more.

We're going to go to a break in just a second.

But before we do, Mr. Melendez, any fond memories from growing up about that relate to trees for you?

Like what was your relationship like with them growing up?

Oh, absolutely.

So I was one of those young kids that climbed the tree all too often.

I had a, we had a large tree in my backyard.

and my father and I would, oftentimes, climb it because it was low enough for me to start.

And then he would help me get further and further up the tree as I got older.

So, that to me was a great memory.

living near the river gorge, I spent a lot of time exploring Seneca Park, exploring Seth Green Drive.

There's a lot of great trees in that general area.

being close to the gorge in the northeast.

so for me, I have I have fond memories of family with trees.

I love that and learned a lot about you.

so, yes, I have loved trees from before I can remember.

in many ways, I would escape to the trees, go down to a creek that was tree line to to just get out of the house and play, or like Miguel.

And there were apple trees, on one of the properties where we lived at one point.

And so I, I would go climb the apple trees and sit up there and read a book or draw or something for hours on end, until it was time to come home.

So, yeah, I've always been out wandering in the trees and, and there there's been science to show that actually, just being able to look out a window at a tree is mentally very calming and helpful to individuals.

So, I try to teach my kids to look at the tree.

What do you see?

Oh, I love that.

Well, we're going to take a short break.

When we come back, we'll dive deeper into the impact of tree loss on Rochester's neighborhoods and explore what's being done to protect and expand our urban forest.

We'll also get to your calls and emails, so stay with us.

There's more environmental connections after this.

Coming up in the second hour of environmental Connections, we're taking a closer look at Rochester's disappearing frogs and a local effort to bring them back.

Climate change, habitat destruction and pollution are pushing amphibians toward decline, but a local conservation project is building vernal ponds to restore critical wetlands.

Why do these small bodies of water make such a big impact?

That's ahead.

In the second hour of environmental connections how black architects help shape the modern architecture movement in the United States, but their contributions have long been overlooked.

It's important to save these buildings because of the historical stories they tell, the social stories they tell.

I'm Ailsa Chang.

The effort to highlight the lives and works of black architects in America on All Things Considered, from NPR news.

This afternoon at four.

I'm Jasmine Singer, and you're listening to Environmental Connections today.

We are being joined today by Miguel Melendez, who's the president of the Rochester City Council, and Lorna Wright, executive director of the Genesee Land Trust.

We're talking about urban deforestation in Rochester.

And I know some of you have calls, calls and emails for us.

I encourage you to reach out if you would like.

We'd love to hear from you.

844295 talk.

That's (844) 295-8255.

We're also streaming on YouTube, so shout out to our viewers on YouTube and feel free to add some comment questions right there.

We're going to go to Mary from Rochester.

Mary, thanks so much for calling Environmental Connections.

What's your question?

Okay.

I have a couple of questions and comments.

I'm a resident of the Upper Mount Hope neighborhood near the University of Rochester and Strong Hospital.

And, they are continuing to expand into our neighborhood.

And in doing so, they are paving over a lot of green space.

They removed a whole line of, horse chestnut trees at the corner of Elmwood and Mount Hope Avenue.

And as a result of the removal of those trees, that area has a failure to drain whenever there's any amount of rain or snow melt, causing a lot of mishaps with, you know, just puddling and there's a lot of pedestrians who get splashed and what have you.

Also, you know, wherever they can, they they pave over and they make, parking lots because they really need it, but they don't replace trees and they don't replace any vegetation.

And I'm not sure how we could help them to be better neighbors.

Okay.

Thank you for that.

Hang on the line for just a second.

Lorna, do you want to address that?

I don't, I don't I don't mean to put you on the spot.

That's okay.

yeah.

So I know I've talked with the city occasionally about that specific area.

just more when when it was getting put in, when some of the buildings were being converted.

and I know they went back and forth with the developers for quite a number of times over the trees there.

so I'd say really, you know, probably reaching out to Miguel, or, other city representatives, to, to voice your concerns and see what solutions they might have.

I would guess that actually reaching out to the Monroe County might also be really beneficial, because the streets are frequently, managed more by Monroe County than they are by the city.

Miguel, did you want to address Mary as well?

Yes, Mary.

Thank you for your your insights and your call today.

I think that we need to continually have these conversations and put, some pressure on, our, our partners.

Right.

So, you know, you have our is is a steward and a partner, but also, you know, they have to be accountable to our community and our neighbors as well.

So when these issues arise, I think going back to the drawing board and having discussions about what more can be done, even if it is, digging something up that needs to be, addressed in terms of the amount of paving and concrete that's happening in certain neighborhoods.

to then, replenish the street tree, grid in that specific neighborhood.

we need to have those conversations.

So I certainly will be bringing bringing this back to City Hall and look forward to having some further discussions with you about how we can improve this.

Okay.

I have one more.

Sure.

Go ahead.

On our street years ago, they planted a whole line of sweet gum trees.

They're lovely.

When?

In the fall.

They are really horrible the rest of the year because they drop these, seed pods that are about the size of golf balls.

They're spiky.

They're called gumballs.

They get caught in people's, shoes.

People twist their ankles when walking on the sidewalks because they just coat everything.

our dogs get them caught in their fur.

I'm just wondering, is there a way we can replace those and put in those nice service berry trees that have been going up recently in other neighborhoods?

Lorna, you're getting a lot of empathic nods here.

Mary, just so you know, I, I know Sweet Gums very well myself.

yeah.

So, yeah, you can call 311 and put in, a request to, see about changing out, a couple of those trees.

I will say, you know, the city is not going to want to.

The city's forestry department is not going to want to take down a healthy tree.

but they will definitely, take the information and see how it fits into the overall service plan.

The other, I would say, is kids love to play with them.

So encourage any kids in the neighborhood to come out and play with them and get them off the sidewalks that way.

Oh, clever.

I don't have kids, but I like this idea of kind of having them like kids go play.

And also, can you pick those up while you're doing it?

Lisa from Rochester had also called, but had to had to leave.

She says that she requested that Rochester remove a tree from her corner lot, and, Rochester did remove a tree from her corner lot, and she requested for something to replace it.

But she says the city is unresponsive, so, Miguel, you get to add that to your list of things that you'll be bringing.

Thank you for advocating for, for these folks as well as for the trees.

We have a question from See Why.

See why says it's not just the number of trees or where they're planted.

It's also the species you're planting immature forest 200 years is about the average lifespan of many species, she says, very roughly speaking.

You also have to consider what's underneath those roots that are holding the soil together pipes, electrical lines, etc.. Are those roots shallow?

Is it easy for the tree to tip over in a strong wind?

Is it deep and destroying the underground infrastructure?

So, Lorna, can you speak to that a little bit about these considerations in terms of the types of species that are being planted?

Absolutely.

all of those kinds of conditions, site conditions are absolutely critical when thinking about planting a tree, whether it's in an urban environment or in a natural environment.

every tree species and every tree has its own unique, requirements for where it is, and for what it will do.

so, for example, a willow tree, its roots will find water.

So that is not one to be planting near water pipes.

and so the city forestry department definitely takes all of those factors into consideration.

In fact, the trees that are on its master list, which are part of the urban forest master plan.

Anybody can look at what those species are.

really do take into account many of those factors.

and, and really every time they go out to look to see what can we plant here?

they have in mind those factors.

We do the same when we're planting in natural environments.

We're not going to plant a tree that likes to have really dry roots in a wetland, and vice versa.

We're not going to plant something that really likes to be wet, in an upland or drier area.

So those all have to come into play.

and also think about what else is next to it from other planting perspective.

So if somebody has, other plants in their, in their tree lawn, you know, to think about how will that work with, with the tree that's being planted from species of trees to species of animals lawn.

How does deforestation impact local wildlife?

And are there species in Rochester that are particularly at risk?

so, you know, all birds have their own special interest in which trees they prefer.

same with the insects.

And butterflies and bees.

basically, all wildlife have their preferences.

and so when we have a more diverse urban forest that, that allows for more diversity of wildlife.

There are many other factors that impact our wildlife in the city.

you know, but one of the best things that somebody can do is plant an oak tree that supports a huge, array of insects as well as then birds and other wildlife.

So, if we have to choose, choose.

And oak oaks will take longer, to grow up to be a big, tall tree.

But it is well worth it.

Well, it's worth it because of stories like this.

We just heard from Michael via email.

Michael says this childhood memory just came back to me.

I must have been about eight years old, he says.

My father and I were visiting my aunt, who lived in one of the oldest parts of the city.

They were cutting down trees, and I asked my father why they were doing it.

Because it seemed so stupid to me.

My father tried to explain to me what Dutch Elm disease was, and why it was deadly to elm trees.

My eight year old brain just couldn't grasp how beetles could destroy a tree.

It's true.

I mean, it's a really powerful example of the, you know, the power of not only our environment, but how children must be seeing this.

And you both have children.

Tell me a little bit about their relationship with nature, especially living in an urban area such as Rochester.

Miguel, you started to talk a little bit before about your own childhood.

What about your your kids?

How are they relating to trees these days?

Yeah.

So I am, very close to Seneca Park still to this day.

I actually moved back to the neighborhood I grew up in, about ten years ago now.

so my children are right across the street from the park, and we're able to experience all that is the Genesee River Gorge and Seneca Park and its beauty.

so for me, it's, giving them the same experiences I had as a child, allowing them to understand the importance.

actually, my my daughter was just in a play at, We won't call it a play.

More like a video at her school, where she, was the tree in a play.

and there was a story about, how how important it is to allow trees to grow in our community and what happens and the experiences of young people with trees.

And as the trees get older, them coming down and leaving, leaving a legacy right in our community.

so very much a part of their, their everyday life.

I'm also a Genesee Land Trust board member.

and one of the things that we've been adamant about in the city of Rochester is trying to get, more access not only to the river Gorge, but, really looking at how we can connect our young people in our community to nature.

El Camino Trail was a tremendous asset that we added, to our community about 15 years ago.

I can't believe it's been almost that long.

and along that trail in the middle of an urban neighborhood, there are many, opportunities to connect the trees along that trail.

so I think it's being intentional.

I think it's exposing, people, to the importance of, of trees and what they do for our community and our the psychology of of our people.

and I think for, for my children that's making sure that they understand their, their value and their importance.

Lorena, what about you?

When as your kids are getting older, what are your what are your hopes for the the city that they will inherit, the city that they will be a part of, and what that will look like?

Yeah.

So, I really hope that, this next generation of kids, will grow up with an appreciation for nature, with a recognition that it is important that trees are important and to be treated with respect, and not beaten on, you know, so, for example, in my backyard, we planted a tree a few years ago because we had no shade.

And, so my kids now know that they must be nice to mommy's tree.

or they get a little bit of a scolding.

so they have learned from a very early age to really appreciate the trees, to appreciate what the trees bring for themselves, but also for the wildlife and for, as they say, the community, that it's good for the community, you know, providing clean air, providing oxygen that we need.

you know, keeping the water where it needs to be, keeping the soil where it needs to be.

And so, they are learning constantly and they love to share it with their friends, which is fantastic.

And so I really hope that both the city and the surrounding areas continue to provide that really great landscape for both people and wildlife to thrive.

Are you optimistic that we can get there?

Are there challenges that you're dealing with in your day to day at the Genesee Land Trust that concern you?

I am very optimistic.

just recently we learned that the fisher, which is, a mammal that really needs large, healthy woods to survive, has returned to the area after being, trapped out of the area for the most part.

And so that's a really positive sign to me that we are doing really good work.

We're having the impacts we want to have.

and we just need to continue going forward.

We have and from Farmington on the line.

And thanks so much for calling environmental connections.

Hi.

I'm calling just to push, every spring around Arbor Day, the Sierra Club does a free tree distribution and we obtain just beautiful trees, that we've planted on our property.

They're large saplings.

They're native to New York, to our region.

And they are just beautiful trees for free around Arbor Day.

Wonderful.

So just plug that.

That's a great plug.

Thank you so much.

And then in Charlotte via email says in regards to tree coverage and loss in Rochester, one of the things that consistently bothers me is that trees are usually either cut down and left to decay in the instance of parks, or they're just chopped or chipped up.

Although I'm not sure where those remnants of the tree go, presumably to the landfill.

So he says, or to compost programs, it would seem important from a sustainability standpoint to utilize that lumber.

So my two questions are what does the city actually do with removed trees?

And does the city pursue a way to divert removed trees to commercial usage?

Miguel, do you want to address that?

Yeah, I'll address what I when I know on the spot on this, which is, you know, a lot of the, mulch that you see in the community, the wood chips that give out that the city of Rochester gives out are recycled from, removed trees in terms of parks.

So, I don't know that the city of Rochester, necessarily has a policy related to that.

And I don't know that we leave trees in parks.

I think that sometimes a tree will fall and I'll I'll use Seneca Park as the example.

and it might take some time for that tree to be removed.

and that's something that we, we can certainly push back and look at.

but the city doesn't manage every park in the entire county or the city for that matter.

So those are questions that I can take back.

And I'm not sure if Laura knows more.

I don't know more about the policies, but I will say in a natural setting, allowing the tree to actually remain and decompose on site is really beneficial to the overall, recycling of nutrient and the health of the soils and, and the overall ecosystem.

It actually creates a lot of habitats for different wildlife as well.

So, for example, for example, I can give us that island cottage was where we just cut down 500 trees.

We are leaving them on site to keep those nutrients there in that system, and provide additional habitat for things like woodpeckers and, rodents really love, the hollowed out trees that are on the ground.

So there are benefits actually to leaving the trees in place and not always removing them.

Oh, good to know.

thank you for that question, Ben.

Miguel, how do economic factors like funding for public works or land use regulations play a role in whether trees are preserved or removed?

That's a great question.

I think that oftentimes when, when a project, comes to the city of Rochester or there's an initiative for a new development in the city, there's full consideration for, what is currently existing on a on a site on a vacant lot.

when it comes to, the site plan review process, I know that the city of Rochester is very thorough in making sure that if we are removing trees that, there's, there's a there's a significant reason for it and there's a plan to replenish or replace somewhere within the community.

with that being said, though, I'm certain that there's examples, such as one was given earlier, where, you know, the community has questions about why were these trees removed.

I can't tell you how many times that I've received, phone calls or emails related to Park Avenue in Berkeley recently, where there was a significant amount of trees that were removed, while, a road, reconstruction project was going on.

and I had the same questions, to be honest with you, as, as someone who frequents that area.

you know, and then when you have the conversations internally and I understand from the administration standpoint, the challenges that were happening to the infrastructure beneath the road, and why those specific trees, had to be removed.

while I didn't necessarily love the answer, just from the esthetic standpoint and the contributions to the community, I also understood, that there was some opportunity to replace those trees and do something different there.

but it was it those kinds of things end up being frustrating to the community, especially, in areas where, for decades, they have certain types of trees and mature trees in their community, and they don't want to see them go.

we have an email from David.

why isn't there more of a push to plant the very hardy, resistant, and long lived gingko tree?

Some say it's not native, but actually there are ancient fossils of gingko in North America.

They're excellent urban trees, although only the male version is preferred to avoid the smelly seeds.

Lorna, that is true.

They did that.

They do have smelly seeds.

And the gingko is one of the trees that is listed on the urban forest master plan as being a tree that can be planted.

so I think it depends on how it fits in to the overall, plan for forest for the forestry department to make sure that we have a diversity, because we don't want to see another incidents where, we have only Kinko's, and then there's a disease that comes through and kills the one the the species and decimates our forest.

So, so I know it is.

It is considered it is part of the overall plan.

speaking of the overall plan, Mr. Melendez, I know you mentioned that you're on the board of the Genesee Land Trust.

What role, if any, do partnerships between the city and organizations like the Genesee Land Trust play in protecting green spaces, and are there any new collaborations in the works?

Yeah, there's so it's critical that the city of Rochester relies on partners.

you know, when I think of the work with the Genesee Land Trust and specifically looking at the Genesee River High Falls State Park, that's on the horizon.

the opportunities to ensure that we're producing, the best possible outcomes for all of our, our residents here in the city of Rochester.

it requires conversations, not just with partners and organizations, but with community.

so when we look at things like, the urban forest master plan, there was extensive engagement, for example, in that process.

I would encourage everyone to visit the city's website.

We have a forestry services dashboard on the city's website, and it's really a one stop shop to learn more about the key services that is that are provided by the the Forestry Division.

But also you can see the planting, you can see the fall and the spring planting schedule where the locations are going to be.

And that's informed by the public, that's informed by the community.

people's requests for from three on one will be up there, as well as the city's distribution plan will be up there.

So, it is really intentional work that we have to continue to do.

I think that as we look forward in the future with what we can do with vacant land in our community, we need to have a much more robust community conversations.

I know Council Member Monroe, is working on some projects in vacant lots in the northwest, that she really wants to do more around tree plantings in her community.

So I think that these are all important things that we can continue to do.

Looking ahead, Miguel, what do you see as the most urgent action needed to protect Rochester's urban forest?

I think it's a, holistic approach where everyone, understands first and understands the importance of it.

when we, plant trees in the community that every resident takes part in protecting the trees that we do plant and then, be watchdogs.

Frankly, you know, some of the concerns I've heard around, development projects, just on this call today.

those concerns need to be raised and loudly raised when those projects come before City council.

So I'm encouraging everyone to pack council chambers if there is a project that is concerning, with respect to trees and any other issues that you may see, so that we are aware as well and could be good stewards of of city tax dollars and make sure that we are doing our best to, be watchdogs on the environment.

Lorna, if there was one policy change that could make the biggest difference in protecting Rochester's tree cover, what would it be?

Oh, I don't know if there was one thing that you could do with your magic wand, which I'm sure you have, because you get a lot of work done.

If there was one mindset you could change, if there was 1 or 1 action that either residents or or politicians could take, what would it be?

So I think, the mindset change that I would love to see and I think is is happening in places, is to remove the fear about having a tree next to your house.

you know that that it is a beautiful thing.

It brings many benefits.

Yes.

There are things to keep an eye on, to make sure that a tree doesn't fall in your house, but that is a very rare thing to happen.

And so to remove that fear and know that, the tree brings much more benefit to you than it does, concern or challenge.

And if you do have a fear or concern to ask somebody who knows, or who can help direct you in the right place, to the right place to get an answer.

because frequently those fears are, can be mitigated and addressed.

So that would be the one thing if I could, jump in on that question.

I think the, the magic wand for me would, would also be, to look at what more we can do in terms of our vacant land and create opportunities for apple orchards in our city or other types of options for fruit trees to exist.

I know that there's some question about contamination, and you know whether or not that is passed along through the trees, to the fruit, to the human.

But I think we need to explore these options, really look at what the research says and, find more ways to get fresh fruits and vegetables in our community.

well, I'm all for that.

And, Lorna, I just want to circle back to something you said earlier regarding research on the mental health benefits.

Mental health is, of course, a huge topic these days, for, for a variety of reasons.

And I guess I want to ask you, do you want to see that being a bigger part of the conversation, the way trees improve mental and physical health for residents?

I think it's critical that that that mental health be part of the conversation around, natural spaces in general.

So trees, water meadows, all of it impacts, our mental health.

we saw it during Covid and we continue to see it now that when people can get outside, breathe some fresh air, even just look at a tree or watch a bird, our mental health improves.

And so we should be paying attention to that and taking full advantage.

I love that, and if you're listening to this and thank you for listening.

You heard Miguel and Lorna talk about their own childhood memories of trees.

And I encourage you, listeners and viewers, to think about your own relationship to trees.

Growing up, I, I'm fairly certain something will come to mind.

And that really speaks to the power of what we're talking about today.

So I want to thank my guests, Miguel Melendez and Lorna Wright, for their insights today.

And special thanks to Chloe Milliman for her contributions to today's discussion.

And thank you to all of our listeners joining us, all of our viewers on YouTube from WXXI news, I'm Jasmine Singer.

Thanks for making today's environmental connections.

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