Buffalo’s fall planting blitz is free and saves your back, too.
By Lauren Newkirk Maynard
Helped by an $8 million U.S. Forest Service grant, the City of Buffalo continues efforts to rebuild its tree canopy this fall. Residents are encouraged to request trees for their properties, especially in neighborhoods that need them.
The grant, which provides the trees, planting and maintenance at no cost, covers the entire city and prioritizes most of the East Side and parts of Riverside, the West Side, and South Buffalo, where up to 60 percent of street tree sites are vacant.
Trees will be planted on the “hellstrip,” or space between the sidewalk and the curb. Neighborhoods with lower tree canopy will also receive trees on medians and in front of schools and other public buildings.
The planting is conducted by city crews as part of the Buffalo Street Trees (BST) program, an initiative of Buffalo’s Department of Parks and Recreation with support by the University at Buffalo’s Regional Institute.
Ehler Htoo, an associate planner at the Regional Institute, leads BST’s community engagement, outreach, and education efforts.
“We are looking for help to improve tree equity in Buffalo,” Htoo says. Trees can boost quality of life in urban areas by providing cooling shade, cleaning the air, and providing erosion control.
According to Buffalo Street Trees, green, cared-for streets also signal community investment. Well-maintained street trees are linked to lower rates of certain crimes. For example, in Baltimore, a 10 percent increase in tree canopy was associated with about a 12 percent drop in crime.
Homeowners and renters can request a free street tree by calling Buffalo’s 311 helpline or via the online 311 portal. Once a request is made, the city will assess the location, select an appropriate species, plant it, and provide basic maintenance for the tree’s first year. BST provides residents with tips on care and maintenance.
Htoo says the goal this fall is to plant 900 trees. Around 250 were already in the ground as of late October, and about 400 more are still looking for homes.
“We had a busy summer, and fall usually slows down a bit, but we do have a few more events coming up for getting information out and trees planted,” she says.
Get involved
Don’t need a tree, but want to help? You can share BST’s tree-request information (like this article) or organize a neighborhood block petition for a block-wide planting.
The BST team can also come speak at block club and garden society meetings, and tree lovers are invited to join the brand-new Ambassador program, which began sending volunteers into the community this summer to share the benefits of trees and how to care for them in an urban environment.
Mary Simpson, a longtime Days Park resident and part of the first Ambassadors cohort, says she joined the program to spark joy for herself and others. She volunteers at tabling events and tries to talk to people and share urban tree planting events on social media. “When I talk to people about trees, what I’m learning is that everyone has a relationship with them, good or bad… a particular tree or memory about a tree.”
“It’s great that the city has recognized how deficit the East Side is in green canopy, and that it’s targeted where trees can make a difference,” she adds.
Applications for the 2027 Street Trees Ambassador cohort close November 15. Apply here.
Learn more at these upcoming events:
- East Side Stewards will hold a free tree giveaway event featuring information from Buffalo Street Trees on November 7, 9 a.m.-1 p.m at CS53 Community Garden, 91 Winslow Ave. They need people to help plant over 40 trees. Sign up here.
- Meet the BST team and request a tree at the Seneca Babcock Community block club meeting on Nov. 4 and Christmas in Kaisertown on Dec. 4.
BST’s website also has information about several other local tree-planting resources, including Re-Tree WNY, The Tool Library, Olmsted Parks Conservancy, and Cornell’s WNY CommuniTREE Steward program.
Lauren Newkirk Maynard is editor of Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com and planted a gingko on her hellstrip with help from Re-Tree WNY.
