Grant will help more trees grow in region

By Mary Therese Biebel mbiebel@timesleader.comFeatures Writer

Northeastern Pennsylvania will soon be 1,000 trees greener, thanks to a $300,000 PennVEST grant awarded to the Urban Forestry Council of Pennsylvania.

The trees count as infrastructure improvements – similar to road or sewer repairs – because they will be planted along paved roads and parking lots where they will reduce storm water runoff and pollution, urban forester Vinny Cotrone said,

“It’s great they’re seeing trees as part of the infrastructure,” said Cotrone, a Council member who helped write the grant.

“I just wish we had a little more time,” he said Thursday afternoon, explaining tree-planting bids must be solicited this month so planting can begin this autumn.

Since the money comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Cotrone said, “This is about creating jobs.”

The first step is to find 1,000 sites for new trees in Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming counties.

“We’re working with municipalities that have Shade Tree Commissions, because we want the trees to be cared for and protected,” Cotrone said.

Malcolm Barber from the Wilkes-Barre Shade Tree Commission spent much of Thursday looking for tree sites, and reported by early afternoon he’d located more than 200 spots along city streets and in parks.

Finding an appropriate tree for each site is important, Cotrone said. Along a busy street, for example, sycamores are hardy enough to withstand road salt. Maples and oaks grow best in areas with lots of room. Overhead power lines are a reason to choose low-growing, flowering trees.

In other green news, some local municipalities have recently learned they will receive grants for tree planting from Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

While Wilkes-Barre’s TreeVitalize grant will be used to plant trees at Coal Street Park, Kingston’s $10,000 TreeVitalize grant will be used for trees in front of people’s homes. To request a tree, Kingston residents should call 288-4576, ext. 112.