PRESS RELEASE – For immediate release 3/3/24
Sustainable Saratoga CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS for 10th year of TREE TOGA event on Saturday, April 27
Media Contact: Beth Plummer; beth@sustainablesaratoga.org
Saratoga Springs, NY – On Saturday, April 27, 2024, Sustainable Saratoga’s Urban Forestry Project will hold its 10th year of TREE TOGA planting event, adding an expected 35 large-growing shade trees to the urban forest.
Volunteer Tree Planters are needed to help plant trees in the community. Volunteers will check in at Pitney Meadows Community Farm at 9:30 AM on April 27 and get a lesson in tree planting before heading off in small teams to their assigned locations across the city. Once the trees are in the ground, Tree Host homeowners and other volunteers provide the care that is critical to tree survival and the success of Sustainable Saratoga’s mission to preserve and expand Saratoga’s urban forest.
“Tree Toga is a true labor of love,” said Sustainable Saratoga Urban Forestry Project Chair Caroline Rothaug. “We appreciate each and every volunteer who helps put small trees in the ground now so that future generations can enjoy tall, strong trees later. We are especially grateful to have the Saratoga Springs Department of Public Works and Pitney Meadows Community Farm as our partners. This April’s Tree Toga will bring the total number of trees planted in the past 10 years to over 400.”
To get involved in this family-friendly community event, sign up at https://sustainablesaratoga.org/tree-toga/
Why plant trees? In addition to providing long lasting beauty, research shows that urban trees enhance retail and restaurant profitability, increase property values, save energy, improve air quality, reduce water pollution, enhance our mental and physical health, and provide wildlife habitat.
Spring is a great time to plant your own tree. If you can’t join TREE TOGA in person, join in spirit by planting a tree in your own yard and sharing a picture on social media with the tag #NextGenTree. Sustainable Saratoga recommends planting a variety of trees native to our local area, as well as a few from the wider region that are adapted to our soils and climate and provide food and shelter for a variety of insects and wildlife. You can find a wealth of practical information on choosing, buying, planting and caring for trees at: https://sustainablesaratoga.org/projects/urban-forestry-project/practical-info-for-tree-planting-care/.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Sustainable Saratoga is a not-for-profit organization that promotes sustainable practices and the protection of natural resources, through education, advocacy and action, for the benefit of current and future generations in the Saratoga Springs area. Since 2008, Sustainable Saratoga has been a leader in promoting awareness of environmental issues and what we as a local community can do to minimize our ecological impact while maintaining a high quality of life.
