April 29, 2003

Contact: Ian Michaels (718) 595-6600

Upstate And Downstate High School Students Join Together To Plant Over 100 Trees In Watershed Protection Project

Will Create Streamside Buffer in Woodstock, NY

Commissioner Christopher O. Ward of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection announced today that 35 high school students from upstate and downstate will join forces this Wednesday to create a streamside buffer zone next to an important water source in the City’s watershed.

Students from Samuel Gompers HS in the Bronx will work with students from Margaretville Central School and South Kortright Central School to plant over 100 trees on a piece of land owned by the DEP adjacent to the Beaver Kill in the town of Woodstock. The Beaver Kill flows into the Esopus Creek, which in turn flows into the Ashokan Reservoir, a key part of the City’s Catskill water system.

“The re-establishment of healthy streamside vegetation in the watershed is vital for long-term water quality protection,” said Commissioner Ward. “The vegetation filters road runoff and stabilizes the streambank to limit erosion. The leaves from the trees will also provide food for the macroinvertebrates and insects that are consumed by trout and other fish in Catskill streams.

“I’m glad that young people from the different regions are able to get together to build long-term solutions to protect our water quality,” Ward said.

SUNY Delhi and DEP AmeriCorps members will provide for site preparation, including the careful removal of the invasive Japanese Barberry species. After the site is prepared, the students will plant native trees and shrubs, including Green Ash, Boxelder, Speckled Alder and Swamp Rose from approximately 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.

Funding for the educational planting project was provided by the Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC) Forestry Program and the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC), in partnership with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. DEP helps to fund the CWC, the Watershed Agricultural Council and other programs in the watershed that benefit both the community and drinking water quality.