Community Corner
Ocker Requesting $165K For Tree Replacement
Funding would be used to replace about 300 trees this fall and another 300 next fall.
Kevin Ocker is requesting $165,000 to replace 600 trees, the majority of which fell during Superstorm Sandy.
He is hoping to replace 300 trees this fall and another 300 next fall. "In an effort to help with a very tight budget we are deferring and suggesting doing it over two years," he said.
Of its extensive 16,000 tree inventory, the village lost 516 "mature, beautiful specimens" as a result of the storm, the majority of which were oak. Sixty village-owned trees landed on homes.
Ocker points out that some residents do not want replacement trees while others would like the remaining healthy trees removed.
Though the replacement plan is not yet complete, Ocker said his department continues to work with graduate students from Cornell.
Right after the storm, village administrator Robert Schoelle reached out to three universities to invite students in the landscape architecture program to use the village as their "palette" so to speak to help Garden City with re-planting efforts following Sandy's widespread damage. Incidentally both Ocker and village arborist Mike Didyk are Cornell grads.
Students are helping the village with different aspects of the re-planting process, including species selection.
"I would think it would be reasonable to replace trees throughout all streets in the village during the planting season; this is not necessarily a start in the east and work toward the west plan," Ocker said.
The "Street and Park Tree Management Plan" will be finalized in the next several months with a completely updated inventory and list of suggested new varieties of trees to plant and a review of existing codes for the removal of trees, Ocker added.
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