Street Tree Advisory Committee

Committee

In 2018, the Town of Bethlehem was awarded an Urban and Community Forestry Grant by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. NYSDEC’s Urban and Community Forestry Grants Program helps communities develop and implement comprehensive tree planting, management, maintenance, and education to create healthy forests while enhancing quality of life for residents. The award from NYSDEC of $35,000 allowed the Town to hire a professional consultant to complete a town street tree inventory and a community forest management plan. The Street Tree Advisory Committee appointed at the March 27, 2019 Town Board provides guidance to town staff and the selected consultant during the process.

Project Status

Davey Resource Group conducted the inventory from August to October 2019 and processed the iTree inventory report in early November 2019. Davey Resource Group then attended a Street Tree Advisory Committee meeting in December 2019 to discuss the inventory findings and committee aspirations for the management plan. Davey Resource Group is currently working on a first draft of the management plan using information from the inventory, Town staff, as well as guidance from the Street Tree Advisory Committee. Staff, the committee, and DRG will be reaching out to community members to share the inventory findings and gather input during development of the management plan.

Documents

Memo from Staff to Town Board; March 6, 2020
Presentation to Town Board; March 12, 2020
Street Tree Inventory Narrative Report
Street Tree Inventory Map* https://townofbethlehemny.treekeepersoftware.com/

*Please note that the locations on this map are not survey-grade and are not an official Town determination of presence within public right-of-way.

Request for Proposals: Street Tree Inventory and Community Forestry Management Plan
Update: Revised to correct typo in cost estimate table (tier threshold changed from 4501 to 4001 for consistency.

Grant Presentation to February 13, 2019 Town Board

Regular Meetings

  • Meets as necessary at Town Hall
  • Last Meeting:  Thursday, December 11, 2019
  • Next Meeting:  TBD
  • Most recent agenda

Members

  • Lauren Axford, Pine Hollow Arboretum
  • Bonnie Fahey, Community Member
  • David Kvam, Community Member
  • Scott Lewendon, Landscape Architect
  • Carolyn Steadman, Bethlehem Garden Club
  • Alison Yovine, Landscape Architect

Town Representatives

  • Robert Leslie, AICP, Director of Planning
  • Nate Owens, Senior Planner
  • Marc Dorsey, Superintendent of Highways
  • Pete Schmidt, Highway Foreman
  • Robin Nagengast, Street Tree Program Coordinator