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.

Street Inventory Analysis and Management Plan

Davey Resource Group conducted a street tree inventory from August to October 2019 and worked with Town staff and the Street Tree Advisory Committee members in 2020 to develop the Street Tree Inventory Analysis and Management Plan.  The Town held a lunch forum in October 2020 and collected public feedback on the plan and incorporated the feedback into the final draft of the plan.  The Town Board accepted the final draft of the plan on November 4, 2020.

Staff, the Street Tree Advisory Committee, and Davey Resource Group held a lunch-hour web forum on October 14 to present the plan, answer questions, and gather feedback.  Watch the video of the meeting to hear the presentation from Davey Resource Group and Question and Answer session.

[Bethlehem Street Tree Inventory Analysis and Management Plan FINAL DRAFT]

Executive Summary - Bethlehem Street Tree Inventory Analysis and Management Plan

Documents

• Resolution # 2020-042 – Resolution Accepting the Bethlehem Street Tree Inventory Analysis and Management Plan as a Guidance Document and Authorizing its Submission to NYSDEC
• Memo from Staff to Town Board; November 20, 2020
• Presentation to Town Board; November 24, 2020
• Lunchtime Forum Presentation; October 14, 2020
• 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 via Zoom
• Last Meeting:  Tuesday, August 25, 2020
• Next Meeting:  TBD
• Most recent agenda

Members

• Gabrielle Sant'Angelo, 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