ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Six thousand new trees are part of the City of Rochester's updated draft to its Urban Forest Master Plan. The effort includes help from tree ambassadors for a more hands-on community approach.

What You Need To Know

  •  Rochester's Urban Forest Master Plan will incorporate community input and city resident tree ambassadors

  •  Three thousand new trees have been planted so far

  • The city is hosting a series of public meetings to discuss the draft Urban Forest Master Plan Update and gather public feedback on the recommendations contained in the draft

Every city has some version of an urban canopy. Rochester wants more trees, specifically in the some of its poorest neighborhoods. Andrew Place heads up Rochester's Forestry Division. His staff manages, cares and maintains more than 66,000 public trees located along city streets, city parks and cemeteries. 

"We understand the importance of native species," said Place. "We move trees, we trim trees, grind stumps and we water trees and everything else in between. We respond to storm events, but our big initiative is the tree planting."

He says the city's Forest Master Plan hadn't been updated since 2012, so they are making some changes. They're already started to fill in the gaps and planting trees where there were none. 

"Part of it is infrastructure and some of it is that some area's of the city may have streets that are more conducive to planting trees than others. What I can say is that we are working to address it," said Place.

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans wants underserved neighborhoods to enjoy an urban canopy like the ones that blanket Rochester's more affluent neighborhoods.

The city is getting some help from community six, paid tree ambassadors who live in Rochester. They are going door to go door to talk to residents about the benefits of adding trees in their neighborhoods and they are of course digging in to help plant thousands of trees. 

"Trees provide a variety of benefits as we all know," said Place. "They provide shade, filter air pollutants and they intercept stormwater. There are a myriad of benefits and we are doing our best to ensure that the entire community has access to those benefits."

The goal is to plant 6,000 new trees, they're about halfway there and will finish up this part of the forest plan by next spring. 

The updated plan will incorporate community input.  The update will describe the City's forestry initiatives to address issues such as environmental justice, climate change, and educational opportunities. 

The City of Rochester is hosting a series of public meetings to discuss the draft of the Urban Forest Master Plan Update to gather public feedback. The next two meetings are scheduled for Monday, May 6 at 6 p.m. at the Arnett Branch Library at 310 Arnett Blvd. and Tuesday, May 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Children’s School of Rochester #15 in the gym at 85 Hillside Ave.