2015 Mayor’s Urban Forestry Volunteer Awards

Sponsored by the RNeighborWoods program, the Mayor’s Urban Forestry Volunteer Award was created to recognize amazing citizens, for outstanding contributions to Rochester’s urban forest. This year there are four categories for these awards including adult, youth, business, and organization.

2015 Mayor’s Urban Forestry Volunteer Award Winners

• Individual: Lindsey Meek
• Individual: Nathan Runke
• Family: Angie, Ash, Milan and Amani Gupta. Karen and Edward Cohen.

These awards were presented by Mayor Brede at OAKtoberfest 2015.

Think of how many trees are in Rochester neighborhoods’ boulevards, indirectly and directly because of the time and talents of these award winners. RNeighborWoods was founded in 2004. Since then we’ve planted 6,272 boulevard trees through the teamwork of RNeighborWoods partners and 5,581 hardworking volunteers.

Individual

Lindsey Meek

Lindsey first planted trees with RNeighborWoods in the mud when we planted 1,200 trees in one day on 50th Avenue NW, in the spring of 2012. Although that effort is certainly admirable she is receiving this award because of her ongoing efforts to advocate

for public trees while serving on the Committee on Urban Design and Environment (CUDE) and the City Planning and Zoning Commission. “As an engineer, it is my duty to hold paramount the safety of the public in all designs. The data and evidence is clear that the presence of trees along a street slows down motorists,” said Lindsey. “With speeding a recurrent problem in almost every neighborhood, trees represent and critical piece of safety infrastructure, equal in importance to a stop sign or a pavement marking.”

“Continued public education of the value of street trees and the urban forest is a message that cannot be shared widely enough. More education will lead to passion which will lead to advocacy for additional policies such as an urban forest master plan, which

will include tree replacement requirements for all developments.”

Individual

Nathan Runke

He is a graduate of the Urban Forestry bachelors program at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, Certified Arborist and has been employed by the City of Rochester forestry division since 2006. Nathan has worked with the RNeighborWoods program since the summer of 2006 and has been instrumental in creating procedures to ensure the program is efficient and sustainable. The Neighborhood Tree Grant is a project that he has nurtured and helped form into the successfully streamlined effort it is today.

“Now that I have a child the ability to introduce him to natural areas without driving for hours has been amazing. For a guy that grew up surrounded by fields and wooded areas, to sum it up I feel like Rochester’s urban forest is what makes Rochester a livable city”.

Family

Angie, Ash, Milan and Amani Gupta.

Karen and Edward Cohen.

This extended family of three generations has been helping in our neighborhood tree plantings since the spring of 2012. They proudly wear their tie-dyed planting T-shirts as a group when they go to public places like the Med City Marathon, State Fair or the Renaissance Festival.

Rochester is a great community and part of what makes it great is its tree cover. These trees and forests increase safety, promote walking and biking, reduce the heat island effect, help with storm water management and bring neighbors together,” said Edward Cohen.

“We’re a busy, active family, so it’s important to us to find opportunities where we can all volunteer together while also making a difference,” said Angie Gupta. “After one neighborhood tree planting event Milan confided that it was his favorite volunteer activity ever. The boys also can watch the trees grow as they walk and bike through the neighborhood and feel a since of pride.”

Organization
Silver Creek Corners
Residents of Silver Creek Corners have attended Citizen Forester Trainings, helped in our community tree plantings and spent countless hours helping in the Indian Heights neighborhood park.

“Working with the RNeighborWoods program and the Friends of Indian Heights (FOIH) allows us to give back to the community. It keeps Silver Creek Corner residents active with in the community and gives them meaningful work,” said Chad Ramaker, from Center City Housing. “Their involvement helps to diminish stigma and allows residents to make meaningful relationships with unpaid staff and community volunteers. Trees and parks are a renewable resource we can do something about. It takes a life? me to grow a large tree and pays dividends for the next generation.”

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