2020 Spring Neighborhood Tree Grant Now Available – Cancelled

All spring 2020 RNeighborWoods tree planting events are cancelled due to the COVID-19 virus including the Neighborhood Tree Grant, Citizen Forester Training, and Community Tree Planting. It is our hope that fall events will take place. We’ll need all of your help to ensure trees purchased for 2020 get planted in Rochester neighborhood boulevards.

Photo: In Spring of 2019, the RNeighborWoods team helped the Lowertown Neighbors plant 25 trees as winners of the Neighborhood Tree Grant.

Trees make good neighbors.

Since its creation in 2004, RNeighborWoods has organized 7,207 volunteers to plant 7,907 trees on Rochester boulevards. These trees provide multiple ecological and other public benefits including reducing Rochester’s carbon footprint. Rochester’s urban forest includes 41,177 public trees on neighborhood boulevards and parks. In one year 33,100 lbs of pollutants were removed from the air and $719.284 in stormwater benefits were achieved thanks to these trees. Here’s an info-graphic with more fun figures.

The City of Rochester and RNeighbors is once again offering a grant for a winning neighborhood to receive 25 free boulevard trees.

Twenty-five trees will all be awarded to a neighborhood that wants to pitch in and help get the trees in the ground! For every volunteer over 14 that shows up to help plant trees, the neighborhood will receive 1 free tree, up to 25 trees.

Now tell us your story and make a case for why your neighborhood is deserving of this leafy grant. Eligible neighborhoods must be either a registered Neighborhood Association in Rochester or willing to hear about the benefits of organizing into an Association.

Applications can be filled out online and will be accepted through Wednesday, March 18, at 5 pm.

Neighborhoods will need to work with their neighbors to determine appropriate tree locations with final approval from City Forestry. Over ten different tree varieties available have been selected by the City Forestry Department in an ongoing effort to diversify Rochester’s urban tree canopy. For spaces under power lines, the appropriate variety will be chosen that will not need to be cut back.

Click here for a document that can help you in organizing your neighborhood for the Neighborhood Tree Grant.

How it Works

• At least 20 neighbors and one Citizen Forester will be available to help with the planting. RNeighborWoods will oversee the planting.
• There must be a core planning group of four neighbors who commit to taking an active role in the planting planning.
• Once the grant is received the core planning group from each neighborhood will work with neighbors to determine locations for each tree.
• The core planning group will meet with some of the RNeighborWoods team to go over steps needed for the planting.
• Planting date must take place on Saturday, May 2, 9 am (rain or shine).
• Neighbors will commit to watering the trees for a full year.
• Boulevard tree recipients must understand that there are times when trees do not survive. There will not be replacement trees for trees that die. The Park and Recreation Forestry department is responsible for all maintenance and removal after the trees are planted. Keep in mind some tree types can take several years to establish and begin to grow.

The purpose of the RNeighborWoods Tree grant is to encourage the planting of trees on neighborhood boulevards and the interaction of neighbors. RNeighborWoods recognizes the importance and value of trees in Rochester neighborhoods. Trees provide numerous environmental benefits such as lower crime, cleaner air, energy savings, more public revenue, higher property values, and more efficient stormwater management.

The RNeighborWoods committee will evaluate applications and make decisions at a meeting. Winners will be communicated with by Friday, March 27, 2020. Fill out your application today!

Check out RNeighbors on Facebook and see fun photos from past tree planting activities.

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