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Hudson River Estuary's "Trees for Tribs" Program Provides Spring Brook Condo Residents with a Potential Solution to Chronic Run-off Flooding
 | | Spring Brook residents Helen Dobbins (left) and Betty Green help with the installation of a tree tube |
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The constantly overflowing brook running through the Spring Brook Condominium complex, 63 units located down the hill from the 9D ball fields, has been a major problem for the residents and the Village of Cold Spring alike. Now, thanks to a new Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Hudson River Estuary program, "Trees for Tribs," which has been designed to reforest unhealthy stream buffers along tributaries (a.k.a. "tribs") in the Hudson River Estuary watershed, there may finally be an end in sight to the surging waters.
On Friday, October 31, Kevin Grieser, the Estuary Program Stream Buffer Coordinator, dug holes for 21 trees and 76 shrubs with his Bobcat-Mini-Skid- Steer. On Saturday afternoon Kevin was back with the same number of trees and bushes - a wide variety of many species. Immediately, members of the Spring Brook Board Managers: Ed Cook, Greg Cautero, Ann Marie Kaplan, Betty Green, Fran O'Toole, her husband and son, Helen Dobbins, and Dan McVey started planting.
Stream buffers conserve areas adjacent to streams and rivers. When functioning properly, they serve as a vegetated, protective area between a body of water and human activity.
The Spring Brook residents are hopeful that this is the answer to the problem. The brook edge was coming up to the sidewalk at their front doors and a solution has long proved elusive.
"Trees for Tribs" is a program developed to reforest unhealthy stream buffers along tributaries. A healthy buffer has many different species of native trees, shrubs and grasses with minimal encroachment and human disturbance. Projects occur in both the spring and fall. Participants must submit an application and provide volunteer labor for planting and annual vegetation monitoring.
Spring Brook Condominium owner Greg Cautero, who isVice President of the Condominium's Board of Managers, made the initial contact with the program and his persistence paid off, as Spring Brook was chosen to participate.
"Trees for Tribs" staff will conduct a site analysis; provide free native trees and shrubs, as well as tree tubes and weed mats for tree protection; prepare the site (if feasible); coordinate and participate in the planting, and provide other technical assistance. Staff also makes presentations and provides guidance for community planning.
For more information about stream buffers and the "Trees for Tribs" program, contact Coordinator Kevin Grieser at 845-256-3145 or kagriese@gw.dec.state.ny.us.
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