Complete Trees

Damn shame

I was a Spot Coffee on Hertel this morning thinking the same thing.

Like many of the city's streets, Hertel suffers from too much asphalt and concrete. It wasn't' that long ago that Hertel was redone, but it still doesn't have many trees.

Yeah, that's kind of a bad job. A little landscaping would go a long way. However, is there any possibility that they didn't plant trees along the sidewalk because they'd be too close to the building? Or once the trees grow larger that roots would damage the building, being so close?

Agree 100%. Trees also would add so much more to the tansit mall than cars will...

Want to see a nice street with trees:

http://archive.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/071118/greening.shtml

A Complete Trees program would undoubtedly be ignored just like the Complete Streets program is being ignored (or at least every loop-hole would be used to get around actually following it)

So how do we get the city to take tree-planting and maintenance seriously?

Each neighborhood commercial district should lobby for trees. And make sure they get them.

One of the problems at this location is that the wide sidewalk in front of that building is used regularly as a parking lot. People just blithely drive up any old way, including nearly hitting pedestrians who are walking in front of the building, as if it's their fault that they didn't get out of the way. People park right in the middle of that wide sidewalk with vans, so that there really isn't space to walk by on either side, so you're forced into the street.

I have no idea why there's no enforcement of this problem. One evening there were 2 vehicles parked w/no way through, and someone in a wheelchair had to go into the street to get around. Well, the "corner" where Allen becomes Wadsworth is more like a blind curve where sometimes drivers don't even slow down. So the person in the wheelchair was nearly hit by one of those drivers. I called 911 about the vans, with the plate numbers, and 911 WANTED TO CONNECT ME TO PARKING ENFORCEMENT. I had to tell them in detail about the person who was nearly hit to convince them that there was a public safety issue happening RIGHT THEN that they needed to get into the dispatch queue.

It's also not unusual, especially on weekends, to see that sidewalk used as loading/unloading zones by musicians with gigs at one of the clubs on the Allen/Wadsworth bend.

I have to believe that the good folks of the Allentown Association field a lot of complaints about this situation. Perhaps one of them will weigh in.

This is a no brainer.

Who allowed this?

Until people, officials, etc, see trees in the Urban environment as the INFRASTRUCTURE they are, there is little to change the current disregard of plants in the environment. I have said over and over that plants in the urban realm add significant ecosystem services such as decreasing temperatures, filtering pollutants, storm water management, etc. They are part of the infrastructure of the city and do more work to aid the city than given any credit for. These spaces need to stop being seen as aesthetic enhancements that need weeding and watering, these are living systems that need management. Just as our roads and sewers have management teams, the urban canopy needs a management team that is educated in horticulture and ecosystem services. Trees in front of this building should have been a given and not an option, and the care for them should be a given not a luxury.

Honest question: Is there anything this administration can say it does well? Utter fail.

one would think that trees would be the easiest thing any leader in the city of buffalo could champion.

Buffalo is part of the great eastern and midwestern temperate forest. We used to be a temperate rainforest except that the growth of farms, cities and suburbs ended it.

Id say, aside from individual ower/residents planting tree's themselves...we just continue the ReTree Buffalo that is (STILL) replacing trees from the October Storm until every property has a tree in front of it.

Buffalo needs new/progressive leadership. Period.

I own 4 St Johns Place which is on the corner of Wadsworth. Dan and Holly my wonderful neighbors and myself planted 9 trees on Wadsworth last fall, several of which have been snapped in 2 by the Drunks from Allen Street on any given night! There were trees planted several times in those openings and the so called educated Hipsters get a cocktail in them and snap they go! while they're dumping so much garbage you wouldn't believe. When asking the Police to patrol the area at night I was told "It was too dangerous to be out at that hour, we have a patrol car on Allen some times!" I have seen it very rarely and I've seen drugs delt right in front of them when they are there. One so called officer even told me "we have 43 police on in the day and 8 at night for this district and I have work for 24 years and I am entitled to work the day shift!" I looked him in the eye and said "NO your not" and that is why we have these vandals running a Muck! When we have Unions dictate what is the time our employees work, we get Anarchy, the police chef in the city is unable to manage his staff he should be gone! Also the lighting on Allen makes a "Jack the Riper Movie Setting" which the businesses seem not to care, as when they close their doors at 5pm off goes the lights, if they even put them up or on at all.

Yes, more new trees should be planted with decretive Iron guards and fencing to keep out the educated Hipsters!

Unrelated, but living nearby I walk past often... if you go by take notice of the windows: the windows on the upper floors are all covered with security bars; however only a few of the ground floor windows are. Makes sense...

Maybe they were anticipating trees being planted and burglars climbing those trees in 48 years to the upper floors.

Once again a building in a decent Buffalo neighborhood owned by a crummy landlord who wsnts to squeeze as much cash out of the building as possible. Im sure if someone decent owned it they'd take care of the building as well as sidewalk in front.

A lot of business owners don't like trees because they obscure signage. So developers looking to lease out storefronts will avoid planting trees if they can. It's really up to the city to make trees a priority and establish canopy zones where all businesses have to "suffer from those horrible, wretched trees". And please, for God's sake, quit with the Maples!

Yesterday coming home (Arlington park)I noticed on tree on the corner of Arlington and Wadsworth torn out and laying on the ground. I don't know if it was vandals or the guys doing the sidewalks but it is ridiculous. The trees cost money, beautify the neighborhood and give a quality of life to the neighborhood. They should be protected and taken care of.

Also, @timatbuffalo, when I walk my dog on the St Johns side I have to scan ahead for needles thrown along the fencing of the apartment parking lot.

Buffalo will never again have a decent number of street trees, unless its people are EDUCATED to UNDERSTAND that trees are good and beautiful and helpful and need to be NURTURED (watered). The only 2 decent street trees on my block are the ones within reach of my garden hose.

ReTree is a noble effort, but it is largely a failure - I see a 50% death rate of the trees they have planted. Let's not even discuss the ignorance/stupidity/laziness of the business owners who won't give a couple buckets of water each day to the tree which could beautify their stores.

Gosh, just think - maybe if the City of Buffalo showed some kind of interest in its own beauty, we would have trees being planted everywhere they'd thrive. Maybe we'd have trees being pruned (not hacked) and sprayed when needed. Maybe we'd have a place where people want to live, instead of wanting to flee.

NYC's plan: "For the next 10 years, the city will plant 23,000 trees each year along city streets, to reach a goal of having a tree in "every single place where it is possible to plant a street tree." Buffalo's plan: Nothing. Just nothing. Pathetic.

Let there be trees!

If not, let there be some color. I'm stretching . . . perhaps the large blocks could be a multi-colored cement "carpet" or given other decorative uplift. (Don't know if that would be prohibited by a City code.)

If preceding are thumbs-down, call the chalk artists for at least a temporary spark.

maybe a concerted 'adopt-a-tree' program like adopt-a-highway? you get to plant a little sign in the ground for tending to the tree in front of your business?

i know, it should be a no-brainer that shopkeepers would take care of them anyway, but for small business owners, working for yourself often means 70-80 hour weeks, so i'm not inclined to fling around charges of laziness.

the people in that building could care less about the neighborhood- even if you planted 20 trees, I bet not a single resident would come out and water them. That building should be converted into first floor retail and high end apartments on the upper levels. It's a disgrace in its current state.

As for the Puritain and the Antique Man buildings- funny how the Allentown Association will harass homeowners about petty items like glass block basement windows and vinyl windows, but continues to turn a blind eye to this obvious blight.

"Yesterday coming home (Arlington park)I noticed on tree on the corner of Arlington and Wadsworth torn out and laying on the ground. I don't know if it was vandals or the guys doing the sidewalks but it is ridiculous. "

That was our neighbor's gingko tree you saw. It was struck by a car on Sunday night/Monday morning and either that's where it ended up or it was uprooted and thrown there at some point after. At the same time, someone stole the dogwood tree from our front yard. The next evening we found it planted in the hole left by the gingko. I have no idea why.

It was Dan who rescued the gingko and is keeping it alive. The dogwood is dying in its current spot. Tonight both trees will be replanted in their appropriate spots and properly supported. Hopefully they will recover.

I will add that they guys who did the sidewalks were very courteous and careful with our properties. Unfortunately the residents were given no notice about the sidewalks. The survey was done Sunday afternoon and by Monday afternoon they were pouring concrete. Had there been some notice, the prior plan that had been made with the city forester to put tree wells on that section of Wadsworth might have been communicated to the contractor.

"Yesterday coming home (Arlington park)I noticed on tree on the corner of Arlington and Wadsworth torn out and laying on the ground. I don't know if it was vandals or the guys doing the sidewalks but it is ridiculous. "

That was our neighbor's gingko tree you saw. It was struck by a car on Sunday night/Monday morning and either that's where it ended up or it was uprooted and thrown there at some point after. At the same time, someone stole the dogwood tree from our front yard. The next evening we found it planted in the hole left by the gingko. I have no idea why.

It was Dan who rescued the gingko and is keeping it alive. The dogwood is dying in its current spot. Tonight both trees will be replanted in their appropriate spots and properly supported. Hopefully they will recover.

I will add that they guys who did the sidewalks were very courteous and careful with our properties. Unfortunately the residents were given no notice about the sidewalks. The survey was done Sunday afternoon and by Monday afternoon they were pouring concrete. Had there been some notice, the prior plan that had been made with the city forester to put tree wells on that section of Wadsworth might have been communicated to the contractor.