With all of the tree planting efforts going on around the city, even Mayor Brown is getting in on the act. A second grade class from Nardin Academy wrote to the Mayor on Earth Day, urging him to take certain steps to help improve the environment. The letter follows:
Dear Mayor Brown,
We, the boys and girls of the Second Grade, think you are doing a good job as mayor.
We are concerned about our earth. Here are some ideas we would like you to work on.
1. Clean our streets
2. Have factories and businesses use better, cleaner ways of doing business
3. Plant new trees
4. Encourage people, by making a speech, to give away or sell items they might usually throw away
5. Stop the use of chemical insecticides and chemical fertilizers
Thank you for listening to our concerns.
Sincerely yours,
The Second Grade Class of Nardin Academy
Chloe Celani, Ben Portman, Caroline Smith, Teddy Schenk, Elizabeth Galbo, Cecelia Bushway, Paul Koessler, Kiera Callahan, Sarah Paladino, Flora Adams, Connor McCartney, Victoria Bogucki, Tom Colucci, Coaty Ostendorf, Jacqueline Schanzlin, Zachary Berzon, MacKenzie Beck, Taylor LoDestro, Brooke Weir, Clare Scully, Samuel Capizzi.
It is believed that 85 percent of the city’s estimated 65,000 trees were damaged in the October 2006 storm and around 7,400 trees were lost entirely. In an effort to show his dedication to planting new trees, Mayor Brown, the second grade class, and their teachers, Mrs. Susan Flak, Mrs. Susan Ostroff, and Ms. Terri Haim; all partook in planting an Ornamental Plum tree.
The Mayor even presented a plaque reading: To celebrate our city's natural environment and continue the reforestation of Buffalo following the 2006 October Surprise Storm, Mayor Byron W. Brown and the Nardin Academy Second Grade Class planted this Ornamental Plum on May 13, 2008.
Since the storm, Mayor Brown placed $1 million in the city’s 2007-08 budget for reforestation efforts and placed another $750,00 in his recommended 2008-09 budget for additional reforestation efforts. Also, on April 7th, the Mayor announced the hiring of Jeff Brett as the first city forester in three years. He also already does many items on the list with the fourth item being covered by the many charitable organizations around the city that accept items to distribute them to those in need.
Besides being a supporter of Re-tree WNY, this latest planting of Mayor Brown and the second grade class of Nardin Academy shows his dedication to answering constituents' pleas--even the non-voters.