By Shoshanna McCollum ~ It’s not easy being green, but the Town of Brookhaven has what it takes. For the fourth consecutive year, they have been designated a Tree City USA award recipient by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
“I am proud to have the Townrecognized as a Tree City USA,” says Town Supervisor Ed Romaine. “We have givenaway and planted thousands of trees and strictly controlled the clearing oftrees across Brookhaven to help protect and preserve the environment. I thank theArbor Day Foundation for honoring the Town and all the residents who havefollowed our lead to make Brookhaven a greener place to live.”
Brookhaven spends over $1.4 million per year on community forestry programs. Some of the South Shore Long Island communities that have benefitted from Brookhaven’s targeted planting efforts include Brookhaven Hamlet, Mastic Beach, and Blue Point Preserve. All of Brookhaven has benefitted from rigorous legislation to protect the trees that have grown, provided shade from the sun, as well as food and shelter for birds sometimes for generations. At a time when Long Island has seen much of the landscape ravaged by a proliferation of development projects, such protections are ever more essential.
Tree City USAis a nationwide movement that provides the framework necessary for communitiesto manage and expand their public trees. According to the Arbor Day Foundation,benefits of a Tree City USA program include:
- Reduce costs for energy, stormwater management, anderosion control
- Cut energy consumption by up to 25%
- Boost property values across your community
- Build stronger ties to your neighborhood andcommunity
Not every town on Long Island qualifies for the prestigious Tree City USA designation. Last year only other five municipalities made the cut in Suffolk County; including Babylon, Greenport, Lindenhurst, Smithtown, and Weshampton Beach.
To learn more about Tree City USA and other programs offered by the National Arbor Day Foundation, visit their website at www.arborday.org
