One Year Later: Tree Replacement Beginning in 'Worst Hit Areas'

To help fill the "tremendous voids" Superstorm Sandy left in Garden City a year ago today, the first phase of the village's tree replacement program is kicking off this fall.

Opening bids went out earlier this month, according to Kevin Ocker, head of the merged department of recreation and parks. The first phase will begin in the "worst hit areas" he said, including where numerous trees went down next to each other.

Twenty-four streets will be addressed first. Ocker said if a tree isn't planted this fall, there's a good possibility it will be next spring.

Garden City lost more than 600 mature trees because of the storm. Crews spent days clearing major roadways and responding to trees that had fallen on houses.

Village administrator Robert Schoelle said some of the stumps, measuring anywhere from 12 to 44 inches, have four to six-foot root balls attached.

"It was a busy and challenging 18 days," he said. "We planned for the worst and we were very fortunate to locate six qualified contractors."

Approximately 700 out-of-state National Grid contractors slept in the St. Paul's Field House after returning from storm damage restoration in the field following Sandy and the Nor'easter. Out-of-state tree crews, dubbed the "Firehouse Tree Gang," dormed at the Edgemere Road firehouse during cleanup efforts. Crews, who drove up from Arkansas, Florida and the Carolinas, worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Garrett Eaton from Gainesville, Florida traveled more than 1,000 miles to lend a hand. "The Garden City firemen are awesome and they take good care of us," he said.

According to Ocker, village trustees approved $82,500 in funding during the budget process for fiscal year 2013-14 to cover the first phase of replacement planting. (Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement does not include the cost of tree replacement.)

The village intends to replace approximately 300 trees this fall. A group of Cornell University students helped with different aspects of the re-planting process, including species selection. Ocker said the effort is aimed at achieving more diversity. Crews are using "most" of the 57 cultivars students recommended. Ocker praised their efforts, stating, "They've really put a great arbor restoration plan together for the village."

The majority of trees that fell during the storm were oak. Sixty village-owned trees landed on homes. Some residents do not want replacement trees while others would like the remaining healthy trees removed, Ocker said.