Now in its 10th year, Tree Toga has rooted itself as a partnership between Sustainable Saratoga, Pitney Meadows Community Farm, and city officials that aims to get residents involved in a greener-future.
Pitney Meadows Executive Director Brooke McConnell says it’s natural that the community farm has hosted the opening ceremony for the past two years.
“And an event like Tree Toga is really special because it is done in that same spirit of community and volunteerism that we really live on the farm. So, it’s a natural event for us to partner with them to host and my team is excited to be there. A lot of my team is volunteering too and we look forward to also being the recipient of a new tree on the farm,” said McConnell.
The day will begin with a tree-planting demonstration before volunteers are sent throughout the city.
Sustainable Saratoga Executive Director Kelsey Trudell.
“So, you’re assigned a designated planting site. That might be planting a tree in someone’s front yard or it might be planting on public property. So, it’s a really great way for us to grow Saratoga Springs’s urban forest and offer free trees to city residents and also help to add trees to city property as well,” explained Trudell.
Trudell says Tree Toga lets locals of all ages get their hands dirty.
“And it’s a really great community building event as well. So, every year we have somewhere between 150-200 volunteers that come out to plant trees with us at Tree Toga. So it’s fun for everyone, we see a lot of the same faces year after year. You know the kids who started planting at the very first one who have now grown up a little bit, it’s nice to see that transition. So, it’s really fun and I love to see everyone there,” said Trudell.
After this year’s crop of more than 30 trees, Tree Toga will have planted more than 400 trees in total.
Tom Denny chaired Sustainable Saratoga’s Urban Forestry project for more than 10 years and is one of two Tree Stewards in the Spa City. He says Tree Toga connects residents to their often-overlooked environment.
“Pretty much everybody who comes to Tree Toga and plants a tree takes some ownership of the urban forest and particularly of their tree. So, I like to tell people, we’ve planted 400 trees and I do some pruning on some other trees like state park trees, I like to tell people that I have the coolest garden of anybody in the city. I just get to go around and see all the trees that our great volunteers have planted over the years,” said Denny.”
Democratic Commissioner of Accounts Dillon Moran says he’s been attending Tree Toga events since the beginning.
“Our city has, you know, the moniker ‘City in the Country’ and that includes when you actually get into the city. And so, the effort of Sustainable Saratoga, the Department of Public Works in support of each other for the Tree Toga event hits the mark,” said Moran.
The trees featured in the day are all native, shade-providing species including Birch, Elm, Kentucky Coffee, and Tulip trees.
Trudell says planting a tree is one of the simplest ways to combat climate change.
“There’s also the benefits of cleaner air, cleaner water, improved health and just well-being. You know, people who live in well-forested areas feel the benefits of that as well. And then, you know, reduced energy costs even as well so if you’re surrounding your home, your neighborhood with trees that’s bringing the air temperatures as well so you don’t have to rely as much on cooling during the summer,” explained Trudell.
Tree Toga celebrations begin at Pitney Meadows Community Farm Saturday at 9:30.
