Hundreds of locals gathered in Saratoga Springs on Saturday to plant trees to celebrate Arbor Day — and leave a lasting legacy.
More than 200 volunteers are packed into the Pitney Meadows Farm greenhouse waiting to register or pick up their planting assignment for the 10th annual Tree Toga.
Long-time Sustainable Saratoga member Julie Holmberg is waiting in line with her labradoodle Teva who will not be helping dig any holes. Holmberg says the benefits of Tree Toga are many.
“It’s not just mental health. It’s actually the bacteria that’s in the soil, really, it’s good for us. So, there’s a legacy, they say, I don’t know who’s responsible for it, to be a real giving person you’re planting a tree knowing that you’re not going to necessarily be around to see it come to fruition, but it’s part of being human,” said Holmberg.
Jamel and Meghan Corbett moved to the city two years ago and are eager to get out and plant.
“It feels cool, I mean it feels like you get to leave your soul print on the community. You know trees are going to outlive me and so I’m going to be able to drive by the tree that I planted and see my footprint on the community,” said Jamel Corbett.
“Absolutely, I think the more trees, the better the feel of the community especially in the city and the roundabout housing developments and areas. So, if we can get more people outside and enjoying the area the better.
Sustainable Saratoga Executive Director Kelsey Trudell couldn’t be happier with the turnout and great weather. Last year, all-day-rain meant fewer volunteers showed up for a muddy day of planting.
“This is really that overwhelming sow of people in the community coming out to volunteer. Overflowed the parking lot, the greenhouse is full here, we’ve got kids playing outside. I just love to see everyone showing up for this event, it’s really great,” said Trudell.
Before heading out to more than a dozen plant sites, volunteers get a refresher on tree-planting procedures, including a call and response song led by Russ Pittenger and his granddaughter.
“If you pile it on, then the tree is sunk! A nice three-foot circle is the thing to do! Because we plant the trees, we’re the planting crew!”
A generation-spanning planting crew is on Union Avenue planting three of 35 trees that will be in the ground by the end of the day.
“That looks like it’s getting deep enough just try to get the outside straight up and down and make the bottom of the hole flat,” said Alexandra Morgan.
Alexandra Morgan’s background in landscape architecture and her passion for her local environment led her to volunteer as a crew leader.
“So yeah, it’s great to have people of all ages helping because they want to be part of their community too. And then you can come back years later, I mean we planted those two elm trees across the street and that was probably five, six years ago and they’re huge now! So, it’s a wonderful thing,” said Morgan.
Addie Zoller moved to the area with her partner just weeks ago and is excitedly preparing a hole for a new Tulip tree.
“Oh my gosh, well to just give back to this new community that we’re so excited to be a part of is so amazing. It’s so cool that there were so many volunteers there I don’t know if you saw. I was like ‘we’re going to be done so quickly. It’s just cool to see something that—the fruits of our labor will continue to be planted here for generations to come and we can drive by here and go ‘oh, we gave back in some small way to our new community,” said Zoller.
Carla Fox grew up participating in the yearly event. Now she’s returned to her roots and is helping the operation along with her 18-month-old daughter Scarlett, busy covering the roots one small handful of dirt at a time.
“Yeah well, my dad was here this morning and he took a picture of us two digging and we have almost the exact same picture of him and I from, I don’t know you’re right like 10 years ago. So, it’s pretty cool to bring the next generation because it meant a lot to me to do this a long time ago.
By the end of the day, the total number of trees planted during Tree Toga events reached 411.
