Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist, Council Members Jeff Russell, Tony Dolce, Brent Sheldon, Kim Ecklund, Parks Manager Dan Stone, City Council member Marie Carrubba, Acting DPW Director Mark Roetzer, City Council member Randy Daversa, and Jamestown Citizen at the Third Street Tree Planting (May 13, 2023)

Several dozen people showed up Saturday to help plant the 37 trees that now line the block of West Third Street where the former Cathedral Oak trees stood.

The “Re-Tree-Ing” event held by the Jamestown Parks Department was part of the annual Arbor Day celebration and designation of Jamestown as a Tree City USA for a 42nd year.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist said it was unfortunate to have to remove the 100 year old oak trees back at the end of 2020, “That due to various issues of disease in the root systems, we started seeing trees fall down on properties. It was a very tough decision for the city. Since that time, we’ve been working with the community to redesign West Third Street and make it more of a gateway into the downtown core. And so we’ve been doing just that.”

The redesign project involved the replacement of sidewalks, driveway aprons, new candlestick lighting, and the planting of new trees on West Third Street between Hall and Hallock Streets.

It was funded using $500,000 in American Rescue Plan monies.

Parks Manager and Arborist Dan Stone thanked the many people involved over the years in parks and with the forestry program. He gave special recognition to Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri for putting together the Third Street Oak Trees Art Show, “It involved a bunch of other local artists and photographers in the city and throughout the area. With her project, most of these donations, the work that they did and what they sold it for, most of those people did not take money for it. They donated 100% back, or at least a good portion back, of what they had done.”

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist and Parks Manager Dan Stone recognize Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri with the Joan P. Shevory Citizen Forester Award (May 13, 2023)

The art show raised $2,341 dollars for the Urban Forestry Fund. Calimeri was presented with the Joan P. Shevory Citizen Forester Award for her efforts.

The trees planted Saturday include a combination of ‘Columnar’ Sargent Cherry trees, ‘Columnar’ Oaks, ‘Frontier’ American Elms, and ‘Sun Valley’ Red Maple.

Jamestown Community College students and faculty celebrate Arbor Day, 14th Year as Tree Campus USA, and Certified Wildlife Habitat designation (May 4, 2023)

Jamestown Community College celebrated its 14th year as a Tree Campus USA by planting seven trees on its campus for Arbor Day.

Tree Campus USA is a national program that was created in 2008 to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management, and engaging staff and students in conservation goals. JCC received its first designation in 2009 and was the first community college in New York to achieve this designation from the National Arbor Day Foundation.

JCC Biology professor and Environmental Science Coordinator Janis Bowman was presented with the Joan P. Shevory Citizen Forester Award at the tree planting. Jamestown Parks Manager Dan Stone presented the award in recognition of Bowman’s work to get JCC designated as a Tree Campus and the work involved with keeping that designation.

Tree Campuses must plant at least one tree annually for Arbor Day; as well as create and update a tree management plan, maintain a tree committee, and a designated budget for trees and their maintenance. Student involvement through service learning projects or internships is also required.

JCC also has been designated by the National Wildlife Federation as a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Board President Becky Nystrom said the CWC has been working over the last year and a half to encourage people to create more sustainable habitats for wildlife in Chautauqua County, “It requires a certain amount of fresh water, and cover and nesting sites; and not using a lot of pesticides; and doing things more sustainably, planting more native plants to encourage all of the wildlife that depends on them.”

JCC Biology professor and Environmental Science Coordinator Janis Bowman receives the Joan P. Shevory Citizen Forester Award (May 4, 2023)

Nystrom said Chautauqua County has met nearly half of the requirements needed in order for the entire county to be certified as a National Wildlife Habitat.