Putnam County’s Annual Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale

Putnam County Soil and Water Conservation District and Cornell Cooperative Extension are once again offering their 2018 Annual Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale, which is a long-time tradition to promote the planting of trees, shrubs, flowers and groundcovers.

“I know it’s the middle of winter”, said Lauri Taylor, District Manager, “but why not get excited about what you can plant when spring arrives!”

Researchers from the US Forest Service have calculated that the annual cost to keep a city tree alive is $19. For every dollar spent, they say, we reap $5.82 in benefits – a pretty good investment. And yet, they say, we’re not taking advantage of those benefits.

National Arbor Day Foundation has also brought attention to “The Power of Trees”.

• A shade tree absorbs 10 pounds of air pollution each year including 4 pounds of ozone and 3 pounds of particulates.
• By the time a tree reaches maturity, it produces 5 pounds of pure oxygen every day, enough to keep a family of 4 breathing.
• Treesreducetheeffectsofcarexhaustsandindustrialemissionsby“sequestering”carbon(lockingitwithintheir wood).Asingle

  tree can eliminate 90 pounds of carbon or 330 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year.

• Oneshadetreecanreduceairconditioningbillsby10percent.Thisalsoreducestheneedfornewpowerplants.
• One shade tree can intercept 760-4000 gallons of rainfall annually, depending on the species. This reduces runoff of polluted

  stormwater and can affect the size of drain pipes and retention ponds in new development.

• One tree can add at least 1 percent to the sale of a $100,000 house each year when annualized over a 40 year period. With all of this in mind, “Putnam County is excited to offer a great selection in our 2018 Annual Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale”, said Lauri Taylor. All of the selections are offered at reasonable prices to ensure every landowner can afford to support this worthwhile conservation program. The sale is once again offering fruit trees with apple and peach trees but have a very limited supply so order soon.

  Please visit: www.putnamcountyny.com/keepputnamgreen to see all that is offered this year and consider making a contribution to a healthier planet by planting a tree. Contact: Lauri Taylor, District Manager Putnam County Soil and Water Conservation District Lauri.taylor@putnamcountyny.gov 845-878-7918.