Kingston to Add 60 New Street Trees in Midtown – Daily Freeman

Kingston City to Plant Over 60 Street Trees in Midtown Amid Rising Summer Temperatures

In a bid to mitigate the effects of climbing summer temperatures, more than 60 new street trees will be planted in Midtown, Kingston City. The announcement was made on Monday by the office of Mayor Steve Noble. According to the Mayor, the new trees will not only provide shade but also help in reducing the impacts of extreme summer heat for the area’s residents.

Strategic Planting Locations

Per the press release from Mayor Noble’s office, the bulk of the trees will be planted on Elmendorf Street, from Flatbush Avenue up to Broadway. Other sites will include intersecting blocks of Ten Broeck Avenue, Bruyn Avenue, and Smith Avenue.

In the press release, Mayor Steve Noble stated, “This project is vitally important to the health and long-term safety of our midtown residents by providing much-needed street trees, which will provide shade and reduce heat during the summer months for generations.”

He added that the trees to be planted would be 8-12 feet tall, all of which will be native species approved by the city’s Urban Forester Brent Knepper.

Addressing the Urban Heat Island Effect

The Mayor’s office highlighted that Elmendorf Street often encounters summer temperatures 12-16 degrees higher than areas in Kingston with mature street trees. This heat disparity is attributed to the “urban heat island effect” where dark, paved surfaces like roads and parking lots can heat up to 50 degrees more than the air temperature due to sun exposure.

The office also pointed out that this heat is stored during the day and released at night, preventing cooler temperatures from providing respite after sundown.

“Shade trees on streets are resilient infrastructure that reduce heat islands while also slowing stormwater flooding and lowering traffic speeds,” the Mayor’s office explained.

Project Details and Funding

The project will kick off with the removal of seven unhealthy or dead trees and two stumps on Elemendorf Street. The trees slated for removal have been inspected by the city’s urban forester and are reportedly hazardous and declining in health, or are diseased/damaged and invasive species.

The new trees, which will be planted between Oct. 15 and Nov. 15, include a variety of species such as Kentucy Coffee Tree, Blackgum, Hackberry, Yellowwood, Shingle Oak, American Hornbeam/Musclewood and Ironwood.

Funding for the project comes from $732,374 in federal grant funding received from the federal Inflation Reduction Act and the U.S. Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Grant program. The funds are intended for implementing an Urban Forest Management Plan through tree planting, pruning, removals, and planting site improvements.

Urban Forester Brent Knepper expressed optimism about the project, noting “This project will bring street trees back to Elmendorf Street and the neighboring blocks at a time when summer cooling is critical.” He drew attention to the area’s recent weather patterns highlighting that “Kingston has gone through three heat waves this year, with air temperatures climbing to 103 degrees for multiple days in a row, and pavement temperatures exceeded 150 degrees.”

More details about the project can be found at https://engagekingston.com/street-tree-planting-removal-program.