Hello to all.

I am a planning board member in the village of Nyack, NY. Here in our village (and county) a monoculture of callery pears is developing on our streets and in new developments. Developers plant them for the obvious reasons --- fast growing, disease resistant, price, the flowers --- but we on the PB are looking to encourage alternatives. My question to you is: are there any resources you can point me to which list species suited for urban situations? We are paricularly interested in large shade trees - disease resistant elms - etc.

Any advice, books, links you can refer me to would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

John Gromada

Reply to post by John Gromada, on December 05, 2000 at 10:25:45:

Try a company called Musser Forest. They have a good catalog. I think that they are based in Michigan. Gingko trees are considered an excellent urban planting. What about Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)? These are also really beautiful trees, fast growing and I believe disease resistant, although I'm not sure about zone, but I've seen them in central New Hampshire. (Non-native of course)

Reply to post by Chris Rose, on December 05, 2000 at 10:25:45:

I mean Ginkgo, not Gingko!

Reply to post by John Gromada, on December 05, 2000 at 10:25:45:

You might want to post this question to the TREETOWN list which is devoted to urban and community forestry issues.
TREETOWN@LSV.UKY.EDU

Reply to post by Chris Rose, on December 05, 2000 at 14:54:09:

I've seen in spelled both ways.

Now try to explain the name "Maiden Hair" with a straight face.

Reply to post by Ron Neely, on December 05, 2000 at 10:25:45:

See if any of the local comunity/tech coleges have a horticulture program.

The attached link will help you find a consulting arborist that the PB could hire.

Reply to post by John Gromada, on December 05, 2000 at 10:25:45:

For NYS, there is a very good publication put together by Nina Bassuk, the urban horticulture professor at Cornell, called "Urban Trees: Site Assessment Selection for Stress Tolerance Planting" (1998). You can get it through your local Extension office, or order off the web from http://www.cals.cornell.edu/dept/flori/uhi/pubs.html

Reply to post by John Gromada, on December 05, 2000 at 10:25:45:

Penn State university has a book available called "Street Tree Factsheets". It contains single-page descriptions of about 180 trees of all sizes suitable for use as street trees in the mid Atlantic and Northeast. Cost is US$20.00.

From PSU description:
"Street Tree Factsheets (1997). This publication focuses on selecting trees for planting in our towns and cities, which requires accurate information and careful planning. In this edition, 180 species and cultivars are described and illustrated with 480 colored photographs."

http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/Pubs/agrs56.html