Karen Roberts, Cablevision News
: And on the heels of Earth Day, the Fishkill Creek
Watershed Committee and the DEC started seedling planting today in our area.







It's the second year for this springtime event, where volunteers and
watershed members took shovel to dirt to plant seedlings along the
buffer on the Fishkill Creek.








The State Department of Environmental [Conservation]  provides the monies for the seedlings.
















Native plants such as [Buttonbush] and Dogwood were planted today.




Fishkill Creek members want the homeowners to know the importance of the vegetation along the creek, and that it shouldn't be cut down.





Rick Oestrike, Chairman, Fishkill Creek Watershed Committee
:
It is beneficial to the stream. It provides shade, keeps the water
cool so trout and other cold-water species can live there. The root systems can actually remove some pollutants, particularly
nitrate, from the stream water. It also helps slow down erosion along the streambank - the roots of the trees and shrubs.








Erony Whyte,  DEC, Hudson River Estuary Program
: We try to be on site as much as possible, trying to support the community that's come out to help with the planting. So we do try to be on site as much as possible. We're doing this planting today. There's another planting at a different site on Sunday as well. And I believe they did additional plantings last year as well. So it's an ongoing project. The Estuary Program has a goal to restore a certain number of stream miles, and so this is all to further that goal for the action agenda of the Estuary Program.










Roberts
: There is another seedling event planned for this Sunday at 1 PM at the Dalton Farms in Beekman. If you'd like more information or need seedling plants call 452-1267.








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