Geddes Tree Committee - Town of Geddes

Nearly seventy trees have been planted in Geddes since 2019 through the Westvale Neighborhood Association (WNA). The group’s efforts were recognized by the Geddes Town Board in 2023 and formally formed the “Geddes Tree Committee”.

The Town Tree Committee has the goals of:
• Increase the tree cover in all areas of the municipality
• Enhance property values and appeal of each neighborhood
• Preserve and enhance the natural environment of the Town
• Improve the existing tree canopy in order to enhance the health and quality of life of citizens
• Provide habitat resources to native plants and animals
• Reduce the hazards of flooding and soil erosion with development plans
• Protect specimen trees already established in the Town
• Provide shade for cooling neighborhoods and reduce the urban heat map
• Eliminated the possibility of clear cutting any forest areas or grove of specimen trees without
considering the long-term impact
• And finally, balance preservation of tree canopy with the recognition of private property rights
The residents wish to have the Town of Geddes achieve Tree City USA status from the Arbor Day
Foundation, by having a formal recognition of a town-sanctioned Tree Committee to provide tree
stewardship and tree planting initiatives throughout Geddes. There is an expectation the Tree
Committee will consist of 6-12 residents comprising the areas of Lakeland, Solvay and Westvale. There
are currently 3,676 recognized municipalities in the US today. Locally, Towns of Dewitt and Manlius,
Villages of Fayetteville, Liverpool and Skaneateles as well as the City of Syracuse have achieve Tree City
USA.