What a wonderful project! I have some U.S native tree seeds from a seed exchange, and I've already winter sown what I can use. Would you be interested in seeds for Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioica) and Devil's walking stick (Aralia spinosa)? I have maybe a half-dozen seeds of the coffee tree, and about 15 of the aralia. I'm afraid I'm going to use all the milk jugs I can save, but I should have some 1-2 gallon plastic pots to donate - I'll have to check my car port. I usually save the pots from landscaping projects at my church.

I would also be very interested in buying some native understory trees, if you have any extras this year. My parents have a large wooded lot where I can "play" with planting new trees. Also, my church has a large property in the town of Union that is mostly wooded, but definitely could use some new trees near the parking lot/picnic pavilion area, especially trees like dogwoods, redbud, and amelanchier.

Also, may I suggest that some of the neighborhoods affected by the 2006 flooding could use some new trees. The properties that the county/state bought out and razed have opened up lots of "green space" that could be replanted with appropriate trees. I live in the neighborhood above Argonne/Verdun streets in Endwell, and we lost 20+ houses and an entire trailer park to the flooding. The bottom of our neighborhood is wide open. . . .

Laurel

Wow,
Thanks Laurel

I think we will certainly plant all the trees we have this season, but the trees for fall 2009 planting will probably be much greater in number. I will have graduated at that point, but I will keep up on what is going on. This year we are sowing American Sycamore, Pin Oak, Red Oak, Sugar Maple, Flowering Dogwood, Eastern Redbud, Red Pine, and Dawn Redwood (as a specimen tree). The Kentucky Coffee tree looks like a good tree for reclaiming land/reforestation because of its clonal nature, but will probably not do well in a city/residential setting. If you have seeds that you can spare, they can certainly be put to use. Thank you for offering. I actually, don't know where we are having things sent to at the moment, so I will post an address soon, when I have the details from the department chair. You wouldn't happen to know what organization is managing the flood zone property?

Thank you for your interest

Here is the address:
Kenneth J. McLeod, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Bioengineering
Watson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Binghamton University Binghamton, NY 13850

For those who are very local, items can be dropped off in the Bioengineering department at the Innovative technologies complex off the vestal parkway.

Hi klavier,

The Town of Union is managing the properties they bought out on the River Road and Argonne/Verdun Ave. areas in Endwell. They've purchased almost 30 acres altogether, more than I realized - I had to Google to find out who owns the land now. I would hope that they would be open to reforesting some of the land rather than letting it "go wild" without any planning or planting. I can't imagine they plan to mow all of that land from now on.

I'll send the seeds to you this week. I would love to purchase dawn redwood, sycamore, dogwood, and pin oak if they become available in the future. This is a great program, thank you for sharing it! (Have you told Trudi about it, over on the WS forum? She'd love to hear about this, if you haven't already brought it up.)

Laurel

This sounds like a great idea.
During various times of the year, I can send seeds of Kentucky Coffee Tree, Ginkgo - I will clean the seeds before sending!, oaks, Red Buckeye, Flowering Dogwood, Paw Paw and other seeds from trees of interest.
I live in Hamburg, NY so it is a long drive, but I have no problem mailing seed material to this program.

~ Gerry

Klavier ~

As I said last winter, I can send seed from the following trees:
Ohio Buckeye - Parent tree is in Erie county Botanical gardens.
Yellow Buckeye - Parent trees are on South Park Avenue across from the Botanical Gardens.
Black Gum - Parent tree is in Erie county Botanical gardens.
Red Buckeye - Parent tree in my backyard
Flowering Dogwood - Parent tree in my backyard
Sweetbay Magnolia - Parent tree in my backyard
Umberella Magnolia - Parent tree in my backyard
Fringe Tree - Parent tree in my backyard

I have identified the Buckeyes from the differences in the shell that the nut is in. I will send a sample with the nuts. The Ohio Buckeye twig has a "fetid" odor like my books on trees says it has.

Hello All,
The Binghamton Memorial Tree Program has a web site now! Check it out: www.binghamtonmemorialtree.webs.com
Thanks again to everyone who has sent us seeds. Your contributions are immensely valuable.
-Werner J Stiegler