Neighborhood Traverse, Friday, January 19, 2007 New Scotland Ave, S Manning Blvd, Whitehall Rd. Overcast, mild afternoon, temperature in low thirties. No wind. The morning snowfall all but melted. Street trees are in decline, due to a number of factors, including species, age, sidewalk, curb, driveway, sewer line and gas line projects in recent years; excessive use of road salt and increased traffic and assocaited increases in vehicle emissions. 2007 should be the year that the City of Albany initiates a comprehensive TREE care and planting program along these streets. Existing trees are in need of pruning and fertilization to extend lifespans. Many need to be cut down. Open spaces along curbs and on front lawns need to be infilled with a diversity of young trees that are especially tolerant of road salt and vehicle emissions. This year's plantings will begin to mature before most of the remaining street trees come down. A succession planting program begun this year will avoid a situation where most of the trees are removed in a short span of time resulting in the neighborhood streets looking like an urban wasteland. Trees provide scenic beauty, act as air conditioners, emit oxygen to combat increased air pollution, and otherwise add to individual and neighborhood property values and quality of life. Individual homeowners and institutions can play a key role in this urban reforestation effort. Identify trees in need of care or removal. Select curbside and front lawn sites for planting replacement trees. Trees planted on front lawns have a higher survival rate and longer life because the are somewhat removed from the direct effects of road salt and vehicle emissions. Be sure the sites selected for plantings do not conflict with underground utility lines and sewer lines. Be sure the trees selected for planting are tolerant of road salt and vehicle emissions and will not conflict with overhead transmission lines. The City of Albany plants such street and front lawn trees on a 50/50 cost sharing basis with homeowners and institutions. Contact: 434 CITY to call in trees in need of care, pruning, removal. Ask for information on what varieties of trees will be available for Spring and Fall planting this year, and request order forms. Once trees are planted, individuals and institutions have the responsibity to water and care for the trees so they can survive and become established. Someone improperly prunned the London Plane trees , apartments, N side New Scotland between Berncliffe and Crescent. Improper pruning leaves heartwood exposed to decay because the cuts fail to heal over. The result is tree lifespans are greatly shortened, and more branch litter occurs in storms. Exhibit A is St Catherine's School/Rectory grounds. All of trees are the same variety, improperly pruned, and in decline and decay. All will have to be removed and replaced at about the same time. Creating an urban wasteland effect and a large financial cost to replace so many trees. CRESTWOOD PLAZA was fairly crowded. Construction of the new Trustco Bank addition is underway. The contractor assured me that it was NOT a drive-through...at least NOT YET. We defeated a drive through bank proposal there several year ago. LITTER , particularly paper, cups, wrappers and cigarette butts very much in evidence on front lawns, sidewalks and curbsides along New Scotland Avenue.