BUFFALO, N.Y. — If you were in Western New York 15 years ago, you'll remember waking up to snow and ice that knocked out power and left people in the dark for days.
The surprise October storm not only impacted Western New Yorkers but also something many of us don't often stop to think about — our trees.
It's been a decade and a half since Re-Tree WNY set out to replace the trees that were lost in the October storm. They say this anniversary is a milestone to celebrate, but their work is not done yet.
Thousands of people have volunteered to plant trees, care for them, and donate to Re-Tree's mission over the last 15 years. It took until April 2019 to replace the 57,000 trees that were lost in the 2006 storm.
Re-Tree Chairman Paul D. Maurer says the goal has now shifted to replacing trees lost due to other issues, like the emerald ash borer, wind and ice storms, and droughts. However, he says it's still a thrill to see the progress of the original trees planted 15 years ago.
"It's great to be able to go back and take a look at what we've done behind me, some of these trees are 12 years old now, almost 15 years old, if you go on some streets," Maurer said. "You look and you go, 'oh that looks fantastic,' and that was because of the volunteers that planted on those streets. So it's also very gratifying."
On top of planting trees in parks, Re-Tree wants every house in the City of Buffalo to have a tree in front of it.
The next planting session will be Nov. 5 and Nov. 6. when Re-Tree will plant 200 trees throughout Erie County to celebrate its 200th anniversary. Then they'll pick up again around Arbor Day in the spring.
For more information about Re-Tree, click here.