Conservation department holds spring seedling sale

| 24 Mar 2020 | 07:54

New York. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is holding its Colonel William F. Fox Memorial Saratoga Tree Nursery's annual seedling sale. Dozens of tree and shrub species are available for purchase for conservation plantings across New York State. Browse this year's selection on the DEC website -- dec.ny.gov/animals/75799.html -- then place your order by phone -- call 518-587-1120, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. -- for the most up-to-date species availability information. The sale runs until May 15, and seedlings are shipped mid-April through May. Planting trees has benefits for our planet: they fight climate change by absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere, keep us healthy by providing fresh air, cool cities by shading homes and streets, and can help you lower your heating and cooling bills by acting as wind blocks in winter and shade suppliers in summer. If you're a landowner with at least 50 feet of streamside property in New York State, you may be eligible for 25 free tree and shrub seedlings through DEC's Buffer in a Bag initiative. These seedlings are intended to create riparian buffers that help prevent erosion, improve water quality, and create wildlife habitat along water. Qualifying landowners are selected on a first-come, first-served basis now through April 10, while supplies last.