Chicopee Planting Goal Progress:
2,292 Trees Planted out of 2,400 GOAL
Last Updated: January 22, 2024
Am I In The Zone?
Meet Your Local Foresters:
Sarah Greenleaf
Education: M.S. in Urban Forestry at Oregon State University; B.S. in Horticulture at University of Vermont.
Experience: Municipal forestry in Oregon; Utility forestry in California; Public gardens in Colorado and California; Organic farming in Massachusetts and Maine.
Interests: Music, hiking, cycling, running, growing vegetables, spending time with friends.
Favorite tree & reason: Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) because it is strong, provides habitat for critters, and is a classic and beautiful player in the New England landscape.
Samantha Eanes
Education: B.S. Environmental Management, Indiana University – 2014
M.S. Project Management and Operations, SNHU – 2023
Experience: ISA Certified Arborist with a background in managing tree planting contracts in NYC, Detroit, and Massachusetts. The most rewarding part of the job is seeing properties before and after new trees have been planted. I also enjoy touring tree nurseries to select unique species for community plantings.
Interests: Hiking new trails, growing native plants in my yard, and spending time out on the water.
Favorite Tree: Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica) has deep green glossy leaves that turn a bright scarlet red in the fall.
Chicopee Partners:
Valley Opportunity Council
Valley Opportunity Council (VOC) is a non-profit Community Action Agency that serves the greater Hampden County area. We provide a number of supports including: Fuel Assistance, Child Care, Housing, Homeless and Supportive Housing and Services, WIC programming, Adult Education and Career Pathways, College and Career Readiness, Financial Literacy, Rental Assistance, and Senior Services. The communities that we live and work in- the businesses, our neighbors, our neighborhoods, are important to us. This has also led to a partnership with Greening the Gateway Cities and the Department of Conservation and Recreation. We are excited to be part of the positive growth and development of our community in every way. This includes planting trees to increase the livability, decrease utility costs, and increase the beauty of our community, to name a few of the benefits.
