The Arboretum has officially reopened, after being closed for seven months due to unsafe conditions created by last October's unusual Halloween snowstorm.

"We're so pleased to finally reopen," said Arboretum President Karen Jescavage-Bernard. "It took a long time because all the arborists in the area have been swamped since the storm. Also, you can't get heavy equipment into the trail area so all the work had to be done by climbing damaged trees—a slow and potentially dangerous process. We hired a forestry consultant to inspect more than 118 trees and then arranged for 90 trees to be removed or pruned."

"Now that we've dealt with the devastation the storm did to our trees," said Bernard, "we need to deal with the devastation it did to our finances. We've spent more than $14,000 to date—using funds that would otherwise have gone to improving our boardwalk and trails, much-needed planting projects and educational programs. We appeal to everyone who loves the Arboretum to make a donation and help us recover financially."

The Winter 2012 issue of Treeline has been mailed to all members and can be read online here. If you're not a member, please support the Arboretum and become a member today.

Spring is almost here and local artist Judy O’Hara is exhibiting a group of watercolors inspired by the gardens of Croton, including some she visited during last summer's garden tour. The exhibit is at the Croton Free Library during March, with a reception on Saturday, March 3 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Arborist Craig Stevens will lead a tree identification walk in the Arboretum on Sunday, February 19th from noon to 2 p.m. This year there will be a special focus on storm damage—how to prevent it, how to deal with critical pruning in the aftermath, corrective pruning for tree survival, and what species to avoid planting in the first place.

We will park along Fox Road and walk along the access road to the Arboretum. Dress warmly.

The purpose of the meeting is to conduct all business requiring approval by the membership, to elect directors and officers, to present a yearly financial report, to summarize our achievements in 2011, and to set a course for 2012.

Directors are elected by the members to serve three-year terms, while officers are elected by the Directors to serve one-year terms. The newsletter editor is appointed by the Directors. Three Directors have been re-nominated to serve through February 2015:

• Lisa Cohen

• Martin Smolin

• ToyKen Yee

Nominations for Directors may also be made from the floor at the meeting.

In order to vote, your membership must be current. You can vote either in person or by requesting a proxy. Proxies must be received no later than February 13, 2012. As always, the next issue of Treeline will contain a full report on the annual meeting.

We look forward to seeing you on the 16th.

The Arboretum will be closed temporarily due to damage caused by the recent snowstorm. The gate at the end of Fox Road will be locked and residents are urged not to hike in until the parking area and trails can be cleared and dangerous hanging branches cut down. A public announcement will be made when the Arboretum reopens.

“We are appealing to the Croton community for funds to help pay for the clean-up and remedial planting we urgently need to do,” said Arboretum president Karen Jescavage-Bernard. “The record setting amount we raised with this year’s garden tour was to be spent on improvements, but the severe storms this summer, Hurricane Irene and now this freak snowstorm have caused so much damage that improvements will have to wait unless we can raise more funds. Contributions of any amount are welcome–particularly large ones.”

To make a tax deductible contribution, send your check, payable to The Croton Arboretum and Sanctuary Inc., to:

The Croton Arboretum and Sanctuary
P.O. Box 631
Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520

Local filmmaker Ken Sargeant has put together a wonderful short film about Barry Keegan's recent visit to the Arboretum. In addition to showing Barry demonstrating flint-knapping and firemaking techniques, Ken has interspersed details from a rare 17th century Dutch map and some of Theodore Cornu's evocative drawings of Lenape life on the Croton and Hudson rivers.

See more of Ken's films on YouTube.

Native American crafts expert Barry Keegan will build an authentic wigwam in the Arboretum and use it—along with his replicas of bows, arrows, axes, buckskin, fire-making tools and pottery—to recreate the daily life of the Leni Lenape people, who lived in the Croton area at the time of Henry Hudson’s voyage.

The event will take place from October 12-15 at the Jane E. Lytle Memorial Arboretum in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. The first three days will be exclusively for the 4th grade students at the Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School and the last day, Saturday, October 15, will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Due to limited parking, visitors must park on Fox Road and take a shuttlebus into the Arboretum. The wigwam will be located a short walk from the drop-off point.

Barry Keegan was the supervisor of Native American Programs for the New York State Historical Association and Farmer’s Museum in Cooperstown, NY. He is currently a museum consultant and gives classes and demonstrations of historic and prehistoric crafts at a variety of events. He created numerous replica Lenape artifacts for an exhibit at Ellis Island, and was filmed by the History Channel, for “Mystery Quest: the Stonehenge Archer,” making a bow and arrows which he shot at bones to compare impact-marks to those on archaeological remains. He is also a contributor to Wilderness Way and the Bulletin of Primitive Technology magazines.

The Fall 2011 issue of Treeline has been mailed to all members and can be read online here. If you're not a member, please support the Arboretum and become a member today.

We will have a booth at the Croton Yacht Club's third annual “Hudson River Day” celebration on Saturday, September 10th, from 11 AM - 4 PM. The purpose of the event is to promote interest in the history and ecology of the river, to cultivate future local environmental leaders and to promote, enhance and protect river-related recreational resources.

The event will include a combination of presentations and hands on exhibits throughout the day targeting both children and adults, focusing on the history and ecology of the river. Presentations will address river history, river ecology, and environmental and conservation movements.

Events and exhibits will include: a seining exhibition where local marine life will be captured, displayed and later released; viewing tanks where local marine life can be identified and observed; exhibits on the river’s impact on local American history, boat manufacturing and restoration, current marine research; hands on exhibits for children such as toy sailboat making, fossil making and fish printing; sail boat rides; local artist displays and sales.

Food and beverages will be available, including the best fish chowder on the Hudson. Admission is free so please join us in this fun-filled, educational and family-focused event.

The Croton Yacht Club located at 6 Elliot Way in Croton-on-Hudson.