WATERTOWN — Mary E. Cosgrove stopped by to look at a tree in front of City Hall that she’s never seen or heard of before.
Mrs. Cosgrove, a member of Albany Goes Green, a group of tree enthusiasts, wanted to know more about the black maple, a species that’s somewhat prevalent in Watertown.
She was in Watertown on Friday for a three-day New York Tree ReLeaf Conference of the New York State Urban Forestry Council. It’s the first time that the three-day conference has been held in Watertown.
“It’s great it’s here,” said Dr. Jason F. White, chairman of Tree Watertown, a group devoted to the city’s tree population.
On Friday, City Manager Kenneth A. Mix welcomed the group, and city planner Michael J. DeMarco, who serves as the city’s urban forestry coordinator, was a keynote speaker.
“They’ve wanted to have the conference here for a few years,” he said.
Watertown is a Tree City. In April, the city marked the 25th year that Watertown held an Arbor Day event.
On Friday afternoon, forestry members took a tour of the Downtown Arboretum, a unique variety of trees along the 200 block of Washington Street.
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