While April marked Earth Month, local efforts to restore habitat and improve water quality continued into May, as more than 35 volunteers joined the Environmental Coalition of the Pelhams (EcoPel) and the Village of Pelham Manor to convert a stretch of turf along the I-95 North roadside barrier at Pelhamdale Avenue and Manor Circle, into native shrubland.
With 400 planting holes pre-dug by the Department of Public Works, volunteers installed bare-root shrubs grown by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (NYSDEC) Saratoga Tree Nursery. The planting included Virginia rose (Rosa virginiana), black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea), and shining sumac (Rhus copallinum), selected for their ability to thrive in tough roadside conditions while supporting wildlife and improving soil stability.
The approximately 10,000-square-foot site, currently maintained as lawn, is being reimagined as a layered planting that will mature over time into a functioning landscape. As the shrubs establish, their deeper root systems and increased plant diversity are expected to improve stormwater absorption, reduce runoff, and support pollinators and birds within the Long Island Sound watershed. The conversion will also reduce routine mowing and maintenance needs.
Neighbors passing by during site preparation stopped to ask questions about the flagged layout, with many expressing support for the project. As the planting grows in, the shrubland is expected to create a naturalized buffer along the highway—softening the visual impact of the concrete barrier, helping to reduce noise, and improving the overall character of the streetscape.
This effort builds on several years of similar work across the Pelhams. What began in 2021 with a small planting led by Girl Scouts Troop #1667 has grown into Plant Pelham Native—a Girl Scouts Silver Award project led by Troop #2617—and has since expanded into a coordinated municipal and community effort that continues to scale each year. To date, nearly 1,000 NYSDEC native shrubs have been distributed across approximately three-quarters of an acre of public land, demonstrating how underutilized spaces can be transformed into landscapes that deliver measurable ecological and community benefits.
Join us for our next spring planting events:
Saturday, May 9, from 10 AM to noon. Plant Pelham Native Exit 4B Hutchinson River Parkway (Boston Post Road & Split Rock Road)
Sunday, May 17, from 10 AM to noon. Plant Pelham Native Exit 5 Hutchinson River Parkway (Colonial Avenue and Wolf’s Lane, across from the Town of Pelham Public Library)
About EcoPel
The Environmental Coalition of the Pelhams (EcoPel) is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing environmental stewardship, education, and community-based action. Through initiatives such as Plant Pelham Native, the Pelham Vine Squad, and the Seed Library, EcoPel works to restore habitat, improve water quality, and engage residents in caring for the natural systems that support a healthy, resilient community.
Editor’s note: This press release was provided by EcoPel. The Pelham Examiner publishes press releases in the form received as a service to the community.
