Tree Advisory Board (TAB)

About

The Tuxedo Park Tree Advisory Board (TAB) was established by law in December 2015 by the Village of Tuxedo Park Board of Trustees under the Charter of Tree City, the USA, believing that protecting our environment is key to the economic prosperity of Tuxedo Park. 

Trees play a vital role in our environmental efforts. They sustain our clean air. They contribute to the rustic character of our landscape and nurture a wildlife habitat rich in biodiversity. Their root systems help absorb minerals, filter impurities from the rainwater, and reduce soil erosion and stormwater runoff that carry pollutants and sediments into our drinking water in Tuxedo Lake and its overflow Pond No. 3 and Wee Wah Lake.  These bodies of water flow into the Ramapo River, the source of drinking water for millions in New Jersey. Our woodlands also underpin our historical provenance – Tuxedo Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because our period houses are nestled in a verdant landscape, representing a perfect union of structure and nature.

To protect and enhance this invaluable natural asset, the TAB’s mission is to promote the benefits of a healthy forest with a sustainable tree population by advocating responsible policies and implementing tree conservation, education, and planting programs.

The TAB assumes a leadership role, but environmental protection relies on community collaboration: each resident of Tuxedo Park is a partner in the conscientious oversight of our forest infrastructure. What we individually do with trees on our private properties impacts the entire community's well-being. We are all guardians of this critical resource for the benefit of current and future generations.

The TAB is here to advise property owners on all matters concerning trees and related resources. We believe it is possible to balance aesthetics with environmental preservation.

Our website, www.tptreeboard.org, provides a host of helpful information on trees and the environment and on projects the TAB has undertaken, including riparian planting at Augusta Brook, East Lake Road, and Wee Wah Lake, educational seminars and newsletters, and transformation of the 20-acre former Race Track into a nature preserve. This last project is funded entirely by tax-deductible donations from the residents.

Tuxedo Park Law regarding tree removal (#100-14 Trees in the Village Code) is accessible at the Village website (www.tuxedopark-ny.gov) or the Village Office. Tree removal is reviewed first by Village Building Inspector John Ledwith at (845) 351- 4745, x2, or by email at [email protected] must be consulted before removing any trees from your property. Replanting young and healthy native trees and shrubs is recommended and encouraged. Every resident’s responsibility is to inform our landscaper and any other workers on our property of the Village Code provisions.

The TAB welcomes feedback and suggestions. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at our website: http://tptreeboard.org or by email at [email protected].

The TAB’s current members are:
Christopher Gow, Chair, and members Chiu Yin Hempel, Jill Swirbul, Father Richard Datos-Robyn, and Jeff Voss, DPW.