New Haven Independent

A Tree Grows (Many Trees!) In “SoHu”

by Melissa Bailey | June 26, 2008 2:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

East Rock newcomers joined longtime residents of a dwindling Polish enclave as a new group — nicknamed SoHu — stitched together a neighborhood with a new canopy of trees.

Elijah Rivera, 11 (at right in photo), shoveled dirt. Janina Dziurzynska (second from right) manned the hose. They were helping to plant a Kousa Dogwood Wednesday, as East Rock neighbors put in another day’s work on an ambitious, 10-week tree-planting project.

The young trees have sprouted from newfound neighborhood synergy known by the name “SoHu.”

“SoHu” refers to the area South of Humphrey, covering Clark, Pearl and Pleasant Streets, quiet rows of homes bounded by Orange and State Streets. This distinctive sector of East Rock, with its brownstone row houses, was historically a stronghold of the city’s Polish population. Kids went to the now-defunct St. Stanislaus school and ate at Polish delis. Some, like Dziurzynska, have stayed on as the area transformed.

The week before, Dziurzynska had received her own sapling outside her Pleasant Street home. Wednesday, she helped Pearl Street neighbors set theirs in the ground.

“This is great!” she said, taking a few more turns with the shovel before heading off to her job at a convalescent home.

Dziurzynska was one of over two dozen people who hauled mulch together on Wednesday evening, planting five new trees. The roots were set down as a neighborhood network grows stronger.

The network began as a monthly “cookies and community” gathering led by Lisa Siedlarz (pictured at left, with Urban Resources Initiative intern Yi-Wen Lin) of Pearl Street. The group met in a corner church. An email list grew, and the group mushroomed into what is now the largest blockwatch in the city. A recent meeting drew 43 people to a backyard.

Jim Austin, a young homeowner on Pleasant Street, gave the group its name. He also saw the chance to harness the energy to a new project.

“I thought we should turn it into a tree group,” he said, wiping his hands after patting some dirt around a newly rooted sapling one recent afternoon.

With a city grant and resources from the Urban Resources Initiative, the group embarked on an ambitious project to plant 40 new trees in the ground, reinstating missing canopies around Pleasant, Clark and Pearl. As of Wednesday, 18 were in the ground, said Austin (pictured), who wrote the grant and is directing the project.

The tree project has many fruits, Austin reasoned: Besides beautifying the somewhat barren streetscape, the restored canopies can serve as a traffic calming tool. And planting the trees makes the neighborhood stronger by bringing people together.

“I’ve met more neighbors” through tree planting “than I’ve met in the last four years” living on Pleasant Street, Austin said.

Gabe, Chris and Paul, lifelong buddies who grew up on this trio of streets and went to St. Stan’s, rode together between work sites. Strapped to the back of Paul’s four-wheeler was a cooler of water.

Not to be deterred by the lack of a jackhammer, neighbors tore up the sidewalk with bare hands and sledge hammers. Molly Clark-Barol (at left in photo at top of story), a recent Yale graduate, swung a sledge hammer while grad students Jeff Chatellier and Scott Hunter (at left and center) pried up the asphalt with Paul (at far right).

Each tree gets adopted by a nearby resident who agrees to water it. As a reminder to keep the trees well-hydrated, the URI-led crew planted perennial flowers besides the trunks. People will notice if flowers wilt, then pull out the watering can, the logic goes.

Joel Tolman (pictured), who teaches history at Common Ground High School, became the proud parent of a blight-resistant Lace-Bark Elm. He was pleased to have a prettier view from his Clark Street porch. Having learned that most URI trees go to East Rock and Westville, he said he hoped to spread the word about the program to other neighborhoods, too.

The group will continue tree-planting on Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. To get involved with SoHu, visit the web site or email here.

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Comments

Posted by: Nan Bartow | June 26, 2008 3:03 PM

URI (Urban Resources Initiative) is the best. Way to go, Yi-Wen, and residents of Sohu. Together we are greening and beautifying neighborhoods all over New Haven. Sohu, East Rock, Dixwell, Newhallville, Beaver Hill, Westville, the Hill, Dwight, and Fair Haven. Look around you everyone. Somewhere near you is a URI Greenspace garden waiting for you to come and help. Plant a tree, pull a weed, make a new friend. Dig in.

Posted by: Fedupwithlioberals | June 26, 2008 4:29 PM

Ironic that two polar opposite stories are being told this week on one page. If you are poor, indigent and/or irresponsible, the city builds you a storybook neighborhood complete with new streets, sidewalks, colonial homes, granite topped kitchen counters and central air. You don't pay a dime for anything and can not be kicked out for any reason!

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/06/q_terrace_1.php.

Be a tax paying, mortgage paying middle class shmoe, and your lucky if you get trees thrown your way to plant and maintain on your own. Does anyone feel like they've been had?

Posted by: Thank you all! | June 26, 2008 4:54 PM

Great work neighbors! Its been a blast the last few weeks getting to know so many new faces on my street - a big round of applause to all the nbew people I have met, the incredible work of Lisa Seidlarz and Jim Austen, the great work of URI, the thankless job of our Alderman Lemar in securing the neccessary permissions and approvals (and even showing up to help a couple times) but mostly to the hard working individuals who are so committed to making sure that this neighborhood reaches its full potential. And contrary to the ever grupmy "fed up with Liberals" comment, I'd like to say that I love this program and am very thankful the the City contracts with URI to do this community building work!

Posted by: Fedupwithliberals | June 26, 2008 5:54 PM

Dear Thankyouall,

Don't confuse my grumpy comment with the efforts that you have expended. It is a marvelous story, and one that I expect from East Rock residents. You have collectively done a beautiful thing. What an example to, not only the city, but the state! I'm just pointing out the fact that at some point in time, you have to start questioning why you pay the tax you do, and work the way you do, so that some freeloader can live better than you.

What, that doesn't raise your hackles a bit?

Posted by: Nan Bartow | June 27, 2008 9:03 AM

The trees are not "thrown our way." They are carefully selected by URI for the city streets, brought to our neighborhoods, and properly planted. All trees need to be cared for the first year. Who better than the homeowner or tenant who lives right nearby? Twenty and thirty years ago I saw many young trees planted for the city by contractors. Then I watched them die during a hot summer because no one watered them. It was very sad. In this program, most residents will keep their word and water the trees when needed because they take pride in ownership and because they have received proper instructions. Even in the "storybook neighborhoods" residents must water the new trees if they want them to survive the first year.

Posted by: David Streever | June 27, 2008 9:25 AM

AWESOME Joel! Great pics.

Posted by: Justin Elicker | June 28, 2008 12:02 PM

The SoHu group is quickly becoming a legend among URI neighborhood groups for its energy and commitment. I heard that a few weeks ago SoHu was out in the pouring rain planting as usual.

The Friends of East Rock Park is looking for recruits with similar energy for our URI project. We've got a great core group but always want more. If you're interested, we're at Rice Field every Thursday from 6-8pm renovating benches, planting and having good times. Runners are particularly welcome to our upcoming trail erosion work.

Contact Justin at info@friendsofeastrockpark.org, call 203-500-2969 or just show up any Thursday.

And keep it up SoHu!

www.friendsofeastrockpark.org

Posted by: cedarhillresident | June 28, 2008 7:52 PM

Yeah to you guys!!!! Welcome aboard the URI train!!

Fedupwithlioberals
Ya know I love ya! But I have to say this is bigger than trees. You know I am the first to scream about taxes and the lower income community's getting the short end of the stick but, this at least in Cedar Hill is much bigger than trees. It is educating people to care about their community's again. Even if a neigbor does not come out (which we do try to get them to) when looking at the work done even they may start caring for their street, picking up trash ect. It is a motivator. I also work with the friends of east rock team. Which is working in the park it self. And it is a wonderful thing to see what a difference a group of community members can make!! I LOVE IT! Why don't ya come and join one of the groups I am sure your area has one!! Thier are greenspace groups in every area! And if your area does not have one start one up!

Side note: As a tax fighter think that because the community is doing the work it does allow us to get more trees and plant planted because it saves all the extra cost of a contractor. **so that is a bonus**

Posted by: Fedupwithliberals | June 29, 2008 7:37 AM

Cedarhillresident,

East Rock homeowners are mostly responsible need no education in caring for their properties. They are now taking matters into their own hands to do what the city should be doing on curb lots which, technically, is city property. If you think that this is going to filter down to residents of public housing where they are suddenly going to pick up a broom or shovel, then you are engaging in the same fantasy that every liberal has been pushing for the past 40 years anf trillions of dollars later with no evidence of success anywhere in the US.

Posted by: EarlyBird | June 29, 2008 3:57 PM

Methinks the woman in the photo just received her tax bill.

Posted by: Stickler | June 29, 2008 8:11 PM

SoHu? Yuck. I'm really sick of this trend of fake neighborhood names. Why can't we just say East Rock? Don't get me wrong - I'm all for neighborhood pride, but can't you come up with something better?

A Tree Grows (Many Trees!) In “SoHu”

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