Bob Sympson: A real tree hugger

Robert L. (Bob) Sympson is a tree hugger in every sense of the word. He is an untiring advocate of trees, planting them, studying them, educating the community about them. It’s no wonder that he has been named the recipient of the Arbor Day Foundation’s 2010 Lawrence Enersen Award for his lifelong conservation efforts.

“When I received word of this National Arbor Day Foundation award from Mike Boller,” Sympson said, referring to the deputy director of the East Rockaway Department of Public Works, “I was naturally quite surprised. Since my retirement I’ve devoted myself to trees, trees and more trees.”

Sympson, the chairman of the East Rockaway Tree Advisory Board, retired from Valley Stream South High School, where he taught science and horticulture, in 1991. At that point he turned his attention to volunteerism — and to trees. He is a resident of East Rockaway but lives within the Lynbrook school district, and both villages eventually benefited from his efforts.

In the 1990s, Sympson, as a member of the Lynbrook Village Environmental Concerns Committee, initiated tree planting in the village. Under his leadership, Lynbrook developed a community garden where residents rented 40 plots and cultivated plants of their choice. They are still enjoying the garden today.

Working with the Lynbrook School District, Sympson planned a Community Walking Trail and Arboretum at Lynbrook South Middle School. He helped to raise $16,000 to finance the trail, which is still used by students and residents for trail runs or to just enjoy the beauty of the variety of trees that are planted there.

Sympson also obtained a state grant with matching funds to plant a Grow-Out Station at North Middle School to test the viability of balled and burlapped trees as well a bare-root stock. The trees were later planted at district schools.