To make our city more resilient, more equitable, and healthier, we need to plant or restore a million more trees. Trees are key weapons in our fight against climate change. They protect us in this era of extreme weather, absorbing runoff and cooling neighborhoods.
Tree planting and cover throughout the city is also an issue of equity and environmental justice. Because NYC’s tree canopy is not evenly distributed, some neighborhoods have long enjoyed the benefits of extensive tree coverage, while communities of color and with lower incomes remain underplanted and undercovered.
This accounts for drastic temperature differentials between neighborhoods. Communities with less tree coverage consistently record higher temperatures in the warmer months than elsewhere in the city, causing serious health and quality-of-life issues. The initiative would prioritize plantings in these neighborhoods to reduce heat vulnerability.
Since January 1, 2023, we’ve made progress planting new trees – NYC Parks reports that the city has planted almost 1200 new street trees just in Manhattan, with around 800 more trees planned for the near future.
But we still have work to do.
We need to get more trees planted across our borough and city, and we need your help!
- Request a new street tree in your neighborhood! Call 311 or request online.
- Care for our city’s existing trees! It’s important to keep these trees healthy so they can continue to benefit us. Volunteer at a street tree stewardship project or become a super steward and get licensed to care for trees on your own. More information here.
