Celebrating our Urban Forest
In honor of Arbor Day, we’re highlighting the oaks, elms, and more that make Manhattan tree-mendous. We want to hear about your favorite tree in the borough – tell us what makes tree so special in the form below and share a picture of it.
Submit your contender here.
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A Million Reasons
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. And they provide the green space that has been integral to New Yorkers’ mental health during the pandemic.
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.
