MillionTreesNYC Newsletter

Spring Into Action by Digging in with MillionTreesNYC!

New Yorkers from across the city’s five boroughs are taking to the streets, parks, schoolyards and public housing developments to plant and care for trees. Together, we have planted more than 173,000 trees since MillionTreesNYC was launched in October 2007. Thanks to your help, we are 19 percent ahead of our annual tree-planting goals.

The fall planting season for MillionTreesNYC was a busy one. On November 8, 2008, nearly 1,000 community volunteers came out to help the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation’s Natural Resources Group plant 15,000 trees in public parks located throughout the city. Additionally, we launched the MillionTreesNYC Training Program (MTTP), engaging young adults aged 18 to 24 in seven months of intensive, green-collar job and life skills training. The trainees spent the frosty months mastering the art of tree identification, planting and maintenance techniques, invasive species removal and composting through courses provided at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG). After an exceptionally snow-laden winter, the participants are now eager to pick up their pruning shears and shovels and get to work greening New York City. Additionally, students in more than 50 schools in Trees for Public Health (TPH) neighborhoods are learning how to plant trees and are expanding their already active interest in the maintenance and care of the trees in their playgrounds and schoolyards through MillionTreesNYC’s enriching environmental programs.

This spring MillionTreesNYC Month 2009 kicks off on April 1, and it has never been easier to help New York City reach its goal of planting one million new trees. Participate in a community tree-planting event; purchase and plant your own tree through the One In A Million Tree Coupon Program; or join the MillionTreesNYC Stewardship Corps and learn how to care for trees in your neighborhood. And, don’t forget to register a newly planted tree or let us know if you spot the perfect location for a new tree. To learn about these opportunities and more, visit www.milliontreesnyc.org.

Adrian Benepe
Commissioner
New York City Department of Parks & Recreation

Drew Becher
Executive Director
New York Restoration Project

One in a Million Tree Coupon Program
Presented by BNP Paribas
This spring New York City residents and families can take advantage of a $20 discount on trees purchased at participating New York City nurseries and garden centers, courtesy of New York Restoration Project (NYRP) and underwritten by MillionTreesNYC Month presenting sponsor BNP Paribas. Purchase and plant your own tree, and become One In A Million! All you need is a place to plant, a shovel and access to water to take advantage of this tree-mendous program. Tree planting and care instructions come with your tree. Beginning in April, visit www.milliontreesnyc.org to learn program details, locate a nursery near you and download a tree discount coupon.

MillionTreesNYC Procurement Program
Through the generous support of Bloomberg Philanthropies and David Rockefeller, MillionTreesNYC is offering free trees for large-scale New York City planting projects in the spring and fall of 2009. The MillionTreesNYC Tree Procurement Program provides trees to community and non-profit organizations that have demonstrated prior tree-planting capacity.

MillionTreesNYC is now accepting inquiries for the spring 2009 season; interested groups must have resources to receive and plant all granted trees on publicly accessible land. Whether you are planning to reforest a park; plant trees at local schools, churches or community centers; or distribute trees to community gardens, this is an opportunity to save money and jumpstart your tree-planting project. Tree procurement must be completed by March 25 in order to arrive in time for spring planting, so act now! For program information and to apply, please contact Ashley Willhite at awillhite@nyrp.org.

Home Depot Community Grant Program
Through the generous support of The Home Depot Foundation, MillionTreesNYC is offering community grants to non-profit organizations across New York City. Organizations with a citywide scope of influence can apply for up to $20,000 in support of tree-planting, education, outreach or stewardship activities located throughout the city’s five boroughs that align with MillionTreesNYC’s overall goals. Neighborhood-based organizations can apply for up to $5,000 in support of local tree-planting projects. Interested groups can download a MillionTreesNYC Community Grant Program application form at www.milliontreesnyc.org or contact Megan Shane at mshane@nyrp.org for more information.

MillionTreesNYC is seeking more than 2,000 adult and youth volunteers to dig in this spring! Help make New York City a little greener by planting much-needed trees on New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) properties, in public parks and on other publicly accessible properties located throughout the city’s five boroughs. Visit www.milliontreesnyc.org, and register to participate in a volunteer tree-planting event today!

JetBlue Airways 'One Thing That’s Green' Community Volunteer Day
Saturday, April 18
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
NYCHA Pomonok Houses, Queens
Help green New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Pomonok Houses by planting 300 trees.
Registration opens: March 17
To register, visit: www.jetblue.com/trees
For more information, email info@nyrp.org.
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 15, 2009

NYCares "Hands on New York Day" with NYC Parks Department
Saturday, April 25
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Citywide planting sites
Help green our city by planting 20,000 trees in all five boroughs during this large-scale, citywide volunteer event.
Register online at: http://www.nycares.org/volunteer/annual_events/honydmilliontrees
For group registration, contact Damon Bolden at Damon_Bolden@nycares.org
Note – The 19 tree-planting sites are being supported with a MillionTreesNYC Home Depot Community Grant.

Natural Resources Group Stewardship Days
May 1-3, May 30 and June 20
Citywide planting sites
Join volunteers in greening and beautifying our city’s urban forest by removing invasive species and replanting native trees, shrubs and herbs in damaged areas.
Contact Ellen Arnstein at Ellen.arnstein@parks.nyc.gov,
or call 212.360.3435.

American Express 'Make a Difference' Community Volunteer Day
Saturday, May 16
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
NYCHA Red Hook Houses, Brooklyn
Help green NYC this spring by planting, mulching and watering trees at NYCHA Red Hook Houses.
Registration opens: March 17
Register online at: www.milliontreesnyc.org
For more information, email info@nyrp.org.
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Trees for Public Health Community Plantings
Throughout May
East Harlem, Stapleton, Hunts Point, East New York
Community volunteers will plant trees in targeted neighborhoods.
Contact Ellen Arnstein at Ellen.arnstein@parks.nyc.gov,
or call 212.360.3435.

Root for New York — Corporate Challenge
On Earth Day, April 22, 2009, New York Restoration Project (NYRP) invites you to bring your company and its employees out of the office for a citywide volunteer challenge that will make a dramatic and lasting impact on New York City’s natural environment.

For the first time, two non-profit organizations – NYRP and City Year New York (CYNY) – are joining forces to engage 500 corporate volunteers in a service project to plant hundreds of trees and green a high-need community. Join us at Washington Houses, a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) development in East Harlem, to plant trees and flowers and help make a difference in New York City this Earth Day. To learn how your company can get involved, contact Jimmy Owens at jowens@nyrp.org or call 212.333.2552.

MillionTreesNYC Stewardship Corps
We all know that trees are being planted. All you have to do is walk down a city street or visit a local park to see the effect MillionTreesNYC has had on our city. What some New Yorkers might not realize is that it is critical to a tree’s long-term health that it is regularly watered during the first five years after planting, especially during hot summer months. In response to this need, the MillionTreesNYC Stewardship Corps will connect local residents, community gardeners and neighborhood block associations with real opportunities to water, protect and, in some cases, prune newly planted trees. This spring join the MillionTreesNYC Stewardship Corps, and become a tree care ambassador for your block or neighborhood. For more information, visit www.milliontreesnyc.org in April and learn how you can get involved.

Partnerships Academy: Street Tree Stewardship
Partnerships Academy: Street Tree Stewardship is a free, fellowship program, specifically tailored to support the unique needs of street tree stewards. This yearlong Academy program supports community-based parks groups and individual volunteers interested in developing in-depth stewardship projects. Fellows learn new skills, network and share best practices, hear from experts in the field and are eligible for a selective mini-grants program. The Partnerships Academy is partially supported by the MillionTreesNYC Home Depot Community Grant Program. For more information, visit www.partnershipsforparks.org, or call (212) 676-1929. Deadline for registration ends April 30.

Trees New York (TNY) — Citizen Pruner Course
Every fall and spring, Trees New York (TNY) — a non-profit organization dedicated to tree care and education — offers 12-hour Citizen Pruner Courses in street tree care citywide. Topics covered include tree identification, tree biology, pest identification, tree-pit gardening and pruning. Upon completion, participants will be licensed by the NYC Parks Department to care for New York City’s street trees. Through the Home Depot Community Grant Program, TNY is offering courses in street tree care for $50 for 240 participants, rather than the regular $100 registration fee. Cost includes a comprehensive manual and other relevant materials. For more information, call TNY at (212) 227-1887 or register online at www.treesny.org.

From participating in a volunteer day and planting trees to becoming a community tree steward and caring for our city’s newest green neighbors, New Yorkers from across all five boroughs have answered our call to action to green NYC! Below is a story of one New York City gardener who was able to plant several new trees in her apartment complex as a result of MillionTreesNYC’s community tree giveaways.

Share your story today!

I am one of the gardeners at the Dunbar Apartments, which have been widely recognized as one of the crown jewels of Old Harlem. Over the years, some of the old trees died and much of the old landscaping was removed and discarded, as the previous landlords ceased to provide gardening services.

A group of residents, who perserveered through these hard times, took it upon themselves to clean up the gardens and preserve and plant what they could on limited resources. Since then, new residents have enthusiastically joined in! We received oaks, a tulip tree, maackias and a sweet gum from the fall MillionTreesNYC tree giveaway, located in Harlem and sponsored by American Express. We look forward to greener days ahead!

Ramona P.
ManhattanM

Donate
Be one in a million, and help support MillionTreesNYC! Think of it this way – a donation of $50 plants a tree seedling used to reforest the city’s parks; $100 plants a small tree in a New York City neighborhood; a gift of $500 covers the cost to plant a tree in a public schoolyard or playground; and $1,000 will ensure that a tree is planted on a New York City street. Please visit the link below to read about how your donation can be used to plant and care for our city’s new trees, as well as to fund our ongoing MillionTreesNYC stewardship and education programs.

Click here to donate today!

MillionTreesNYC wants to help you green your thumb by providing some helpful pointers. If you have questions about tree planting and care that you would like to ask an arborist, please feel free to email us at info@milliontreesnyc.org with the subject "Ask an Arborist," and we will be happy to get back to you. Your question might even appear on our website!

Q. Why is it important to take care of a street tree pit?

A. A city tree must battle many urban hazards daily — from air pollution, bicycles, dogs, snow salt chemicals and people. In addition to above ground threats, tree roots also must contend with tough below–ground conditions. A tree pit — better known as a tree bed or lawn strip — provides limited space for these forest giants, and this soil is a tree's only source of nutrients. Because of this, it is essential to create as nurturing a tree pit as possible. As winter ends, we encourage you to step outside and help your local street trees. To learn more about tree pit care techniques, visit Tree Planting and Care 101.

MillionTreesNYC is an initiative to plant and care for one million new trees throughout New York City's five boroughs by 2017. MillionTreesNYC is jointly led by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and New York Restoration Project (NYRP). To achieve the initiative’s goals, MillionTreesNYC also engages community, non-profit, government and corporate partners throughout the city.

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