In celebration of City of Forest Day 2026, meet THE TALKING TREES OF WEST 75TH STREET - click for more info!

THE TALKING TREES OF WEST 75TH STREET
Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.
Official ribbon cutting at noon
West 75th Street at Columbus Avenue

In celebration of City of Forest Day 2026, the Manhattan 75 Block Association invites you to join them for the official launch of meet THE TALKING TREES OF WEST 75TH STREET. These are 114 street trees along West 75th Street from Central Park West to Riverside Drive. Now, thanks to a little imagination and artificial intelligence, they are giving them something they have never had before: a voice.

Each tree will have its own ID card featuring its leaves, information about its species, and a QR code. Scan the code with a phone and the tree will actually speak to you—about where it came from, how it grows, what makes it special, what life is like for a street tree in New York City, and what it needs from us to remain healthy. Some of the trees even have names!

The idea grew from a very simple belief: people are more likely to care FOR something once they care ABOUT it and the Manhattan 75 Block Association wants New Yorkers—particularly children—to stop for a moment, look up from the sidewalk and discover that the trees they pass every day aren’t simply part of the streetscape. They’re living neighbors with histories, remarkable biology, and important jobs to do.

The trees also have some serious things to say. They’ll explain why they need water during hot, dry summers, what compacted soil does to their roots, why their tree beds need protection and some of the many ways healthy street trees make New York a healthier, cooler and more beautiful city.

Together, these 114 Talking Trees will transform West 75th Street into a talking urban arboretum stretching from Central Park to Riverside Park. For years, they have quietly looked after West 75th Street and now the block association thinks it’s time New Yorkers heard what they have to say!

Please RSVP to Jim Lyles at: lyles266@gmail.com.