In 2017, we stewarded over 400 street trees in Western Queens. A special thank you to all of our volunteers and students from Queens who helped us surpass our goal.
Trees New York’s Tree Please! Western Queens Project supports the long-term health of Western Queens street trees. In order to help increase the survivability of newly planted street trees, Trees New York trains and certifies volunteers in pruning and tree bed stewardship.
This spring, Trees New York will continue to focus our pruning and tree maintenance activities in Sunnyside, Woodside, Astoria, Long Island City and Jackson Heights. These communities contend with high levels of air pollution and water pollution due to their proximity to highways and commercial trucking zones. The Newtown Creek, an EPA Superfund site, borders two of the targeted neighborhoods – Long Island City and Sunnyside.
Ensuring that the neighborhood trees survive and thrive is critical to mitigating adverse environmental conditions. An expansive urban forest will help capture stormwater, thus minimizing the occurrences of combined sewage overflows. Also, a healthy tree canopy cover will capture pollutants and reduce wind velocity, which minimizes the distribution of particulate matter and should reduce the high incidence of breathing disorders in these environmental justice areas.
If you’re interested in organizing a stewardship workshop in your Western Queens Neighborhood, please contact Sam Bishop Director of Education/Arborist at sam@treesny.org
