Welcome to our Street Tree Care Program.
Big thanks to Council Member Rita Joseph for supporting community composting in District 40 and for prioritizing the NYC Urban Forest Plan. 🌳
We’re excited to offer you opportunities to get involved in taking care of the beloved street trees in our community by joining any of the below:
1) Volunteering for our Street Tree Care events (2-3 per year). Schools and corporate groups are welcome! Sign up here for our upcoming City of Forest Day Street Tree Care event on 10/3/26 from 12-4;
2) Adopting a tree bed on your block (see below). We will do our best to help you to acquire plants, mulch and tools, if needed;
3) If you are a local business and would like to support our work with a donation (food items, tools and other supplies or financial contribution).
Got questions? Email compost.mscg@gmail.com.
adopt a tree bed tips + SUGGESTIONS
We’ve complied a number of helpful documents that cover native plants species, tips for installing signage and tree care tips. You can access them here.
Sanitation Foundation: Through the Adopt Your Spot NYC program, you can register your specific street tree bed. They will welcome you into an online community to chat with other adopters and connect you with tool-sharing opportunities to clear litter and preserve the bed.
Brooklyn Botanical Garden Community Greening: BBG runs a dedicated Street Tree Stewardship Initiative specifically for Brooklyn residents. They offer free training, specialized workshops on soil and plant selections, and help you secure the proper permits from NYC Parks. You can reach out directly via community@bbg.org.
https://tree-map.nycgovparks.org/tree-map/learn
https://tree-map.nycgovparks.org/tree-map/learn
street tree organizations in nyc
Offering volunteer training, stewardship events, and citizen pruner certifications.
Big Reuse: Runs an active street tree care team funded by City Council members across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, hosting neighborhood tree care events and clinics. Volunteers welcome!
Trees New York: Offers the popular Citizen Pruners course which licenses residents to legally prune street trees in the city, alongside youth programs and community tree planting stewardship.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Manages a Street Tree Stewardship initiative educating residents on proper tree bed care, mulching, and watering throughout Brooklyn.
Lower East Side Ecology Center: Hosts community stewardship events focused on weeding, mulching, watering, and planting in neighborhoods like Chinatown, the East Village, and the Lower East Side.
NYC Parks: The official city agency overseeing public trees, offering official Tree Steward volunteer training for basic and advanced care. To learn about NYC Tree Stewardship, click here.
EXPLORING NYC TREES + GUIDES
Tree Walk and Nature Art (provided by Mayra Sanchez of NYS DEC)
Got questions? Email compost.mscg@gmail.com with “Street Tree Care” in the subject line.