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Help our street trees this summer!
According to the most recent street tree census, New York City has over 666,134 street trees across all five boroughs. These trees need your help as the weather warms up! Just like us, trees need water to survive during the warmer months. Watering is one of the most important things you can do for the street trees in your neighborhood, especially if they're younger trees!
In order to successfully water a street tree you need to :
- Loosen or cultivate the soil. This helps to break up the soil compaction and ensure the water reaches the tree's roots. Do this by breaking up the top 2 – 3 inches of soil.
- Transport water from the source to your street tree using a watering can, bucket, or any vessel you have available!
- Water slowly. This will help to ensure the water drains into the soil instead of running off onto the sidewalk or into the street.
- Make sure to water at the soil level – not on top of the leaves of groundcover, flowers, or shrubs.
Join the Stewardship Team!
Jumpstart your career in the environmental field and help us spread the word. The deadline to apply is very soon! Applications are now being accepted for a September 2022 – July 2023 term with NYC Service, hosted by the Parks Stewardship Program:
Treevia
The Urban Heat Island Effect refers to the hotter temperatures experienced in urban areas compared to more rural and suburban areas around them. This happens when hard, human-made materials like cement, pavement, and asphalt absorb sun's radiation, trapping its heat. This absorbed heat causes increased daily surface temperatures, often increasing by 1-7°F. Research has stated that this effect will grow overtime as urban populations, spatial density, and structures grow. Street trees are one of the most important front-line defenses against higher temperatures brought upon by the heat island effect. They are the "natural air conditioners” for our city streets, through the process of transpiration and providing shade! Transpiration is when trees take in water (from rain or from Stewards like you!) and expel it through their leaf surface into the air.
Trivia Question: About how many degrees can transpiration and shading reduce peak summer temperatures?
Think you know the answer? Scroll down -- the answer is located at the bottom of this newsletter!
Stewardship Spotlight
Simona Rodano is a musician and producer of multicultural and multilingual educational shows for schools and families. She is also a doctor in biology with a deep love of nature, and a passion for neighborhood beautification. Simona started the Go Green Astoria group in 2020, collaborating with St. John's Preparatory School Environmental Club to green their blocks during the pandemic. This has now expanded to include Astoria residents from all over, young and old.
One of Go Green Astoria's biggest achievements has been adding mulch to the beds along 21st Avenue and at Ralph Demarco Park, as well as planting daffodil bulbs which bloomed this spring: "l cannot describe how happy we are to see them," Simona says, having learned as a Care Captain the art of creating a "wall of beauty” to protect trees. "It works!” she noted, "Less trash where we plant flowers, and it takes care of trees and parks!”
Plant of the Month: Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
The black-eyed Susan is a common wildflower that is native to North America and can be found growing throughout many gardens and parks in New York! We have all seen these flowers at some point, and they can be recognized by their bright yellow, daisy-like petals and dark brown almost black centers. This flower does great in many different soil types and is drought resistant, making it an excellent pick for our urban environment. Butterflies, bees, and other pollinators love black-eyed Susans and will be attracted to them as soon as they start to bloom! Keep your eyes peeled and you might see some lovely flowers and pollinators this summer.
Friday, Jul, 08, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Volunteers will help us plant spartina and remove the debris from coastline creating a healthier ecosystem.
Friday, Jul, 08, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Join NYC Parks Stewardship team and staff at Citywide Nursery to pot up perennials into larger grow pots. Volunteers will be led by Citywide Nursery staff in proper planting procedures.
Saturday, Jul, 09, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Volunteers will learn how to aerate, cultivate, mulch, and identify street trees. They will also learn about the important role street trees play in New York City.
Saturday, Jul, 09, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Volunteers will learn how to aerate, cultivate, mulch, and identify street trees. They will also learn about the important role street trees play in New York City.
Tuesday, Jul, 12, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
The GNPC team will take volunteers on a tour of their facilities and describe their projects with time to explore the facility after the tour!
Friday, Jul, 15, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Volunteers will contribute to ongoing restoration work and learn the importance of species diversity to ecosystem health.
Friday, Jul, 15, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Help care for native plants for the Founder Seed Program with the Greenbelt Native Plant Center!
Saturday, Jul, 16, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Join the NYC Parks Stewardship team and the Coney Island Beautification Project, Inc for community festival, "Art at the BlueLine,” and Coastal Clean Up.
Saturday, Jul, 16, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Join the NYC Parks Stewardship team and Professional Wetland Scientists on a guided walk of Soundview Park and its neighboring wetlands.
Sunday, Jul, 17, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Help care for native plants for the Founder Seed Program with the Greenbelt Native Plant Center!
Friday, Jul, 22, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
NYC Parks needs your help to defend Pelham Bay Park against the mile-a-minute vine! This vine can grow up to six inches a day, often destroying young trees in the process.
Saturday, Jul, 23, 12:30pm – 2:30pm
Volunteers will learn how to aerate, cultivate, mulch, and identify street trees. They will also learn about the important role street trees play in New York City.
Friday, Jul, 29, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Volunteers will contribute to ongoing restoration work and learn the importance of species diversity to ecosystem health.
Saturday, Jul, 30, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Volunteers will learn how to aerate, cultivate, mulch, and identify street trees. They will also learn about the important role street trees play in New York City.
Tree Trivia Answer: Transpiration and shading can reduce temperatures by 2-9°F! Visit the EPA's website for more info on reducing the heat island effect.
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