Do Look Up!
by Sonam Velani
The Alley Pond Giant in Queens, standing tall as NYC’s tallest tree at a whopping 134 ft!
You might not believe it, but New York City has over 7 million trees, hundreds of acres of woodlands, and miles of trails scattered across the 5 boroughs!
This weekend marked the first celebration of its kind to educate New Yorkers about the incredible biodiversity in our city. City of Forest Day, brought on by Forest for All NYC, Parks and Open Space Partners NYC, and the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, showcased over 50 events under the bright, beautiful canopies we’re lucky to have above.
A healthy urban forest is essential for a healthy city - providing critical habitat for wildlife, cleaning our air and water, cooling our neighborhoods, and improving our health and wellbeing.
Some fun facts:
Number of trees in New York City: 7 million
Number of trees on New York City streets: 592,130
Acres of urban tree canopy: 44,509 acres
Percent of land covered in trees: 24%
Replacement value of total tree population: $5.2 billion
For every $1 invested, New York street trees return $5.60 in benefits
Annual pollution removal: 2,202 tons
Annual carbon storage: 1.35 million tons
Annual stormwater capture: 890 million gallons
Number of tree species: 168
Standing trunk to trunk, New York City street trees would form a line 118 miles long–the distance from Manhattan to Hartford.
Spaced 25 feet apart, New York City street trees would stretch more than 2,800 miles–all the way to Las Vegas.
So the next time you’re out and about, try to climb up the city’s tallest tree, a Tulip Tree standing 134 ft tall at Alley Pond Park in Queens, or unleash your tree hugger instincts and wrap your arms around the city’s widest tree, all 144 inches of the American Hornbeam at Prospect Park in Brooklyn. And do look up!
by Sonam Velani