Frequently Asked Questions
General
How many parks are there in New York
City?
How many acres do you have?
What is your biggest park? How big is
Central Park?
How can I find out more about Parks?
Where's the statue of Balto located?
When are the Central Park drives closed?
How do I get a map of Central Park?
Parks and City Government
What is the relationship between Parks
and the Mayor?
What are concessions?
Parks Programs and Initiatives
How do you maintain parks? What is the
WEP program?
What is the PACT program?
What is POP?
Does Parks work with community groups?
What are your big initiatives?
What is Greenstreets?
Which non-profit organizations do you
work with?
Does Parks perform environmental work?
What is the Natural Resources Group?
How do you inspect / rate your parks?
What is the rating scale?
What type of artwork do you have in
parks and how do you preserve it?
What can I do
to help Parks?
Parks Events and Activities
What type of events do you have in parks?
What is the most popular recreation
activity in New York City parks?
What type of recreation programs do
you offer?
What's going on in City parks and recreation
centers this weekend?
How do I sign up for free swimming,
golf, in-line skating, soccer and basketball lessons
and clinics?
What facilities and activities are available
at my neighborhood recreation center?
How can I find
out about activities and events in my neighborhood
parks?
Does Parks manage the beaches?
How do I find out if the beaches and
pools are open?
How do I find out which beach or pool
is closest to my home?
When and where do the Urban Park Rangers
give nature tours?
Parks Accessibility
How do I find a wheelchair accessible park or playground entrance?
How do I find an accessible comfort station?
Permits for Sports and Events
I want to have a party in a park. Do
I need a permit?
How do I obtain a permit?
For which activities are permits needed?
How much does a permit cost?
How do I apply for a ballfield/soccer/generic
sports permit?
Where can my team find a field for practice?
Can I get married in Central Park?
How do I get a permit to vend in a park?
Parks and Trees
How do you manage and care for trees
in New York City?
How can I get a tree planted in front
of my property?
Who in the city is responsible for street
and park trees?
Are there any regulations governing
street trees?
May I work on the tree myself?
May I arrange for a private tree service to work on a City tree?
Why does Parks require a permit for
tree work?
What happens if I don't get a permit?
What do I do if I see someone harming
a tree?
How do I report a problem with a street tree?
What if my tree needs routine rather than emergency pruning?
The tree in front of my house just looks unhealthy. What should I do?
How can I get work done on a tree?
The roots of
the tree in front of my property are causing my sidewalk
to heave. How do I go about making the necessary repairs?
My sewer is
clogged and I suspect that roots from the street tree
in front of my house are the cause. Can I have the
tree removed?
Parks Rules and Regulation
Do you have a Parks police force?
Who do I call if there is a problem?
Can I bring alcohol into the parks?
Can I camp in the parks?
What are the rules for using Parks swimming pools?
How many parks are there in New York City?
New York City has more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds and recreation facilities across the five boroughs. Parks properties range from swimming pools to wetlands and from woodlands to skating rinks.
How many acres do you have?
Parks manages more than 28,000 acres.
New York City also has several national and state
parks properties, including the Statue of Liberty.
Go
to Athletic Facilities page.
What is your biggest park? How big is Central Park?
Top Ten Largest Parks:
1. Pelham Bay Park Bronx 2,765 acres
2.
Greenbelt, Staten Island 1,778 acres
3. Flushing Meadows/Corona Park, Queens 1,255 acres
4. Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx 1,146 acres
5. Central Park, Manhattan 843 acres
6. Marine Park, Brooklyn 798 acres
7. Bronx Park, Bronx 718 acres
8. Alley Pond Park, Queens 655 acres
9. Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk, South and Midland Beaches, Staten Island 638 acres
10. Forest Park, Queens 544 acres
How can I find out more about Parks?
The Parks library provides Parks employees and the general public with a wealth of information on Parks, New York City history, architecture, urban planning, ecology, and recreation. Historic brochures, master plans, annual reports, and rare, salvaged books, provide the foundation for this ever-expanding collection. The Parks Library is located in room 240 of the historic Arsenal in Central Park , and serves as an excellent resource for patrons ranging from school groups and university students to professionals and senior citizens. The library also hosts a wide range of special events and is open to the public Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM .
Go
to the Parks Library page.
Go
to the Parks Newsroom page.
Where's the statue of Balto located?
The statue is located in Central Park, at 67th Street and 5th Avenue, just inside the Park.
Go to the Central Park web site.
When are the Central Park drives closed?
Visit our Park Drives: Car-Free Hours page for information on park drive hours for Central Park, Prospect Park, Forest Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Rockaway Beach, and Silver Lake Park.
Go to the Central Park web site.
How do I get a map of Central Park?
The Map & Guide can be purchased for $4.00 at the Dairy Visitor Center & Gift Shop, mid-park at 65th Street. To order a copy by mail, send a check for $4.00, payable to Central Park Conservancy, to:
Central Park Conservancy
Map & Guide
14 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022
You may also view a virtual
map at the Central
Park web site.
PARKS AND CITY GOVERNMENT
What is the relationship between Parks and the Mayor?
Parks is a mayoral agency. The Commissioner is thus appointed by and serves the Mayor. Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe was appointed by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on January 25, 2002.
What are concessions?
Any business that generates revenue on parkland is considered a concession. This includes the full spectrum of businesses, from hot dog vendors to Yankee Stadium. In fact, Parks has a long history with concessions. In 1978, Mayor Koch issued Executive Order No. 9 that established a citywide Concession Review Committee and required certain concessions to be publicly bid. In 1983, golf courses became a concession. Previously they were operated by the City at a loss of $2 million a year. In 2002, the golf course revenue was $4,216,617. In 1989, the Revised City Charter established the City's Franchise and Concession Review Committee (FCRC) and required that all concessions be awarded through a public solicitation process outlined by the FCRC rules.
Approximately 500 concessions currently operate in parks. They generally fall into two categories: food service and recreation. In 2002, the total revenue generated by all the concessions for the agency was $61.5 million. The food service concessions range from pushcarts selling hot dogs and pretzels to restaurants such as Tavern on the Green, Caffe on the Green, and the Loeb Boathouse. Recreational concessions include ice rinks, indoor tennis bubbles, stables, marinas and much more.
Go to the Concessions Opportunities page.
PARKS PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES
How do you maintain parks? What is the WEP program?
Since its inception in 1995 , the Work Experience Program (WEP) has provided career training and job experience to welfare recipients who might otherwise have a hard time finding employment . There are currently approximately 1,200 welfare recipients who work in our parks, playgrounds and recreation centers in exchange for their public assistance benefits. Through WEP, welfare recipients help care for parks and playgrounds throughout the city, performing basic maintenance tasks like removing litter and graffiti , thus contributing greatly to the improvement of parks . To assist participants in finding employment in the private sector, Job Assistance Centers (JAC) provide access to the internet, newspapers, magazines and other employment resources. There is one center in each of the five boroughs and employment counselors are on hand to provide participants with all of the assistance necessary in their job searches. Parks also runs job training and placement program s called PACT and POP .
Go to the Opportunities at Parks page.
What is the PACT program?
The Parks Career Training Initiative (PACT) is an innovative welfare-to-work program that exists through a partnership between the City of New York Human Resources Administration (HRA) and Parks & Recreation . Founded by Commissioner Stern in April of 1994, participants come exclusively from WEP and are selected primarily for their motivation to move from public assistance into full-time employment. PACT has placed over 2,300 welfare recipients in full-time, private sector employment since its inception . PACT offers a comprehensive package of employment related services to its participants in exchange for the on-the-job training. In PACT, participants learn by doing, receiving hands-on training through small supervised training crews or individual training internships in one of five training areas: clerical, custodial, fix-it, horticulture, and security . Also, the PACT Employment Specialists and Counselors work both one-on-one and in groups with trainees to develop resumes, interview skills, coping mechanisms, and barriers to employment. Once employed, the PACT Retention Specialist tracks trainees to provide follow-up support services and ease the transition from welfare to work.
What is POP?
Through the Parks Opportunity Program (POP), which began in March 2001, individuals on public assistance are hired for paid seasonal positions at the Parks Department. Under our latest contract with City of New York Human Resources Administration (HRA), new POP employees are hired for six-month positions. POP employees perform a wide variety of functions within the agency including maintenance, security, and clerical positions.
Go to the Opportunities at Parks page.
Does Parks work with community groups?
Parks is always looking for new ways to form relationships with community groups. Our primary way of cultivating relationships is through Partnerships for Parks. Partnerships for Parks was launched in 1995 by Commissioner Henry Stern as a joint program of City Parks Foundation and New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to increase community support for local parks. Partnerships creates and strengthens groups who help care for local parks and playgrounds. The philosophy of Partnerships is that if people feel a sense of ownership over their neighborhood parks and playgrounds, they are much more likely to contribute to their well being. Through workshops, small grants, outreach and organization development, and problem solving, Partnerships for Parks strengthens local efforts to revitalize parks and the neighborhoods that surround them. Citywide, tens of thousands of people are active in over 250 Friends of Parks groups, as well as over 1,000 other civic groups that contribute to their parks in some way throughout the year . Partnerships efforts have bolstered a network of over 4,000 groups and 65,000 local leaders across all five boroughs of New York City . To get involved in your neighborhood park group or to start your own, click here.
Visit the Partnerships for Parks website.
What are your big initiatives?
Through maintenance, programming, and development, Parks & Recreation seeks to improve the park experience and enhance programs offered for all New Yorkers. Some of the initiatives planned to meet this goal include:
• Capital: we will improve access to the waterfront by constructing new parks such as Hudson River Park , Brooklyn Bridge Park , and Barretto Point Park . We will create new Greenways including a continuous loop around Manhattan and a riverside route along the Bronx River . We will replace dirt and asphalt ballfields with synthetic turf.
• Greening: parks is also planting new gardens and Greenstreets, and training all of its staff in the basics of horticulture.
• Youth: we are improving athletic opportunities and programs for youth, partnering with other agencies and non-profits to provide fitness curricula in our after school programs, and teaching athletic skills to young teens.
• Customer service: we are improving park services by fixing broken water fountains and comfort stations and staffing parks at hours that people use them most.
• Volunteers: we are supporting and developing new volunteers through our Partnerships for Parks Program, a joint initiative with the city parks foundation. In addition to citywide efforts, we have targeted four catalyst sites including the historic harlem parks, the Highbridge parks, the Astoria waterfront, and Red Hook. We are also working with 198 new community gardens that have been preserved through a recent settlement negotiated by Mayor Bloomberg.
What is Greenstreets?
Greenstreets, a joint project with the Department of Transportation, began in 1986 and was reintroduced in 1994. The program converts paved street properties, like triangles and malls, into green spaces, making the pavement spring to life. In 1999 alone, Parks planted 800 greenstreets. To date, we have planted a total of 2,001 greenstreets citywide.
Which non-profit organizations do you work with?
We work closely with a number of non-profit organizations such as the City Parks Foundation, the Central Park Conservancy, the Battery Conservancy, the Prospect Park Alliance, Riverside Park Fund, and Friends of Van Cortlandt Park. These non-profits work to promote community involvement in New York City's parks. They organize cleanup and green-up events, spearhead volunteer efforts, and raise funds for their local parks.
Does Parks perform environmental work? What is the Natural Resources Group?
In 1984, Commissioner Henry Stern established the Natural Resources Group (NRG) to develop management strategies aimed at preserving and protecting New York City 's remaining natural areas. More than 11,000 acres of city parkland are undeveloped forest, meadows, marshes, coastal shoreline, lakes and ponds.
NRG has leveraged over $90 million in grants and environmental projects for parks and distinguished itself as an international leader in urban restoration ecology and natural area management.
Go to the Nature Resource Group page.
How do you inspect / rate your parks? What is the rating scale?
The Parks Inspection Program began in 1984 as an initiative to measure the effectiveness of the Neighborhood Parks Restoration Program, a program in which in-house crews refurbished neighborhood parks and playgrounds. In the spring of 1985, the program was expanded by the Office of Operations, Policy and Planning (now OMP) to evaluate playgrounds jointly-operated by Parks and the Board of Education. In March 1995, the program moved to the current system of 24 two-week rounds and 24 biweekly summary reports a year. OMP instituted random inspections of 205 sites per round, from which statistically-representative borough-wide and citywide ratings were generated. This change was possible because of the introduction of hand-held computers to the inspection process.
Currently, the division of Operations and Management Planning (OMP) is responsible for carrying out the Parks Inspection Program (PIP). Trained inspectors from OMP perform over 5,000 inspections at ratable sites each year, giving each inspected site either an "Acceptable" or "Unacceptable" rating for overall condition and cleanliness. The cleanliness rating given to each site is derived from "Acceptable" or Unacceptable" ratings given to each of four cleanliness features: litter, graffiti, glass, and weeds. The overall condition rating given to each site is derived from ratings given to the four cleanliness features as well as to six structural features - sidewalks, paved surfaces, play equipment, safety surface, benches, and fences, and six landscape features: horticultural areas, water bodies, lawns, athletic fields, trails, and trees. Inspections take place in a cycle of two-week rounds. Each round, 205 ratable sites are randomly selected according to set parameters. At the conclusion of each round, individual inspections are distributed to field managers, and a summary report is produced showing the citywide and borough-by-borough percentages of sites found "Acceptable" in cleanliness and overall condition for the preceding two-week period. Summary ratings are also produced for each inspection season and for the inspection year. Each season is comprised of six inspection rounds.
Go to the Parks Inspection Program page
What type of artwork do you have in parks and how do you preserve it?
The sculpture collection in New York City's parks constitutes the largest outdoor public art museum in the United States. A veritable "Who's who" of American art, it includes the work of nineteenth-century masters such as Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Daniel Chester French and John Quincy Adams Ward, as well as contemporary subjects and conceptions by the likes of Louise Nevelson, George Segal, Alice Aycock and Robert Graham. Some 1,200 monuments, 300 of which are sculptures, grace our most prominent civic spaces as well as the many localities which constitute the greater metropolis. Ranging in size from commemorative tablets to triumphal arches, they honor people and events that helped shape our city, nation, and the international community. It is the cultural and aesthetic legacy that we wish to preserve.
In addition, the City Parks Foundation Monuments Conservation Program monitors the condition of, and performs conservation treatments and maintenance on, the extensive and irreplaceable public art collection in New York City's parks. This program also provides hands-on training to monuments technician apprentices entering the profession of outdoor sculpture conservation. The program, launched in 1997, has thus far conserved 24 sculptures, and has provided full-scale, high-quality care for an additional 35 outdoor statues. The work crews consist of 6 to 8 seasonal conservation apprentice-trainees selected from graduate programs in historic preservation, objects conservation, and sculpture. The apprentices work under the direction of the core CPF Monuments Program conservation staff.
Seeking to avoid cycles of renovation and decline, the City Parks Foundation Monuments Conservation Program performs follow-up maintenance of previously conserved statuary. With historical bronze sculptures, this generally consists of an overall inspection, gentle cleaning, and reapplication of the protective coatings. This procedure ensures the protection of the sculpture as well as a consistently acceptable appearance. Candidates for maintenance will be annually selected in each of the five boroughs, as funding permits. Written and photographic documentation of conservation and maintenance establishes a permanent record of care, and serves to guide further efforts.
The total projected annual budget for the City Parks Foundation Monuments Conservation Program is $250,000, depending on the number of apprentices and the duration of the field conservation season. The goal of this program is to support a small dedicated professional staff year-round and to field at least two full-time summer conservation crews during the height of the work season (April through October). In addition, CPF manages monuments maintenance endowments, which are a requirement for new sculptures placed in New York City's parks, and also oversees dedicated endowments which may be earmarked for existing statuary. Currently, one of the major Monuments Program projects is the restoration of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Arch in Brooklyn. The Arch is one of the largest Civil War monuments in the United States. The restoration of the Arch includes cleaning, patination, the application of a protective coating to all bronze surfaces, the removal of iron staining, and the repair of damaged bronze elements.
What can I do to help Parks?
Parks always needs volunteers. To volunteer, call your Borough Coordinator at Partnerships for Parks. Parks & Recreation also runs an Internship Program. If you are interested in becoming an intern, please call the Internship Coordinator at (212) 360-1349. You can also help Parks by making a donation to the City Parks Foundation, a non-profit organization that works with Parks & Recreation to improve New York City's green spaces.
Click here to sign up to Volunteer.
PARKS EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
What type of events do you have in parks?
Our Marketing and Special Events divisions produce a variety of events year round. We coordinate large annual events like the Easter Eggstravaganza and the Great Halloween Party. We also produce large-scale concerts by performers such as Garth Brooks and Sheryl Crow, as well as other large-scale events like the Dalai Lama's public talk. In addition to these large events in Central Park, we also produce or allow a number of events to take place in other City parks. These range from SummerStage concerts to numerous runs and walks, including the New York City Marathon.
What is the most popular recreation activity in New York City parks?
It is difficult to know exactly what recreation activity is the most popular. Running, jogging, in-line skating, basketball, softball, soccer, handball, and bocce are just some of the many recreational activities that go on in parks everyday.
What type of recreation programs do you offer?
Parks offers numerous athletic, academic, and cultural programs, including Teens at Parks, Computer Instruction, fitness activities, after-school programs for students, Computer Resource Centers, and Summer Festivals, special events like the Easter Eggstravaganza, the Great Halloween Party, Bocce Tournament, and Beach Volleyball Tournament. In the summer months recreation activities are also coordinated by playground associates, who are assigned to a specific playground and are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the grounds and play equipment of that park.
What's going on in City parks and recreation centers this weekend?
Call 311 (212 NEW YORK if calling from outside NYC) and ask for the Parks special events hotline, or visit our events calendar.
How do I sign up for free swimming, golf, in-line skating, soccer and basketball lessons and clinics?
Call Central Recreation at (212) 360-3300 to find out more about our free 'Learn-to' programs.
Go to Athletic Permits and Applications page.
What facilities and activities are available at my neighborhood recreation center?
Our 35 recreation and senior centers are replete with facilities such as indoor pools, weight rooms, basketball courts, dance studios, boxing rings, art studios, game rooms, and libraries. All of our recreation centers also offer a wide range of programs, such as aerobics, Tai Chi, fencing, dancing, theater and sculpture. Most of our programs are free or are available at a modest cost, and all are open to the general public. For membership and facilities information, visit our Recreation pages.
Go to the Recreation Center page.
Go
to the Programs page.
How can I find out about activities and events in my neighborhood parks?
To find out about events and activities in your neighborhood parks, you can visit our events calendar page or call 311 (212 NEW YORK if calling from outside NYC) and ask for information about Parks events.
Does Parks manage the beaches?
Parks manages 14 miles of beaches in all five boroughs of New York City . In order to keep the beaches and pools safe, Parks hires and trains a lifeguard staff which supervises the public use of our facilities. In Summer 2002 , Parks hired 994 lifeguards who received training at Parks recreation centers. Our beaches and pools provide free recreation and enjoyment for millions of New Yorkers every year.
In Summer 2002 , approximately 15 million patrons visited our seven public beaches: Rockaway Beach , 4.4 million; Coney Island , 9.5 million; Orchard Beach , 899,793 ; Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn , 658,275 ; Midland Beach , 56,170 ; South Beach , 47,528 ; and Wolfe's Park, 63,825 .
Go
to the Beaches and Pools page.
Go
to the Lifeguard Application page.
How do I find out if the beaches and pools are open?
The beaches are open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Outdoor pools are open from the July 4th weekend through Labor Day weekend. However, sometimes beaches and pools are closed for safety reasons. To find out about beach and pool closings call 311 (212 NEW YORK if calling from outside NYC).
Go to the Beaches and Pools page.
How do I find out which beach or pool is closest to my home?
To find out which beach or pool is closest to your home, visit the Beaches and Pools page on this website, or call 311 (212 NEW YORK if calling from outside NYC).
Go to the Beaches and Pools page.
When and where do the Urban Park Rangers give nature tours?
The Urban Park Rangers give free nature tours year-round in all five boroughs.
Go to the Urban Park Rangers page.
PARKS ACCESSIBILITY
How do I find a wheelchair accessible park or playground entrance?
Disabled people frequently come upon park entrances that are inaccessible, and have no signage in place directing them to the closest accessible entrance. This can be a frustrating and disheartening experience for our visitors. In order to ensure equal access for every park patron, the Parks Department has placed accessible signage in all small parks, playgrounds and parking lots. Now, when a person with a disability comes upon an inaccessible entrance there are signs with arrows directing them to an accessible entrance. All signage is in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines.
You can also find accessible entrance locations in all parks by visiting the interactive maps. Search for the park you are interested in. Click the button that is marked "Show Accessible Entrances." Accessible entrances are marked in blue and inaccessible entrances are marked in red.
How do I find a wheelchair accessible comfort station?
For Central Park, you can view this list of restrooms in the park. Accessible restrooms are marked with an asterisk (*). We are currently surveying the accessibility of comfort stations throughout the five boroughs and will add this data to our interactive maps. You can check our Accessibility page for updates.
PERMITS FOR SPORTS AND EVENTS
I want to have a party in a park. Do I need a permit?
Yes, if more than 20 people are expected to attend, you will need a special events permit, which can be obtained by calling the appropriate Borough Permit Office (applications are also available on this site):
Bronx: (718) 430-1847
Brooklyn: (718) 965-8912
(for Prospect Park call 718-965-8944)
Manhattan: (212) 408-0226
Queens: (718) 520-5941
Staten Island: (718) 390-8023
Go to the Permits and Applications page.
How do I obtain a permit?
To request a special events permit, print out the special events permit application, fill it out, and submit it to your Borough Special Events Office. Please include a $25 processing fee with your application.
To obtain a tennis permit, print out the permit application, complete it, and mail it to us with the appropriate fee and photograph.
If your tennis permit was purchased at the Arsenal building, located at 830 5th Ave., you may renew your tennis permit on-line.
To obtain a ballfield permit, please print out and complete the permit application, and then submit to your Borough Coordinator, or apply for a permit on-line.
Go to the Permits and Applications page.
For which activities are permits needed?
While most Parks activities are available to the public without a permit, some activities and events require them:
A special events permit is required for events/activities where twenty or more people will be present. School picnics, birthday parties, and field days all require a special events permit.
There are also several sporting activities that require permits, and organized sports leagues/schools must obtain a permit for the fields that they use. People wishing to play tennis at municipal tennis courts must also obtain a permit in order to do so.
Go to the Permits and Applications page.
How much does a permit cost?
A special event permit requires a $25 non-refundable processing fee. Fees for sports permits vary, depending on which sport you are requesting a permit for.
Go to Rules and Regulations page 2-09.
How do I apply for a ballfield/soccer/generic sports permit?
You must fill out an application. You may either print our Sports Permit Application form from this site, fill out the application and mail to/drop off at our office or apply on-line.
When mailing in the application, please do not enclose any payment. We will process all internet and mail-in requests on a first-come, first serve basis and will send you a bill when we have reserved a field for you. Please allow 30 days to process your request. Click on the link below for permit applications.
Go to the Permits and Applications page.
Where can my team find a field for practice?
We do not permit fields for practice due to the high demand for space to play games. We suggest that you find space on an open field or in an unoccupied area of a park suited to active recreation.
Can I get married in Central Park?
Yes. To get married in the Conservatory Garden at 105th St and 5th Ave, call the Central Park Weddings Office at (212) 360-2766 for details. If you would like to get married elsewhere in the park, apply with the Manhattan Permit Office.
Visit the Central Park Conservancy's Weddings page.
How do I get a permit to vend in a park?
You must apply for a Temporary Use Authorization (TUA) to sell anything in a park. You will need to provide our Revenue division with a list of vendors, items to be sold, and prices prior to the event. Please call our Revenue division at (212) 360-1397 for more information.
Go to our Concessions Opportunities page.
PARKS AND TREES
How do you manage and care for trees in New York City?
Parks' Central Forestry Division and the forestry divisions of each borough are responsible for the maintenance of New York City's nearly 500,000 street trees. In order to better manage street trees, Commissioner Stern launched our street tree census in the summer of 1995 to count and catalog all of the City's street trees. Conducted with the assistance of more than 700 volunteers, 33,278 city blocks were covered. Upon its completion in 1996, the final count was 498,470 street trees.
Trees are pruned and maintained by horticulture specialists in our forestry divisions. In order to ensure the safety and well-being of New York City's trees, any individual who wishes to work on a tree must apply for a permit through the Borough Forestry Office.
How can I get a tree planted in front of my property?
There are two ways to have a tree planted in front of your property. The first option for planting trees is to contact your local community board, which submits a list of tree requests twice a year to Parks. Please note that a request form signed by the property owner is necessary in order to receive a tree. These trees are planted on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is usually a greater demand for trees than we can service in any one season, so there may be a one to two season lag time between the request and the planting. To identify your community board, consult the blue pages of the telephone book or call 311 .
Go to the Community Boards page.
Your second option is to apply for a free permit through your Borough Forestry Office and arrange for a private planting at your own expense. If a sidewalk tree pit needs to be excavated, you must also obtain a permit from the Department of Transportation (DOT). The Borough DOT permit offices are: Bronx (718) 931-3388; Brooklyn (718) 780-8088; Manhattan (212 442-7949; Queens (718) 286-2731; and Staten Island (718) 816-2367.
Who in the city is responsible for street and park trees?
The City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation has jurisdiction over all trees growing in the public right-of-way, including trees along streets, parkways, and in city parks.
Are there any regulations governing street trees?
Yes. Regulations are noted in several sources, including the City Charter, sections of the Administrative Code, and Parks Rules & Regulations. Any person wishing to do work on or around street trees must first obtain a permit from their Parks borough forestry office. This includes, but is not limited to, pruning, fertilizing, spraying for the control of insects and disease, planting, installing decorative lights, tree grates and/or tree guards, and removing or relocating an existing tree. Persons failing to obtain the appropriate permits before beginning tree work are liable to arrest and prosecution under Section 18-129 of the New York City Administrative Code and Title 56 Section I-04(b)(1) of the New York City Rules. Most violations are misdemeanors, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment up to 90 days. Removing a tree without a permit or damaging a tree are very serious offenses punishable by fine of up to $15,000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year.
May I work on the tree myself?
Proper tree care entails hazardous work that should be carried out only by skilled workers trained and experienced in arboriculture. Trees New York is a not for profit organization that offers a course in the care of street trees. The focus of the course is the care of young and newly planted trees that can be reached from the ground. To become a Citizen Pruner, call Trees New York at (212) 227-1887.
May I arrange for a private tree service to work on a City tree?
You may hire a qualified arborist to provide the necessary tree car services, but you must first have your contractor obtain a no fee permit from the appropriate Parks borough forestry office.
Why does Parks require a permit for tree work?
All trees planted in the right-of-way are under the jurisdiction of Parks & Recreation. The City has an interest in protecting and preserving these trees. The permit process allows Parks to review proposed work to ensure that it includes only desirable and safe planting, removal, maintenance, and protection practices.
Is there a fee for this permit?
No. To obtain a permit free of charge, contact your Borough Forestry Office. Click here to go to the Forestry page. The application process generally takes one to two weeks.
What happens if I don't get a permit?
Persons failing to obtain the appropriate permits before beginning tree work are liable to arrest and prosecution under Section 18-129 of the New York City Administrative Code and Title 56 Section I-04(b)(1) of the New York City Rules. Most violations are misdemeanors, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment up to 90 days. Removing a tree without a permit or damaging a tree are very serious offenses punishable by fine of up to $15,000 and/or imprisonment up to one year.
What do I do if I see someone harming a tree?
Call 311 immediately to report any tree-related emergency incidents or situations.
How do I report a problem with a street tree?
Parks & Recreation's forestry divisions respond to homeowner requests for tree inspections, remove dead trees and stumps, perform hazard pruning, and respond to emergencies. To report a problem or request an inspection, contact your borough forestry office.
What if my tree needs routine rather than emergency pruning?
Parks has a separate program for routine block-by-block maintenance for street trees. Begun in 1997 and funded by the Mayor and the City Council, the program assures that every street tree will be pruned once every 10 years in a planned, systematic, and economically efficient pruning cycle. Before this program, street trees were on a 50-year cycle.
The tree in front of my house just looks unhealthy. What should I do?
Call your borough forestry office if your tree looks sickly or diseased. If you suspect the presence of an insect infestation, pay special note. The Asian Longhorned beetle is a tree-boring insect that kills healthy trees. It has been discovered in Brooklyn , Queens and Manhattan in New York City . A joint Federal, State, and City task force is working to eradicate this pest, which has also infested trees in Long Island , New York , and Chicago , Illinois . The beetle is an inch long, with a jet black body and mottled white spots on the back. It has long antennae with distinctive black and white bands on each segment. Please call 1-877-STOP-ALB if you suspect an infestation or if you would like more information on the beetle.
How can I get work done on a tree?
Contact your Borough Forestry Office to request emergency pruning and fallen or dead tree removal. You can also arrange for a private tree service to perform the necessary work, but you must first have your arborist obtain a free permit from your Borough Forestry Office.
The roots of the tree in front of my property are causing my sidewalk to heave. How do I go about making the necessary repairs?
Root slicing by Parks, or by a qualified arborist working under a permit granted by Parks, is necessary before sidewalk repair can be done. You must coordinate a root slicing appointment between the contractor repairing your sidewalk and the appropriate Parks borough forestry office. After preliminary arrangements have been made with a contractor, call the borough forestry office to schedule an appointment. The contractor must remove the sidewalk and completely expose the root system (cleaning all soil and debris from the roots) before the root slicing crew arrives. All root-slicing appointments must be scheduled in advance. Do not remove the sidewalk until you have confirmed your appointment with your Borough Forestry Office.
My sewer is clogged and I suspect that roots from the street tree in front of my house are the cause. Can I have the tree removed?
No. The remedy to this problem does not lie in the removal of the tree. Trees do not cause clogging of sewers unless the entry of the roots has been afforded by a defect in the sewer pipe itself. Permanent repairs should be made to the sewer system at the point of root entry.
How do I contact my borough forestry office?
Write or call your borough forestry office at the following addresses. They are open from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM on Monday-Friday. Click here for forestry contact information.
Go to the Forestry contacts page.
PARKS RULES AND REGULATIONS
Do you have a Parks police force?
The Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) is a division of Parks responsible for ensuring the safe use of parkland for everyone. Commissioner Gordon Davis created PEP in 1981 as a way of promoting proper use and enjoyment of parks by enforcing park rules and regulations as well as health, traffic and sanitation codes. PEP officers patrol all parks, ensuring that members of the public adhere to rules governing park use as stipulated in the Rules and Regulations Handbook. Summonses are issued to people found in violation of the Parks regulations.
In addition, the Urban Park Rangers, established in 1979, educate the public about parks and parks-related issues. The Rangers sponsor special programs such as Junior Rangers, nature trail design, maintenance projects, and environmental fairs.
Go to the Rules and Regulations page.
Who do I call if there is a problem?
The goal of Parks is to provide New Yorkers with clean, safe places to play, exercise and have fun. We do our best to ensure that our facilities are well maintained. If there is a problem with equipment or maintenance at any one of our facilities, please call 311 (212 NEW YORK if calling from outside NYC), or contact us.
Can I bring alcohol into the parks?
No, alcohol is prohibited in all parks.
Can I camp in the parks?
No, overnight camping is prohibited in all parks.
What are the rules for using Parks swimming pools?
Park’s 51 outdoor pools are great places for summer fun and active recreation. For everybody’s health, safety, and protection, we ask our guests to observe a few basic pool rules.