New York Tree Trust
Stewardship for Young Trees
In 2000, the New York Tree Trust launched Stewardship for Young Trees, a program that enhances support for recently planted street trees and greenstreets. Urban foresters have long known that citizens can provide much of the care young trees need to survive in an urban environment by performing tasks such as watering, cultivating soil. and cleaning tree pits of litter and weeds. The New York Tree Trust now provides the training, tools, and recognition that citizens need to successfully care for their greenspaces. Our success is due largely to the financial support of the Golden Family Foundation, The National Tree Trust, New York City Environmental Fund, and many individual donors, as well as the cooperation of Partnerships for Parks, a sister program of the City Parks Foundation.
Upon their successful completion of an introductory workshop and their written commitment to care for a site, stewards receive a basic tool package of trowels, buckets, cultivators, gloves, hoses, garbage grabbers and trash bags. Stewards who wish to take more responsilbity for their trees can apply for a scholarship to a Trees New York citizen pruner class or attend a Parks-led shrub training workshop.
We provide additional incentives for stewards including free botanical tree labels, a twice yearly newsletter, yearly rooftop receptions at the Arsenal and a "Parks Card" providing discounts from merchants across the city.