Trees for Public Health Neighborhoods

When planting one million new trees in a city as large as New York City, you have to start somewhere.  The Parks Department has established six target neighborhoods that have been identified as neighborhoods of greatest need for trees.  The six neighborhoods—referred to as Trees for Public Health neighborhoods (TPH)—were selected because they have fewer than average street trees and higher than average rates of asthma among young people.  It is believed that additional trees in these neighborhoods will reduce the pollutants that trigger respiratory disorders, and contribute to healthier living standards. 

The six Trees for Public Health Neighborhoods include:

• Hunts Point, Bronx
• Morrisania, Bronx
• East New York, Brooklyn
• East Harlem, Manhattan
• Rockaways, Queens
• Stapleton, Staten Island

Tree Planting Strategy

During the spring and fall tree planting seasons, the Parks Department will conduct block-by-block street tree planting in the six TPH neighborhoods, while New York Restoration Project and other non-profit partners coordinate tree planting on other public, institutional and private land, as well as engage in public education and community outreach activities.  The goal is to completely green an entire neighborhood with an abundance of newly planted trees on both public and private lands.

While we are targeting neighborhoods of greatest need, MillionTreesNYC remains a citywide initiative.  The Parks Department will continue to respond to individual requests for street trees, while NYRP and our many public and private partners engage community-based organizations and volunteers in every neighborhood throughout New York City’s five boroughs to plant and care for new trees.

Identifying Tree Planting Opportunities

Let us know if you have tree planting opportunities in these neighborhoods or if you are interested in becoming a  community partner  in these neighborhoods.